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:
Oct. 21, 2003
Filed:
May. 26, 2000
Paulo Irulegui Gomes, Redwood City, CA (US);
Joel Kent, Fremont, CA (US);
James L. Aroyan, Soquel, CA (US);
Shigeki Kambara, Hyogo, JP;
ELO TouchSystems, Inc., Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
An acoustic touchscreen ( ) has transmitting transducers ( ) for generating acoustic signals which are deflected across a touch-sensitive area ( ) by an array of partially acoustically reflective elements . A touch on the touch-sensitive area causes a perturbation in the acoustic signals. After traversing the touch-sensitive area, the acoustic signals are redirected by another array of partially acoustically reflective elements , towards receiving transducers ( ), where the signals (and any perturbations) are sensed. To accommodate touchscreens having narrow border regions ( ), the acoustic signals are propagated across the border regions using acoustic waveguides ( ). The waveguide confines the acoustic signals to traveling along a narrow path width, but yet permit them to be deflected across the touch-sensitive area. In this manner, the transducers and reflective elements can in turn be of narrower construction and can fit within narrow border regions.