Abstract:
The dimension detection system is implemented in cascaded circuit boards housed inside a frame assembly of the touch screen. After the frame assembly is assembled and powered, the dimension detection system in the circuit boards would provide horizontal and vertical feedback signals which are utilized to obtain the size of the touch screen. The size information of the touch screen could then be provided to the computer or embedded system where the touch screen is connected, preventing troublesome manual configuration. The dimension detection system and the flexible frame assembly together make the touch screen&#39;s production, storage, transportation, and usage more efficient and friendly.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to touch screens, and more particularly to a frame assembly for touch screens that could be easily assembled and disassembled. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Touch screens, due to their intuitive way of operation, have gained wide popularity these days. However, there are a large number of different sizes for touch screens. The most common dimensions include 32″ (697×392 mm), 42″ (930×523 mm), 46″ (1018×572 mm), 52″ (1152×648 mm), 56″ (1244×699 mm), 65″ (1430×806 mm), etc. Conventionally, the panel and circuit boards of a touch screen are completely assembled in a frame in the factory before shipping to customers. To make these frames of various dimensions, significant costs in molds have to be invested. Additionally, with the frames, the touch screens take up more space and therefore a higher transportation and storage cost is incurred. 
     The present inventor has provided a frame assembly to solve the foregoing problem. However, the touch screens have an additional issue. Once a touch screen is connected to a computer, its dimension has to be manually configured in the computer, making the touch screen less convenient to use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic dimension detection system for use along with an easy-to-assemble/disassemble frame assembly for touch screens. 
     The dimension detection system is implemented in cascaded circuit boards housed inside the frame assembly. After the frame assembly is assembled and powered, the dimension detection system in the circuit boards would provide horizontal and vertical feedback signals which are utilized to obtain the size of the touch screen. 
     The size information of the touch screen could then be provided to the computer or embedded system where the touch screen is connected, preventing troublesome manual configuration. The dimension detection system and the flexible frame assembly together make the touch screen&#39;s production, storage, transportation, and usage more efficient and friendly. 
     The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts. 
     Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram showing a dimension detection system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow diagram showing the operation of the dimension detection system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front-view diagram showing the cascading of circuit boards of a frame assembly where the dimension detection system of  FIG. 1  is implemented. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective diagram showing the various components of a frame assembly where the dimension detection system of  FIG. 1  is implemented. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective diagram showing a frame assembly where the dimension detection system of  FIG. 1  is implemented. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5 , a touch screen is framed by a frame assembly which mainly contains a number of linear edge members  20  and a number of L-shaped corner members  10  end-to-end joining the edge members  20  by a number of flat connection pieces  30  into a rectangular frame surrounding the touch screen. 
     Both the edge and corner members  20  and  10  have a C-shaped cross section with spaces  21  and  11  inside for holding circuit boards  51  and  50  of the touch panel and sealed by transparent plates  40 . The circuit boards  50  and  51  of the corner and edge members  10  and  20  are aligned so that their connectivity by matching connectors  60  and  61  is easily established when putting the frame assembly together (as shown in the circles A, B, and C of  FIG. 3 ). 
     The frame assembly described therefore could be easily adapted to accommodate touch screens of various dimensions. The dimension detection system of the present invention is implemented on the circuit boards  50  and  51  of the frame assembly so that, once the touch screen is framed and powered, its dimension is automatically detected by the dimension detection system of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the dimension detection system according to the present invention mainly contains the following components which are parts of the circuit boards  50  and  51 . 
     There is at least a pair of Y-axis module controller  80  and Y-axis optical controller  81 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , when there are multiple circuit boards  50  and  51  cascaded together vertically (i.e., along the Y-axis), there would be multiple pairs of Y-axis module controllers  80  and Y-axis optical controllers  81 , as numbered in  FIG. 1  as ( 1 ), ( 2 ), . . . , (N). Each pair of the Y-axis module controller  80  and Y-axis optical controller  81  produces a position signal reflecting their position along the Y-axis. 
     There is at least a pair of Y-axis optical feedback controller  82  and Y-axis module feedback controller  83 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , when there are multiple circuit boards  50  and  51  cascaded together vertically (i.e., along the Y-axis), there would be multiple pairs of Y-axis module feedback controllers  83  and Y-axis optical feedback controllers  82 , as numbered in  FIG. 1  as ( 1 ), ( 2 ), . . . , (N). Each pair of the Y-axis module feedback controller  83  and Y-axis optical feedback controller  82  produces a feedback signal when being requested. 
     There is at least a pair of X-axis module controller  89  and X-axis optical controller  88 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , when there are multiple circuit boards  50  and  51  cascaded together horizontally (i.e., along the X-axis), there would be multiple pairs of X-axis module controllers  89  and X-axis optical controllers  88 , as numbered in  FIG. 1  as ( 1 ), ( 2 ), . . . , (N). Each pair of the X-axis module controller  89  and X-axis optical controller  88  produces a position signal reflecting their position along the X-axis. 
     There is at least a pair of X-axis optical feedback controller  87  and X-axis module feedback controller  86 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , when there are multiple circuit boards  50  and  51  cascaded together horizontally (i.e., along the X-axis), there would be multiple pairs of X-axis module feedback controllers  86  and X-axis optical feedback controllers  87 , as numbered in  FIG. 1  as ( 1 ), ( 2 ), . . . , (N). Each pair of the X-axis module feedback controller  86  and X-axis optical feedback controller  87  produces a feedback signal when being requested. 
     There is a pair of an X/Y-axis optical feedback processing unit  84  and an X/Y-axis module feedback processing unit  85 . The X/Y-axis optical feedback processing unit  84  takes inputs from the last X-axis optical feedback controller  87  and the last Y-axis optical feedback controller  82 . The X/Y-axis module feedback processing unit  85  takes inputs from the last X-axis module feedback controller  86  and the last Y-axis module feedback controller  83 . The outputs of the X/Y-axis optical feedback processing unit  84  and an X/Y-axis module feedback processing unit  85  are fed to an input/output (I/O) controller  73 . 
     The I/O controller  73  is also connected to an X/Y-axis switching and optical driver  72  and a feedback signal driver  74 . The X/Y-axis switching and optical driver  72  is connected to the first X-axis and Y-axis module controllers  89  and  80 , the first X-axis and Y-axis module feedback controllers  86  and  83 . The feedback signal driver  74  is also connected to the first X-axis and Y-axis module feedback controllers  86  and  83 . 
     The I/O controller  73  is further connected to peripheral decoder  71  which in turn is connected to microprocessor  70 . The microprocessor  70  is responsible for the signal analysis and the determination of the touch panel&#39;s dimension. The dimension information could then be passed to a computer or an embedded system  90  via one of the connectors  91  and  92  (e.g., an USB connector or a RS232 connector). 
     The operation of the dimension detection system is shown in  FIG. 2 . As illustrated, the X/Y-axis switching and optical driver  72  first switches to X-axis and issues a request signal to the first X-axis module feedback controller  86 . If there is no feedback signal, the request signal is sent to the next X-axis module feedback controller  86 . If there is a feedback signal, the feedback signal is recorded and the request signal is sent to the next X-axis module feedback controller  86 . The process is repeated until the last X-axis module feedback controller  86  is requested. The X/Y-axis switching and optical driver  72  then controls the last X-axis module controller  89  and the last X-axis optical controller  88  and determines how many feedback signals are received from the X-axis optical feedback controllers  87 . Using the known X-axis optical feedback controller and its feedback signal, the dimension of the touch screen&#39;s X-axis could be obtained. The approach is then applied to obtain the dimension of the touch screen&#39;s Y-axis. From the obtained dimensions of the X- and Y-axis, the size of the touch screen could be derived. 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
     While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.