Touchscreen Displays Incorporating Dynamic Transmitters

Abstract

Systems and methods for implementing touchscreen displays that utilize a transmitter system to dynamically scan at least one light beam across a surface of interest such that substantially every point in a region above the surface of interest is dynamically scanned by a light beam from two directions, a receiver system to receive and detect the at least one dynamically scanned light beams, and a processor configured to determine locations of contact are provided. The systems and methods may utilize a transmitter system that includes dynamic transmitters, which may be in the form MEMS micromirrors used in conjunction with infrared semiconductor lasers.

What is claimed: 
     
         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 light distributing sensor that bounds the surface of interest along at least one edge, and is external to the surface of interest, the light distributing sensor including a photosensor, where light incident on the light distributing sensor is redirected away from the surface of interest and is guided within the light distributing sensor to the photosensor, which detects the presence of light incident on the light distributing sensor; and   a processor;   wherein the receiver system is configured to signal the detection of light by the photosensor to the processor;   wherein the processor is configured to determine the presence of a contacting member using the signal provided by the receiver system;   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.