Back to results
US 2014/0192025 A1Published application
Touchscreen displays incorporating dynamic transmitters
OwnerJonathan Payneinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for implementing touchscreen displays that utilize a transmitter system to dynamically scan at least one light beam across a surface of interest such that substantially every point in a region above the surface of interest is dynamically scanned by a light beam from two directions, a receiver system to receive and detect the at least one dynamically scanned light beams, and a processor configured to determine locations of contact are provided. The systems and methods may utilize a transmitter system that includes dynamic transmitters, which may be in the form MEMS micromirrors used in conjunction with infrared semiconductor lasers.
Claims20
A touchscreen display comprising:
- a transmitter system that dynamically scans at least one light beam above a surface such that substantially every point in a region above the surface is dynamically scanned by a light beam from at least two directions, where the region that is inclusive of substantially every point above the surface that is scanned by a light beam from at least two directions defines a surface of interest within which the presence of a contacting member that intercepts the light beam can be detected, and where the angular position of the at least one light beam is a function of at least one angular position signal;
- a receiver system comprising a light distributing sensor that bounds the surface of interest along at least one edge, and is external to the surface of interest, the light distributing sensor including a photosensor, where light incident on the light distributing sensor is redirected away from the surface of interest and is guided within the light distributing sensor to the photosensor, which detects the presence of light incident on the light distributing sensor;
- and
- a processor;
- wherein the receiver system is configured to signal the detection of light by the photosensor to the processor;
- wherein the processor is configured to determine the presence of a contacting member using the signal provided by the receiver system;
- wherein the processor is configured to determine the angular position of the at least one light beam at a point in time when a contacting member is present using the at least one angular position signal;
- and
- wherein the processor is configured to triangulate the location of a contact point using at least the determined angular position of the at least one light beam at the point in time at which the contacting member was present.
6 more elements
A method of triangulating a contact point incident on a surface of interest comprising:
- dynamically scanning at least one light beam above a surface such that substantially every point in a region above the surface is dynamically scanned by a light beam from at least two directions, where the region that is inclusive of substantially every point above the surface that is scanned by a light beam from at least two directions defines a surface of interest within which the presence of a contacting member that intercepts the light beam can be detected;
- generating at least one angular position signal such that the angular position of the at least one light beam that is scanned is a function of the at least one angular position signal;
- detecting the at least one light beam using a receiver system comprising a light distributing sensor that bounds the surface of interest along at least one edge, and is external to the surface of interest, the light distributing sensor including a photosensor, where light incident on the light distributing sensor is redirected away from the surface of interest and is guided within the light distributing sensor to the photosensor, which detects the presence of light incident on the light distributing sensor;
- signaling the detection of the at least one light beam;
- determining the presence of a contacting member by evaluating whether the signaling of the detection of the at least one light beam indicates a disturbance in the regular detection of light;
- determining the angular position of the at least one light beam at a point in time when a contacting member is present using the at least one angular position signal;
- and
- triangulating the location of the contact point using at least the determined angular position of the at least one light beam at the point in time at which the contacting member was present, using a processor.
5 more elements
A touchscreen display comprising:
- a surface;
- a processor;
- two dynamic transmitters, each of which comprises a MEMS micromirror and an infrared semiconductor laser;
- wherein each dynamic transmitter is configured such that its respective MEMS micromirror is able to redirect light from the respective infrared semiconductor laser across the surface, while the MEMS micromirror is rotating in an oscillatory fashion with an angular position that is a function of an angular position signal, thereby dynamically scanning a light beam across the surface, such that substantially every point in a region above the surface is dynamically scanned by a light beam from at least two directions, where the region that is inclusive of substantially every point above the surface that is scanned by a light beam from at least two directions defines a surface of interest within which the presence of a contacting member that intercepts the light beams can be detected;
- a light distributing sensor that bounds the surface of interest along at least one edge, and is external to the surface of interest, the light distributing sensor including a photosensor, where light incident on the light distributing sensor is redirected away from the surface of interest and is guided within the light distributing sensor to the photosensor, which detects the presence of light incident on the light distributing sensor;
- a light distributing sensor that bounds the surface of interest along at least one edge, and is external to the surface of interest, the light distributing sensor including a photosensor, where light incident on the light distributing sensor is redirected away from the surface of interest and is guided within the light distributing sensor to the photosensor, which detects the presence of light incident on the light distributing sensor;
- wherein the photosensor signals the detection of light incident on the light distributing sensor to the processor;
- wherein the processor is configured to determine the presence of a contacting member by evaluating whether the signal provided by the photosensor indicates a disturbance in the regular detection of light;
- wherein the processor is configured to determine the angular position of each of the two dynamic transmitters when a contacting member is present using the respective angular position signals of the respective MEMS micromirrors within the respective dynamic transmitters;
- and
- wherein the processor is configured to triangulate the location of the contact point using at least the determined angular position of each of the two dynamic transmitters at the point in time at which the contacting member was present.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.