Patent ID: 8064744

Claim:
An input device for an electronic device comprising: at least one light source; at least one light detector to detect light intensity at a plurality of light detecting elements; an input area defining a plane; and a waveguide structure including a plurality of waveguides with associated slab regions composed of a first material with first refractive index, each slab region providing a planar extension of its associated waveguide, wherein: each of said associated slab regions has a substantially straight end face, and at least one converging lens located within; said light source couples light into a first set of waveguides with associated first set of slab regions of said waveguide structure; said first set of waveguides directs the light into said associated first set of slab regions; said converging lenses focus the light in the plane of the input area to produce a first grid of light beams; said first grid of light beams traverses the input area in a first direction and is directed to the light detecting elements of said light detector by a second set of waveguides with associated second set of slab regions of said waveguide structure; and each light beam is focused to a point located within said input area.