The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 27, 1990
Filed:
Jul. 25, 1989
Felix Garcia, Jr, Round Rock, TX (US);
Rodney D Williams, Plano, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A fiber optics input device receives a light beam from a movable light source relative to the input device for providing input signals to a terminal. The device includes a single plane of parallel, clad optical fibers forming columns of a matrix and another similar single plane forming rows, the two planes being placed together to form the matrix. The cladding is removed from the top surface of each fiber to form a window therein to permit the light beam to directly contact the selected window in the column plane and to permit the light beam that passes the column plane optical fibers to enter the window of the row plane. Light sensors are connected to the ends of the optical fibers in both the column and row planes so that a first signal is generated indicating a column position and a second signal is generated indicating a row position, thereby fixing the intersection of the column and row optical fibers at the point where the light beam impinges. At least one more similar single vertical position plane may be positioned adjacent and below the row plane. This vertical position plane has at least one light detector connected to the ends of the optical fibers and provides a signal responsive to the light beam that passes the column and row planes indicative of the vertical position of the light source with respect to the input device.