An input device comprising an overlay for a display screen comprising an optically conductive material is described. The overlay has a central region for transmitting first electromagnetic radiation corresponding to an object in contact with the overlay at a first location, and a light conduit along the edge of the central region for receiving and transmitting the first electromagnetic radiation. The light conduit is configured to inhibit transmission of the first electromagnetic radiation back into the central region of the overlay. At least one detector is coupled to the light conduit for receiving the first electromagnetic radiation and generating a signal indicative thereof. Location circuitry receives the signal and generates location data indicative of the first location.
An integrated display and object sensing user input device is described. Display components and electric field sensing components are provided on a substrate. Also described is a sensing circuit for detecting current induced in a receiving electrode of an electric field sensing arrangement, wherein the sensing circuit employs two-phase charge accumulation. In operation, two effective circuit parts are selected alternately according to the phase of a voltage concurrently causing electric field emission, such that charge is accumulated in the same charge sense during operation of both effective circuit parts. Plural thin film electric field sensing circuits and electrodes may be arrayed to provide an object sensing array, usable as an input device.
An optical keyboard having a plurality of keys formed on a sheet of transparent material used as light guide. Each key is a dome-shaped element such that the light beam launched into one end of the dome-shaped element spreads over at least part of the dome-shaped element and then converges at another end. The intensity of the re-focused light beam at the converging end can be sensed by a photosensor. When a key is pressed, the deformity on the dome-shaped element changes the focusing properties of the key and thus the sensed light intensity. The dome-shaped elements can be used as individual keys or as a group of keys arranged in a two-dimensional matrix.
A display emitting apparatus that irradiates an optically transparent display unit with Ultraviolet rays of light from below to cause luminescent layers provided on the display unit to emit colored rays of light to provide a highly colorful and very ornamental display (FIG. 1).
A touch panel in which two or more light sensors emit light into a transparent panel at an angle to sustain transmission through the panel by total internal reflection. The transmitted light is detected at an array of light detection positions around the periphery of the panel opposite to each light source. When an object contact the surface of the panel, light transmitted along the pathway from a given source past the contact point to one of the detection points is attenuated by the frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) effect. Each contact causes two or more intersecting light beams having known end points to be attenuated, enabling a connected processor to determine the position and size of the contact area.
A method and a system for determining the position of a radiation emitter, which radiation emitter may be an actively radiation emitting stylus, pen, pointer, or the like or may be a passive, radiation scattering/reflecting/diffusing element, such as a pen, pointer, or a finger of an operator. The radiation from the emitter is reflected from that position toward the detector by a reflecting element providing multiple intensity spots on the detector providing sufficient information for determining the position. From the output of the detector, the position of the radiation emitter is determined.
