Method for locating an impact on a surface and device therefor

A device for locating a position of an impact on a surface forming part of an object forming an acoustic interface, provided with at least one acoustic sensor the device comprising:

• means for measuring at least one sensed signal from acoustic waves generated in the object forming said acoustic interface by said impact, and
• means for localizing the position of the impact on said surface by processing a sensed signal in said at least one sensed signals, characterized in that said means for localizing comprises:
• recognition means suitable for comparing the sensed signal with at least one predetermined signal, each respective predetermined signal in said at least one predetermined signal corresponding to a signal that is sensed when an impact is generated on an active zone forming part of the surface of the object that corresponds to the respective predetermined signal, and
• means for associating the location of the impact with said active zone when the sensed signal is sufficiently similar to said predetermined signal.

A method of identifying a location of an impact on a surface of an object, wherein said surface is delineated into a plurality of active zones, the method comprising:

• measuring a sensed signal caused by said impact;
• comparing said sensed signal with a library of predetermined signals, each predetermined signal in said library of predetermined signals corresponding to an active zone in said plurality of active zones, wherein each predetermined signal in said library of predetermined signals is determined experimentally by generating at least one impact on each active zone in the plurality of active zones;
• wherein
• when a correspondence between said sensed signal and a respective predetermined signal in said plurality of sensed signals is sufficiently similar, said location of said impact is deemed to be in the active zone corresponding to said respective predetermined signal.

A computer for locating a position of an impact on a surface of an object forming an acoustic interface, the surface provided with at least one acoustic sensor, the computer comprising:

• instructions for receiving measurements of at least one sensed signal from acoustic waves generated in the object forming an acoustic interface by said impact;
• instructions for localizing said position of said impact on said surface by processing of said at least one sensed signal, the processing characterized by a comparison of a sensed signal in the at least one sensed signal with at least one predetermined signal in a plurality of predetermined signals, wherein
• each respective predetermined signal in said plurality of predetermined signals corresponds to an active zone in a plurality of active zones on said surface, and
• each respective predetermined signal in said plurality of predetermined signals represents a signal that is sensed when a reference impact is generated on the active zone in said plurality of active zones that corresponds to the respective predetermined signal, and wherein,
• the position of the impact is associated with an active zone in said plurality of active zones by said instructions for localizing when the sensed signal is sufficiently similar to said predetermined signal corresponding to the active zone.

A computer for identifying a location of an impact on a surface of an object, wherein said surface is delineated into a plurality of active zones, the computer comprising:

• instructions for receiving measurements of a sensed signal from acoustic waves generated in the object by said impact;
• instructions for comparing said sensed signal with a library of predetermined signals, each predetermined signal in said library of predetermined signals corresponding to an active zone in said plurality of active zones;
• wherein
• when a correspondence between said sensed signal and a respective predetermined signal in said library of sensed signals is sufficiently similar, said location of said impact is deemed to originate from the active zone corresponding to said respective predetermined signal.