Patent ID: 6788295
Filing Date: 2004-09-07
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A touch pad input device for actively controlling the operation of an electronic apparatus by hand movement of an operator, comprising:a flat, resilient pad body having means to detect the position of at least one indentor bearing down on the pad body controlled by hand movement of an operator and means to convert such localized pressure into an electronic control signal, characterized by: said pad body comprising a resilient light translucent material having light scattering centers generally uniformly distributed therein; an array of light emitter and receiver pairs positioned adjacent to and terminating in a staggered lengthwise relationship relative to the other and being in operative communication with said pad body, said emitters each for transmitting light within said pad body thereby forming an optical cavity defined by a region of fully scattered light within said pad body, said receivers each for receiving light within said optical cavity for detecting the intensity of said scattered light, said emitter and receiver pairs forming an array of adjacent cells each defined by an optical cavity within said pad body, each cell being in communication with one of said emitters and receivers, wherein localized compression of said pad by the finger of a user results in an increase in scattered light intensity within at least one of said cells to detect pressure from the finger to determine the position of the finger on said pad; and signal processing means for receiving light intensity information from said receivers, translating said information into a signal indicative of the location at which said pad is compressed, and generating an electronic signal for control of the operation of an electronic apparatus responsive to the position of said at least one indentor on said pad body.