Light Guide Plate for Non-Contact Coordinate Input
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional non-contact type coordinate input systems require a large number of sensors, leading to increased complexity and potential deterioration in image quality, especially when dealing with large display devices or high-resolution inputs.
Innovation Solution
A light guide plate incorporating a phosphor and optical layers, with sensors attached to its edges to detect light emitted from the phosphor, allowing for coordinate calculation without the need for extensive sensor arrays, utilizing total internal reflection to direct light to the sensors and minimize image quality degradation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a large number of sensors are used to detect light for coordinate input, then coordinate detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity and image quality deterioration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a light guide plate as an intermediary component between the light source and sensors. The light guide plate receives light at any position on its surface and guides it to the edge where sensors are located. This mediator enables coordinate detection with only a few sensors at the edge, eliminating the need for a dense sensor array across the entire surface, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional sensor array (sensors distributed across the surface) to a one-dimensional sensor arrangement (sensors only at the edge). The light guide plate redistributes light information from the entire surface area to the peripheral edge, effectively compressing the detection dimension and reducing the number of sensors required.
2Ease of operation
If sensors are placed across the entire screen surface to detect light for coordinate input, then coordinate input capability is improved, but image quality deterioration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide plate serves as a mediator that separates the detection function from the display surface. Sensors are placed only at the edge of the light guide plate, not on the display surface itself. This configuration enables full-screen coordinate input capability while preventing sensors from interfering with or deteriorating the image quality of the display area.
3Ease of operation
If a contact-type coordinate input system is used, then coordinate input convenience is improved, but screen contamination and panel durability issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact-based input system (touch screens requiring physical contact) with an optical system. Users point light at the desired location, and the light guide plate guides this light to edge-mounted sensors for coordinate detection. This substitution eliminates physical contact with the screen, preventing contamination and durability issues while maintaining input convenience.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient coordinate input without excessive sensors, maintaining image quality by effectively directing light to the sensors and calculating coordinates using a reduced number of sensors, thus simplifying the system and preventing image quality deterioration.
Implementation Method 1
a phosphor and at least one optical layer
Implementation Method 2
utilizing total internal reflection to direct light to the sensors
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a light guide plate for a non-contact type coordinate input system, a system including the same, and a non-contact type coordinate input method using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a light guide plate for a non-contact type coordinate input system, which eliminates inconvenience of a conventional contact-type coordinate input system inputting coordinates through direct contact, and which can reduce use of sensors and optical loss as much as possible. The present invention also relates to a system including the same, and a non-contact type coordinate input method using the same.