User input device for a computer system

Abstract

A user input device for an electronic device is disclosed. The user input device provides positional information using a grid of light. The grid of light is produced from a light source and waveguides. The grid of light is also received and processed using waveguides and a light detector. Optionally, optics may be used to enhance the operation of the user input device. The user input device is particularly suited for use as a user input device for a computer system or the like.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a light source;    a transmission waveguide portion optically coupled to receive light from said light source, said transmission waveguide portion including a plurality of light transmission waveguides that produce a first set of light beams in response to the light received from said light source, and said first set of light beams emanate from said light transmission waveguides in a first direction;    a reception waveguide portion spaced apart from said transmission waveguide in the first direction, said reception waveguide portion including a plurality of light reception waveguides for receiving said first set of light beams emanating from said light transmission waveguides; and    a light detector optically coupled to said reception waveguide portion to receive the light from the light reception waveguides of said reception waveguide portion, said light detector measures light intensity of the light from the light reception waveguides of said reception waveguide portion.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus is an input device for an electronic device.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein between said transmission waveguide portion and said reception waveguide portion an input area is produced.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein a user can provide input to the electronic device by interacting with the input area.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the user interacts with the input area with a finger or a stylus.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said apparatus is a user input apparatus for a computer system by interacting with the input area.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said light detector is an integrated circuit having a light sensing area optically coupled to said reception waveguide portion to receive the light from the light reception waveguides of said reception waveguide portion.  
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus further comprises: 
 lenses optically positioned proximate to said transmission waveguide portion to collimate said first set of light beams emanating from the light transmission waveguides towards the corresponding light reception waveguides of said reception waveguide portion.    
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the light transmission waveguides and the light reception waveguides are lithographically defined waveguides.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the light transmission waveguides and the light reception waveguides are formed on a substrate material.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said apparatus is an input device for providing user input to a computer system, and 
 wherein said light detector is an integrated circuit having a light sensing area optically coupled to said reception waveguide portion to receive the light from the light channels of said reception waveguide.    
     
     
         12 . An input device for an electronic device, comprising: 
 at least one light source;    a light detector to detect light intensity at a plurality of light detecting elements; and    a lithographically defined waveguide structure including a plurality of waveguides, 
 wherein said light source couples light into a first set of the waveguides of said waveguide structure and said waveguide structure produces a grid of light beams from the light coupling into the waveguides, the grid of light beams traverse an input area and are then directed to said light detector by a second set of the waveguides of said waveguide structure.  
   
     
     
         13 . An input device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the first set of waveguides send beams of light across the input area towards corresponding waveguides of the second set of waveguides.  
     
     
         14 . An input device as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said input device further comprises: 
 lenses optically positioned proximate to said waveguide structure to collimate the light beams emanating from the first set of waveguides.    
     
     
         15 . An input device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said input device further comprises: 
 lenses optically positioned proximate to said waveguide structure to collimate the light beams emanating from the first set of waveguides.    
     
     
         16 . An input device as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said lenses are micro lenses formed in a strip of material that is placed proximate to a light exit side of the first set of waveguides where the light beams emanate.  
     
     
         17 . An input device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the light transmission waveguides and the light reception waveguides are lithographically defined waveguides.  
     
     
         18 . An input device as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the light transmission waveguides and the light reception waveguides are formed on a substrate material.  
     
     
         19 . An input device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said input device provides user input to a computer system, and 
 wherein said light detector is an integrated circuit having a light sensing area optically coupled to said reception waveguide portion to receive the light from the light channels of said reception waveguide.    
     
     
         20 . An input device as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the light sensing area of the integrated circuit includes a plurality of photosensitive cells.  
     
     
         21 . An input device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said waveguide structure includes a plurality of sections.  
     
     
         23 . An input device as recited in claim  22 , wherein, a first of the waveguide sections produces horizontal light beams, a second of the waveguide sections produces vertical light beams, a third of the waveguide sections disposed opposite to the first of the waveguide sections across the input area receives the horizontal light beams from the first of the waveguide sections, and a fourth of the waveguide sections disposed opposite to the third of the waveguide sections across the input area receives the vertical light beams from the second of the waveguide sections.  
     
     
         24 . An input device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said waveguide structure is a unitary structure.  
     
     
         25 . An input device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the electronic device is a computer system having a display device, the display device includes a screen area and a peripheral portion, and wherein said input device is affixed to the peripheral portion of the display device, with the input area of said input device being placed over the screen area of the display device.  
     
     
         26 . A method for determining a user's input with respect to an input device, said method comprising: 
 (a) providing a source of light;    (b) producing a plurality of parallel light beams from the source of light;    (c) simultaneously directing the parallel light beams across an input area of the input device, the input area being positioned with respect to the input device;    (d) simultaneously receiving certain of the parallel light beams after having crossed the input area;    (e) determining light intensity for each of the parallel light beams received; and    (f) determining whether there is a user's input with respect to the input area based on the determined light intensity values.    
     
     
         27 . A method as recited in claim  26 , wherein said method determines a position of the user's input with respect to the input device, and 
 wherein said method further comprises: 
 (g) determining a position of the user's input with respect to the input device based on the determined light intensity values.