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US 4,353,552 AGranted
Touch panel system and method
AssigneePeptek, Incorporated
InventorWilliam Pepper, Jr.
Life of this patent
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AssigneePeptek, Incorporated
InventorWilliam Pepper, Jr.
Estimating the term…
A general method is disclosed for accurately determining the location or position of a source or sink of electric current on the surface of a resistance element or impedance layer. Touch panels are described that detect the presence of a user's finger on such surface, and produce output signals corresponding to the position of the finger in one or more axes. A preferred embodiment discloses a touch panel that includes a signal generator and determines the position of the user's finger from current flowing through the user's body to ground. Another touch panel embodiment determines the position of the user's finger from currents caused by ambient electrical noise. A pressure-sensitive touch panel, a transparent touch panel for use with a video display, a touch-panel-controlled audio mixer, and a video game incorporating touch panels are also disclosed.
In a video game system having a visual display, electronic game generating means for generating control signals for said visual display according to the game being played including at least one player controlled game element, at least one player controlled signal generator, said electronic game generating means having input means for receiving control signals from said player controlled signal generator and controlling the position of said player controlled game element in said visual display, at least one player touchable electrically conductive surface, said at least one player touchable electrically conductive surface being adapted to be touched by one or more player's fingers, and means for electrically sensing the position of said player's finger on said electrically conductive player touchable surface and producing a position signal corresponding thereto which position signal is applied to said at least one player control signal input means of said electronic game generator so as to control the position of the player's game element in said visual display, the improvement in said means for electrically sensing the position of said player's finger on said electrically conductive player touchable surface comprising,
An electronic game having a visual display including at least one player controlled game element,
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Characterised by their sensors, purposes or types: for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means: using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous…
By switches with variable impedance elements: using variable resistors
Characterised by their sensors, purposes or types: using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
Term ended 12 Oct 1999 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
This invention relates to devices for providing information, in the form of electrical signals, about the position of a selected touch point serving as a source or sink of electric current relative to a current-carrying resistance or impedance element. In particular, it relates to devices for converting selected touch points or positions on a surface (reflecting hand motions) into electrical signals to provide an interface between man and machine.
As used herein, the term "a selected touch point" means a point on a surface selectively touched by a portion of a human body, particularly a finger or toe, or a point on a surface touched by an instrument held in the hand or other portion of a human body and controlled by the human, or a point on a surface contacted by a mechanical contrivance which is guided by a human. In the context of this invention "selected" means the direction by the human intellect of the point on the surface that is touched.
In the context of this invention the term "point" encompasses the area of contact between a human finger and a surface, or the area of contact of an implement, such as the pointed end of a stylus, with a surface. Thus, it is intended that the term "selected touch point" exclude non-physically contacting transfers of electrical energy between the touch panel surface and a sensing device or transducer. As used herein the term "current collecting" includes electrical current passing to or from the impedance surface.
The above and other objectives, advantages and features of the invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the basic position-locating principle incorporated in the invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a one-axis touch panel incorporating the invention.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the basic position-transducing principle employed by my invention. Extended impedance or resistance element 10 has a boundary terminal 11 connected to voltage source 12 through a current-measuring device, ammeter 13, and a boundary terminal 14 connected to voltage source 15 through a current-measuring device, ammeter 16. The other terminals of the voltage sources have a common connection C, and impedance 17 is connected between common connection C and an arbitrary point 18 on the extended resistance element. Let the total resistance of resistance element 10 be R and let the portion between point 11 and point 18 be r.sub.1, and the portion between point 18 and point 14 be r.sub.2, as indicated on the diagram. Using Kirchoff's voltage law, equations can be written for the two meshes of this circuit:
i.sub.1 r.sub.1 +(i.sub.1 +i.sub.2)Z+v.sub.1 =0 (1)
i.sub.2 r.sub.2 +(i.sub.1 +i.sub.2)Z+v.sub.2 =0 (2)