Patent Application
20090219261
The present invention relates to display apparatus, in general, and touch-sensitive illuminated display apparatus, in particular.
Conventional displays, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), are typically transparent. The displays are positioned over conventional illumination units (CIUs), such as backlight units, which transmit light through the display panels to provide an image viewable by the user. However, conventional CIUs, which include light guide plates (LGPs), are disadvantageously excessive in weight. The excessive weight is largely due to the multiple optical sheets typically included in the fabrication of the LGP. Single-sheet LGPs with no additional films have been developed that reduce the weight of and simply the fabrication of the CIU. These LGPs are advantageously lightweight.
In electronic phoretic displays (EPDs), such as electronic paper, the display panel is not transparent. Accordingly, conventional techniques of providing an EPD display panel positioned over a CIU may not provide enough light to allow the user to easily view the EPD. Therefore, alternate systems, apparatus and methods for lighting the EPD are desirable.
Additionally, with the increase in the number of technology-driven consumer products, there is a strong desire to enhance user interactivity with EPDs. One approach to enhancing user interactivity is to provide touch-sensitive devices. However, the desire to illuminate devices such as EPDs persists. Accordingly, it is desirable to have lightweight, illuminated, touch-sensitive display systems and apparatus, along with methods of operation thereof.
Purposes and scope of exemplary embodiments described below will be apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the appended drawings in which like reference characters are used to indicate like elements, and in which:
In one embodiment, a touch-sensitive apparatus is provided. The apparatus may include a light source module configured to emit light; and a deformable waveguide coupled to the light source module and configured to transmit the light or a deflected version of the light. The light or the deflected version of the light may be received at a situs at which pressure external to the deformable waveguide is applied. The deformable waveguide may also be illuminated by the light. The apparatus may also include one or more sensors configured to detect information indicative of the light or the deflected version of the light at the situs, and output a signal in response to the detected information.
In another embodiment, a touch-sensitive system is provided. The system may include a touch-sensitive apparatus. The apparatus may include a light source module configured to emit light; and a deformable waveguide coupled to the light source module and configured to transmit the light or a deflected version of the light. The light or the deflected version of the light may be received at a situs at which pressure external to the deformable waveguide is applied. The deformable waveguide may also be illuminated by the light. The apparatus may also include one or more sensors configured to detect information indicative of the light or the deflected version of the light at the situs, and output a signal in response to the detected information. The system may also include a signal processor configured to receive the signal output by the one or more sensors and identify the situs; and a display device configured to provide a visual display indicative of the identified situs.
In another embodiment, a method of operating a touch-sensitive apparatus having a light source module, a deformable waveguide coupled to the light source module, and one or more sensors coupled to the deformable waveguide is provided. The method may include: emitting light from the light source module; transmitting, through the deformable waveguide, light or a deflected version of the light at a situs at which external pressure is applied to the deformable waveguide. The method may also include: detecting, at the one or more sensors, information indicative of the light or the deflected version of the light at the situs; and outputting, from the one or more sensors, a signal in response to the detected information.
The LEDs 108a, 108b, 108c, 108d emit light 112 that is reflected, according to total internal reflection, out of the LGP 102 after reflecting one or more times from the interior surfaces of the LGP 102. The light 112 is edge-injected into the LGP 102 due to the location of the LEDs 108a, 108b, 108c, 108d on the edge of the LGP 102. The mirror 110 has a reflective surface 114 positioned opposite the LEDs 108a, 108b, 108c, 108d to reflect the light 112. The light 112 is ejected from the LGP 102 at the inclined sidewall of the inverted trapezoids 116a, 116b, . . . 116i. The LGP 102 is fabricated according to the manufacturing process described in the LGP Publication.
In exemplary embodiments of the invention, touch-sensitive systems, display apparatus and methods of operation of the display apparatus are provided. In various embodiments of the invention, a CIU such as that described in the LGP Publication may be modified to provide touch-sensitive systems, display apparatus and methods of operation of the display apparatus, as described with reference to
While the CIU as described in the LGP Publication is positioned under a transparent display panel for providing backlighting of the display panel, the various embodiments of the invention may include a touch-sensitive front light unit (T-FLU) having one or more components positioned over (i.e., on top of) an EPD for providing front lighting for the EPD. The CIU 100 described with reference to
In various embodiments, the T-FLU 210 may provide light that may be deflected at a situs at which pressure may be provided from a location external to the T-FLU 210. The deflected light may be detected by the T-FLU 210 and one or more signals may be output from the T-FLU 210 based on the detected information. The one or more signals may be received and processed by the signal processor 220.
In various embodiments, the signal processor 220 may process the signals for any number of different types of information. By way of example, but not limitation, the signal processor 220 may process the signal to determine the situs and/or the amount of the pressure applied at the situs. The signal may be collected and/or filtered before or after the determination of the situs and/or the amount of pressure applied at the situs. The signal processor 220 may include any software, hardware, including circuitry, to collect information and/or identify the situs and/or the amount of pressure applied to the T-FLU 210.
In some embodiments, the display device 222 may be any device configured to provide a display corresponding to the information output from the signal processor 220. In some embodiments, the display device 222 may operate according to algorithms by which the National Instruments® LabVIEW module operates. In various embodiments, the display device 222 may include and/or operate according to the circuitry shown in
In other embodiments, the system 200 may include only a T-FLU 210 and a signal processor 220 for processing the signals received from the T-FLU 210. The signal processor 220 may output the processed signals to any number of components that may be included in the system for providing various applications. For example, the signals may be output to a controller for controlling the operation of an EPD device (not shown) or any other device to which the T-FLU 210 may be communicatively coupled. By way of example, but not limitation, the device may be any wired or wireless device in any number of environments including, but not limited to, mobile, internet, automobile, home networking, and/or home alarm environments. In various embodiments, the device may be electronic paper, an e-book reader, a television, a telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer, a laptop, a home alarm system, an automobile navigation system or the like.
Exemplary embodiments of the T-FLU 210 will now be described in detail. The T-FLU 210 may include a waveguide 202, a light source module 214 and one or more sensors 218a, 218b. The waveguide 202 may be coupled to the light source module 214 such that light emitted from the light source module 214 may travel into the waveguide 202. The light source module 214 may be edge-mounted to the waveguide 202 (and/or to the EPD or other display) in varous embodiments to provide edge-injected light 214 into waveguide 202. The sensors 218a, 218b may be operably coupled to and positioned along the waveguide 202 such that one or more of the light emitted into the waveguide 202 may be detected.
With reference to
Referring to
Each sensor 218a, 218b may create a sensing channel that may cover an area that may be detected by the respective sensor. For example, the sensors 218a, 218b may be mounted on respective lower side corners of the waveguide 202. The arrangement may create two channels over which sensing on the waveguide 202 are performed. In this arrangement, mounting the sensors 218a, 218b on the sides of the waveguide 202 may reduce the likelihood that the light from the light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d will saturate the sensors 218a, 218b.
In some embodiments, the light source module 214 may include a plurality of light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d configured to emit light such as the light 224 emitted from light source 216b. In some embodiments, the light source module 214 may be or include a single discrete unit or an array of light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d. In some embodiments, the light source module 214 may be any source configured to emit light. In various embodiments, the light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d may be any mechanism configured to emit light that may be detected by sensors 218a, 218b. By way of example, but not limitation, one or more of the light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d may be a source that provides light that is visible or invisible to the human eye including, but not limited to, an LED, an infrared light source, an incandescent light, a fluorescent lamp, and/or an electroluminescent panel.
The light source module 214 and/or one or more of the light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d may emit light injected into the waveguide 202 and that travels through the waveguide 202. The light may be reflected from the micropattern of the waveguide 202 toward a display, including, but not limited to, an EPD, over which the T-FLU 210 may be positioned. The light may be reflected from the display and may travel through the waveguide 202. Accordingly, the light may illuminate the display, and the light traveling through the waveguide 202 may travel toward a user using the display.
In one embodiment, the sensors 218a, 218b may be photodetectors such as photodiodes. The sensors 218a, 218b may be positioned at any location along the periphery of the waveguide 202 such that the sensors are able to detect the light emitted by the light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d. Accordingly, the position of the sensors 218a, 218b may differ across embodiments based on the aspect ratio of the waveguide 202. In various embodiments, sensors 218a, 218b may be positioned at any number of angles 228a, 228b relative to the base of the waveguide 202 such that one or more of the sensors can sense light 224. In the embodiment shown, the angles 228a, 228b at which sensors 218a, 218b may be positioned may be any angle between approximately 5 degrees and 90 degrees.
The sensors 218a, 218b and/or the signal processor 220 may be able to normalize the non-uniform light that may be injected into the waveguide 202 and provide a substantially uniform output indicative of the situs and/or the measurement of the applied pressure.
The change in intensity and/or the angle of travel of the light and/or the deflected light 312a, 312b, 312c may be detected by the sensors 218a, 218b. The sensors 218a, 218b may convert the intensity and/or change in intensity of the light 224 to a signal, and output the signal from the T-FLU 210 to the signal processor 220. The signal processor 220 may process the signal to identify the situs 226 and/or the amount of pressure applied at the situs 226. In some embodiments, the signal processor 220 may output the processed signal to a display device 222.
In some embodiments, ambient light noise may leak into the T-FLU 202 and/or optical artifacts that may occur upon the application of the pressure may reduce the change in intensity of the light and/or the deflected version of the light. If the noise or artifacts are too great relative to the applied pressure and/or the sensing capability of the system, the touch-screen capability may be reduced. Accordingly, embodiments of the T-FLU 210′ and/or method 500, such as those described with reference to
In the embodiment shown, T-FLU 400 may include a waveguide 210′, a light source module 214, a sensor module 410 and six sensors 412a, 412b, 412c, 412d, 412e, 412f communicatively coupled to the sensor module 410. As shown, the six sensors 412a, 412b, 412c, 412d, 412e, 412f provide resolution that is higher than that of the two sensor embodiment of
In this embodiment, the T-FLU 400 may have a sensing area that may be virtually divided into any number of areas 212a, 212b of a grid. In the example shown, the T-FLU 400 is virtually divided into a 4 row×4 column grid. In other embodiments, the T-FLU 400 may be a grid of any number of rows and columns as dictated by the number of light sources and the number of detectors of the T-FLU 400. As the number of rows and/or columns of the grid of the T-FLU 400 increases, the resolution of the T-FLU 400 may increase. Accordingly, the different embodiments of the T-FLU 400 may be designed to achieve selected resolutions suitable for different applications.
In one embodiment, the sensors 412a, 412b, 412c, 412d, 412e, 412f may be photodetectors such as photodiodes. The sensors 412a, 412b, 412c, 412d, 412e, 412f may be positioned at any location along the periphery of the waveguide 210′ such that the sensors are able to detect the light emitted by the light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d. Accordingly, the position of the sensors 412a, 412b, 412c, 412d, 412e, 412f may differ across embodiments based on the aspect ratio of the waveguide 210′ in cases when the light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d are uniformly distributed across the edge of the waveguide 210′. In some embodiments, the light source module 214 may be or include a single discrete unit or an array of light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d. In various embodiments, sensors 412a, 412b, 412c, 412d, 412e, 412f may be positioned at any number of angles relative to the sensor module 410 such that one or more of the sensors can sense light 224. In the embodiment shown, the angles 414a, 414b at which sensors 412a, 412d may be positioned may be any angle between approximately 5 degrees and 90 degrees.
Additional sensors may be placed along the waveguide 210′ depending on factors such as the geometry of the waveguide 210′, including, but not limited to, the aspect ratio of the waveguide 210′, the type and physical configuration of the light source module 214 or light sources therein, the geometrical arrangement of the entire set of sensors and/or the type or strength of the sensors and/or the signal processor.
The sensors 412a, 412b, 412c, 412d and/or the signal processor 220 may be able to normalize the non-uniform light that may be injected into the waveguide 202 and provide a substantially uniform output indicative of the situs and/or the measurement of the applied pressure.
In some embodiments, the light source module 214 may include a plurality of light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d configured to emit light such as the light 224 emitted from light source 216b. In other embodiments, the light source module 214 may be any source configured to emit light. In various embodiments, the light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d may be any mechanism configured to emit light that may be detected by sensors 412a, 412b, 412c, 412d, 412e, 412f. By way of example, but not limitation, one or more of the light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d may be light visible or invisible to the human eye including, but not limited to, an LED, an infrared light source, an incandescent light, a fluorescent lamp, and/or an electroluminescent panel.
In various embodiments, the waveguide 210′ may be deformable. As noted above, in various embodiments, the waveguide 210′ may include transparent, substantially transparent plastic or flexible material. Also, as noted above, in other embodiments, any micropattern, including any number of shapes, may be fabricated as part of the waveguide 210′.
The waveguide 210′ may be coupled to the edge-mounted light source module 214 such that edge-injected light emitted from the light source module 214 may travel into the waveguide 210′. The sensors 412a, 412b, 412c, 412d, 412e, 412f may be operably coupled to and positioned along the waveguide 210′ such that one or more of the light emitted into the waveguide 210′ may be detected.
The T-FLU 400 may process the change in intensity of the light emitted by light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d, or the deflected version of the light, according to interchannel differential signaling.
In one embodiment, method 500 includes providing a signal controller 510 for controlling the light source module 214 to cause light source module 214 to output a modulated light to the T-FLU 210′. In two embodiments, the modulated light may be modulated according to Pulse Frequency Modulation (PFM) or Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). In the embodiment shown, in steps 1 and 2, the modulated light may be modulated according to PFM while, in steps 3 and 4, the modulated light may be modulated according to PWM.
Information may be transmitted to the signal processor (not shown) and/or to one or more of the sensors 412a, 412b, 412c, 412d, 412e, 412f about time periods during which any of the one or more sensors should receive a light, based on the characteristics of the modulation employed. The signal processor and/or sensors 412a, 412b, 412c, 412d, 412e, 412f may reject or filter out light or deflect light received during other time periods. Accordingly, the contribution sensed from ambient light at a sensor and/or processed at the signal processor 220 may be disregarded if sensed during a time period when no light or deflected light was provided from a light source to which the sensor is assigned to provide detection.
In some embodiments, the PFM may have a sufficiently high frequency such that the pulse is undetectable to the human eye. In various embodiments, the frequency may be 60 Hertz or higher. Further, PFM and/or PWM may be used to reduce noise interference between the light detected by the sensors 412a, 412b, 412c, 412d, 412e, 412f in the T-FLU 210′.
In another embodiment of method 500, a signature (e.g., pulse train) may be provided by the signal controller 510 to the light source module 214. The signature may be applied to any light emitted by the light source module 214. The sensors and/or the signal processor 220 may receive information about the signature and filter out light and/or deflected light that do not include the signature. Accordingly, ambient light noise that is sensed may be filtered out as it will not contain the signature, which is applied at the light source module 214. Additionally light and/or deflected light from light sources that are not controlled to apply the signature to emitted light at a selected time will also be filtered out. Accordingly, noise interference from other light sources in the waveguide 210′ may also be filtered out. For example, if a pulse train is provided on the light, information received during a time sample when no pulse is provided may be assumed to be ambient light or other noise, and filtered out.
In another embodiment, sequencing of the light emitted may be controlled by the signal controller 510. The signal controller 510 may control the light source module 214 to output a light from only one or more of selected light sources 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d in a selected order. The order may be sequential, random or otherwise. In some embodiments, more than one light source may be controlled to emit light simultaneously or concurrently.
As shown in
In various embodiments of method 500, any combination of modulation, signature application and/or light sequencing may also be applied concurrently, simultaneously and/or in series.
In various embodiments, the apparatus of
In the preceding specification, various embodiments of systems, apparatus and methods have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it will be evident that various modifications and/or changes may be made thereto, and/or additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. It is further noted that the figures illustrate various components as separate entities from one another. The illustration of components as separate entities from one another is merely exemplary. The components may be combined, integrated, separated and/or duplicated to support various applications. The specification and/or drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.
It is understood that the apparatus may include one or more additional apparatus, some of which are explicitly shown in the figures and/or others that are not. As used herein, the term “module” may be understood to refer to computing software, firmware, hardware, circuitry and/or various combinations thereof. It may be noted that the modules are merely exemplary. The modules may be combined, integrated, separated, and/or duplicated to support various applications. Also, a function described herein as being performed at a particular module may be performed at one or more other modules instead of or in addition to the function performed at the particular module shown. Further, the modules may be implemented across multiple devices and/or other components local or remote to one another. Additionally, the modules may be moved from one device and/or added to another device, and/or may be included in both devices.
It should also be noted that although the flow chart provided herein shows a specific order of method steps, it is understood that the order of these steps may differ from what may be depicted. Also two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence. Such variation will depend on the software and/or hardware systems chosen and/or on designer choice. It is understood that all such variations are within the scope of the exemplary embodiments. Likewise, software and/or web implementations of the exemplary embodiments could be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule based logic and/or other logic to accomplish the various steps.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/012,869 titled “Touch Sensitive Illuminated Display,” which was filed on Dec. 11, 2007, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61012869 | Dec 2007 | US |
