Patent ID: 9360959
Filing Date: 2016-06-07
CPC Classification: G06F

Claim Text:
1. An apparatus for inputting information into a computer about an object comprising: a 3D sensor that senses 3D information including geometric information about the object's shape and position information and produces a 3D output; a 2D sensor that senses 2D information including position information about the object and produces a 2D output; and a processing unit which receives the 2D and 3D output and produces a combined output that is a function of the 2D and 3D output, including combining the 2D position information and the 3D position information to maintain tracking of the object, the 2D sensor has two or more individual sensing tiles in communication with the processing unit that form a sensor surface that detects force applied to the surface and provides a signal corresponding to the force to the processing unit which produces from the signal a time varying continuous image of force applied to the surface, where the surface is contiguous, detected force is sensed in a manner that is geometrically continuous and seamless on the surface, each tile comprises a grid of wires that define intersections and areas of space between the wires, a set of protrusions that are in contact with a plurality of intersections of the grid of wires, and a mechanical layer that is disposed atop the set of protrusions, so that force imparted to the top of that mechanical layer is transmitted through the protrusions, and thence to the intersections, and a force resistive material in proximity to a plurality of the intersections of the grid of wires in which is disposed only in proximity to a plurality of the intersections of the grid of wires and in spaced relationship, the processing unit in communication with the grid which causes prompting signals to be sent to the grid and reconstructs a continuous position of force on the surface from interpolation based on data signals received from the grid wherein a protrusion is a rigid bump of plastic, metal, wood or glass, having a curve at the protrusion's top, which focuses force onto an active area of a sensing element, and where the force resistive material and an intersection of the plurality of the intersection of the grid of wires define the active area of the sensing element where force from a protrusion on the sensing element is electrically measured with the prompting signals in communication with the sensing element.