Touch interface device having an electrostatic multitouch surface and method for controlling the device
AssigneeNorthwestern University
InventorsJames Edward Colgate, Michael A. Peshkin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A touch interface device comprising a touch surface, a first electrode coupled with the touch surface, a second electrode coupled with the touch surface, where when an appendage of an operator touches the touch surface above both the first electrode and the second electrode a first actuation electrical potential from the first electrode and a second actuation electric potential from the second electrode establish electric fields that pass from one of the first and second electrodes directly through the outermost layer of the appendage and return to the other of the first and second electrodes via the outermost layer of the appendage.
Claims28
A touch interface device comprising:
- a touch surface;
- a first electrode coupled with the touch surface;
- a second electrode coupled with the touch surface;
- and
- a control unit coupled to the first and second electrodes,
- wherein when an appendage of an operator touches the touch surface at a touch point that is above both the first electrode and the second electrode a first actuation electrical potential from the first electrode and a second actuation electric potential from the second electrode establish electric fields that pass from one of the first and second electrodes directly through the outermost layer of the appendage and return to the other of the first and second electrodes via the outermost layer of the appendage,
- wherein when the appendage touches the touch surface at the touch point, the control unit is configured to determine an amount of overlap between the appendage and each of the first and second electrodes to determine a position of the touch point.
A touch interface device comprising:
- a touch surface;
- and elongated electrodes coupled with the touch surface and configured to be disposed beneath an insulating layer, the electrodes including a first electrode oriented along a first direction and a second electrode oriented along a different, second direction, the first electrode extending over the second electrode at a first intersection,
- wherein when an appendage of an operator touches the touch surface at a touch point positioned above both the first electrode and the second electrode a first actuation electrical potential from the first electrode and a second actuation electric potential from the second establish electric fields that pass from one of the first and second electrodes directly through the outermost layer of the appendage and return to the other of the first and second electrodes via the outermost layer of the appendage,
- wherein when the appendage touches the touch surface at the touch point, a position of the touch point is determined by measuring an amount of overlap between the appendage and each of the first and second electrodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.