Patent ID: 8896575

Claim:
A pressure-sensitive touch screen comprising: a housing comprising a cavity for mounting a display therein; at least one light emitter rigidly mounted in said housing; at least one light receiver rigidly mounted in said housing; a display flexibly mounted in said cavity that sinks into said cavity in response to applied pressure; a first light guide mounted in said housing comprising: an entrance for receiving light emitted by said at least one emitter; and an exit above said display, which is enlarged when said display sinks into said cavity, out of which light is directed across said display; a second light guide mounted in said housing comprising: an entrance above said display, which is enlarged when said display sinks into said cavity, for receiving the light directed across said display by said first light guide; and an exit out of which light is directed to said at least one receiver; and a calculating unit connected to said at least one light receiver for receiving outputs indicating amounts of received light by said at least one light receiver, and for determining that pressure is being applied to said display based on an increase in an output of said at least one light receiver caused by the enlarged exit and entrance.