US 11,809,654 B2
Touch-based input device
Tobias Gulden Dahl, Oslo (NO); Magnus Christian Bjerkeng, Oslo (NO); Andreas Vogl, Oslo (NO); and Odd Kristen Østem Pettersen, Trondheim (NO)
Assigned to SINTEF TTO AS, Trondheim (NO)
Filed by SINTEF TTO AS, Trondheim (NO)
Filed on Dec. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/072,780.
Application 18/072,780 is a continuation of application No. 17/672,885, filed on Feb. 16, 2022, granted, now 11,550,419.
Application 17/672,885 is a continuation of application No. 16/614,136, granted, now 11,287,917, issued on Mar. 29, 2022, previously published as PCT/GB2018/051342, filed on May 17, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 1708100 (GB), filed on May 19, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0085902 A1, Mar. 23, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06F 3/041 (2006.01); G06F 3/042 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/0414 (2013.01) [G06F 3/042 (2013.01); G06F 3/0416 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An input device comprising a plurality of optical vibration sensors mounted in a common housing, each optical vibration sensor comprising:
a diffractive optical element;
a light source arranged to illuminate said diffractive optical element such that a first portion of light passes through the diffractive optical element and a second portion of light is reflected from the diffractive optical element; and
a photo detector arranged to detect an interference pattern generated by said first and second portions of light;
wherein each optical vibration sensor is configured so that in use, after the first portion of light passes through the diffractive optical element, the first portion of light is reflected from a reflective surface onto the photo detector;
wherein the input device is adapted to be placed on or attached to a surface of a solid body; and
wherein the input device is configured:
using two or more of the optical vibration sensors, to detect vibrations in the solid body; and
to use at least one of (i) a relative phase of the vibrations and (ii) a relative amplitude of the vibrations to determine information regarding a point of contact of an object on the surface of the solid body.