Patent ID: 8669966
Filing Date: 2014-03-11
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A touchscreen display comprising: a transmitter system that dynamically scans at least one light beam above a surface such that substantially every point in a region above the surface is dynamically scanned by a light beam from at least two directions, where the region that is inclusive of substantially every point above the surface that is scanned by a light beam from at least two directions defines a surface of interest within which the presence of a contacting member that intercepts the light beam can be detected, and where the angular position of the at least one light beam is a function of at least one angular position signal; a receiver system comprising a first light distributing sensor and a second light distributing sensor that each bound the surface of interest along at least one edge, and are each external to the surface of interest, the light distributing sensors each including a corresponding photosensor, where light incident on a respective light distributing sensor is redirected away from the surface of interest and is guided within the respective light distributing sensor to its corresponding photosensor, which detects the presence of light incident on the respective light distributing sensor; and wherein the receiver system is configured to signal the detection of light by each of the photosensors corresponding to the first light distributing sensor and the second light distributing sensors, to the processor; wherein the processor is configured to determine the presence of a contacting member by evaluating whether the signal provided by the receiver system that communicates the detection of light indicates a disturbance in the regular detection of light; wherein the processor is configured to determine the angular position of the at least one light beam at a point in time when a contacting member is present using the at least one angular position signal; and wherein the processor is configured to triangulate the location of a contact point using at least the determined angular position of the at least one light beam at the point in time at which the contacting member was present.