Water tolerant touch sensor
AssigneeTyco Electronics Corporation
InventorsJeffrey L. Sharp, Chris Dews
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method, computer readable medium, and touch sensor system for reducing the effects of contaminants on an acoustic touch sensor. Acoustic energy is transmitted across the touch sensor substrate. Any perturbations in the acoustic energy induced by environmental events, such as valid touches or contaminants, are sensed and analyzed. If the perturbation exhibits a monotonic growth over a time period, it is considered to be a valid touch. If the perturbation exhibits a non-monotonic growth over the time period, it is considered a contaminant.
Claims33
A method of reducing the effects of contaminants on a touch sensor substrate, comprising:
- receiving acoustic energy transmitted across the substrate;
- determining the presence of a perturbation within the acoustic energy induced by an environmental event;
- analyzing a growth of the perturbation over a time period;
- and
- identifying the environmental event as a contaminant if the pertubation exhibits non-monotonic growth, and identifying the environmental event as a touch if the perturbation exhibits monotonic growth.
A computer readable medium for reducing the effects of contaminants on a touch sensor substrate, the computer readable medium storing instructions, which when executed, comprise:
- analyzing a growth of a perturbation within a signal over a time period, the perturbation being induced by an environmental event associated with the substrate;
- and
- identifying the environmental event as either a contaminant if the perturbation exhibits non-monotonic growth, and identifying the environmental event as a touch if the pertubation exhibits monotonic growth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.