Patent ID: 7714845
Filing Date: 2010-05-11
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A touch panel arranged to detect a position at which the touch panel is pushed by a user, the touch panel comprising: a light-transmissible, piezoelectric substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface and the second surface being on opposite sides of the piezoelectric substrate; a first light transmissible, resistor layer provided on the first surface of the piezoelectric substrate, the first resistor layer having a predetermined area in which positions on the first resistor layer at which the first resistor layer is pushable by a user are electrically detectable; a second light transmissible, resistor layer provided on the second surface of the piezoelectric substrate; first and second electrode layers provided on the first resistor layer and being connected to the first resistor layer, the first and second electrode layers being arranged at both ends of the first resistor layer, respectively, in a first direction; and a control circuit operable to supply a voltage between the first and second electrode layers of the first resistor layer, wherein the piezoelectric substrate is arranged such that the first surface of the piezoelectric substrate is positioned entirely on the predetermined area of the first resistor layer, wherein the piezoelectric substrate, the first resistor layer and the second resistor layer are arranged such that, in response to the touch panel being pushed, the first resistor layer is pushed at a corresponding position which is located between the first and second electrode layers, and the piezoelectric substrate is pushed by the first resistor layer at a corresponding position on the piezoelectric substrate, wherein a resistance of the piezoelectric substrate at the corresponding position on the piezoelectric substrate is smaller than that of surrounding portions of the piezoelectric substrate, and wherein the control circuit is operable to determine the corresponding position of the first resistor layer based on a ratio of a voltage measured through the piezoelectric substrate to the voltage supplied between the first and second electrode layers.