Flatfrog Laboratories Ab

Håkan Bergström

Thomas Craven-Bartle

Aleksander Kocovski

Daniel Skagmo

Robert Ehn

Ola Wassvik

Jens Thorvinger

Mats Petter Wallander

Ivan Karlsson

Tomas Svensson

Lars Rippe

Gustav Fagrenius

Christer Fahraeus

Leif Ek

Tobias Wiesel

Patrik Svensson

Johan Westlund

David Sernelius

Olov Von Hofsten

Bjorn Le Normand

A touch sensing apparatus is disclosed comprising a panel having a touch surface, emitters and detectors arranged along a perimeter, a light directing portion arranged adjacent the perimeter and comprising a light directing surface, the emitters and/or the detectors are arranged opposite a rear surface of the panel to emit and/or receive light through a channel in a frame element, the channel is arranged opposite the rear surface and extends in a direction of a normal axis of the touch surface, the light directing surface and the channel are arranged on opposite sides of the panel and overlap in the direction of the plane, the light directing surface receive light from the emitters, or direct light to the detectors, through the panel and through the channel, in the direction of the normal axis. A method of manufacturing a frame element for a touch sensing apparatus is disclosed.

Touch-sensing apparatus

An assembly for holding and controlling curvature of a glass plate for an optical touch sensitive system is described. The assembly comprising a first frame element extending in a first plane and configured to extend at least partially around a panel; at least one second frame element extending in a second plane and forming a support portion for the plate, and at least one spacing element positioned at least partially between the support portion and the first frame element. The spacing element us configured to control a curvature of the first frame element and wherein the at least one second frame element is configured to engage the plate at the support portion, is attached to the first frame element, and is tiltable, by controlling the curvature of the first frame element with said spacing element, to control a curvature of the plate.

Touch device

A touch sensing apparatus is disclosed, comprising a light transmissive panel that defines a touch surface, an opposite rear surface, and panel sides extending between the touch surface and rear surface. The panel sides define a perimeter of the light transmissive panel. The touch sensing apparatus comprises a plurality of light emitters and detectors arranged along the perimeter and adjacent the panel sides, a light guide arranged along the perimeter and having a first reflective surface comprising a diffusive light scattering element. The light emitters are arranged to emit a respective beam of light onto the diffusive light scattering element so as to generate propagating light that diffusively propagates above the touch surface, wherein the light detectors are arranged to receive detection light generated as said propagating light impinges on the diffusive light scattering element, and wherein the diffusive light scattering element is arranged at least partly outside the panel sides and extending at least partly above the touch surface.

Optical coupling in touch-sensing systems

A touch sensing apparatus is disclosed comprising a panel that defines a touch surface, a plurality of light emitters and detectors arranged along a perimeter of the panel. The light emitters are arranged to emit a respective beam of emitted light that travels above the touch surface, wherein the light detectors are arranged to receive detection light from the emitted light. The plurality of light emitters and detectors are arranged above the touch surface and are connected to a substrate extending in a direction parallel with a normal axis of a plane in which the panel extends. A method of assembling a touch sensing apparatus is also disclosed.

Touch sensing apparatus and method for assembly

A touch sensing apparatus is provided comprising: a light transmissive panel that defines a touch surface, a plurality of light emitters and detectors arranged along a perimeter of the light transmissive panel, a plurality of optical components arranged along the perimeter of the light transmissive panel, wherein the light emitters are arranged to emit a respective beam of emitted light and the optical components are configured to direct the emitted light to a path across the light transmissive panel. Optionally, optical components comprise a light guide arranged to receive light from the light emitters through a first surface and couple out light travelling in the light guide to the touch surface through a second surface. The second surface may be diffusively transmissive. The light guide may further comprise a reflective surface configured to internally reflect light travelling in the light guide from the first surface to the diffusive surface. The reflective surface may be diffusely reflective, partially diffusely reflective, or specularly reflective.

Optical component

An elongate frame for a touch-sensitive device comprises: a bottom wall, a top wall and a side wall connected therebetween. The elongate frame also comprises a first mounting and a second mounting for respectively fixing at least one light emitter and a touch surface with respect to the frame. The elongate frame also comprises a slot at least partially positioned above the second mounting and the first mounting wherein the slot is arranged to receive an optical component.

Frame for a touch-sensitive device and tool therefor

An assembly for holding and controlling curvature of a glass plate for an optical touch sensitive system is described. The assembly comprising a first frame element extending in a first plane and configured to extend at least partially around a panel; at least one second frame element extending in a second plane and forming a support portion for the plate, and at least one spacing element positioned at least partially between the support portion and the first frame element. The spacing element us configured to control a curvature of the first frame element and wherein the at least one second frame element is configured to engage the plate at the support portion. is attached to the first frame element, and is tiltable, by controlling the curvature of the rust frame element with said spacing element, to control a curvature of the plate.

A method for assembling a touch sensing apparatus comprising a display panel, a plate comprising a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a frame assembly, wherein the plate has a first curvature along at least a first edge of the top surface of the plate when uncoupled with the frame assembly. The method comprises the steps of arranging a plurality of light emitters alongside a periphery of the plate, the plurality of light emitters configured to emit light propagating over the top surface; arranging a plurality of detectors alongside the periphery of the plate, the plurality of detectors configured to receive light emitted from the plurality of light emitters; and coupling the display panel, the plate, and the frame assembly, wherein the step of coupling causes the first curvature of the plate to change to a second curvature.

Growing community of inventors

Torna-Hallestad, Sweden

Håkan Bergström