US007880732B2
`
`(12) United States Patent
`Goertz
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,880,732 B2
`Feb. 1, 2011
`
`(54) TOUCH SCREEN FORMOBILE TELEPHONE
`(75) Inventor: Magnus George Goertz, Stockholm
`(SE)
`(73) Assignee: Neonode Inc., San Ramon, CA (US)
`(*) Notice:
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`10/494,055
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`5,119,079 A * 6/1992 Hube et al. ................. 71.5/823
`5,179,369 A *
`1/1993 Person et al. ............... 34.5/175
`5,414.413 A
`5, 1995 Tamaru et al. .............. 34.5/175
`5,422.494. A * 6/1995 West et al. .................. 250/551
`5,579,035 A 1 1/1996 Beiswenger
`5,785.439 A
`7/1998 Bowen
`6,073,036 A * 6/2000 Heikkinen et al. ....... 455,550.1
`6,411.283 B1* 6/2002 Murphy ...................... 345,173
`6,429,857 B1 * 8/2002 Masters et al. .............. 34.5/175
`6,628,268 B1
`9, 2003 Harada et al.
`6,864,882 B2 * 3/2005 Newton ...................... 345,173
`
`(22) PCT Filed:
`(86). PCT No.:
`
`Nov. 4, 2002
`PCT/SEO2/O2OOO
`
`S371 (c)(1),
`Apr. 29, 2004
`(2), (4) Date:
`(87) PCT Pub. No.: WO03/038592
`PCT Pub. Date: May 8, 2003
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2004/0263482 A1
`Dec. 30, 2004
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`(30)
`Nov. 2, 2001
`(SE) .................................... O103835
`
`(51) Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`G06F 3/042
`(52) U.S. Cl. .................................... 345/175; 178/18.09
`(58) Field of Classification Search ................. 345/175,
`345/173; 178/175, 18.09: 715/838, 864
`See application file for complete search history.
`References Cited
`
`(56)
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`7/1989 Beiswenger
`4,847.606 A
`4,880,969 A 11, 1989 Lawrie
`5,003,505 A * 3/1991 McClelland ................ 345,173
`5,016,008 A
`5, 1991 Gruaz et al. .................. 341 (33
`
`
`
`ItsH
`
`S9. ER
`...A.
`
`(Continued)
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`EP
`
`O 330 767
`
`9, 1989
`
`(Continued)
`Primary Examiner Bipin Shalwala
`Assistant Examiner Steven E Holton
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm Soquel Group LLC
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A touch screen arrangement fitted to a mobile telephone
`apparatus and built-on or resting on a substrate. The touch
`screen includes a display unit and a number of light pulse
`emitting units and a number of light pulse receiving units, said
`units being edge-related to said display unit. The light pulse
`emitting units and the light pulse receiving units are orien
`tated adjacent said display unit, with the directions of said
`emitted and received light pulses being at right angles, or at
`least generally at right angles, to a planar Surface on the
`display unit. The touch screen also includes four light pulse
`deflecting devices positioned close to the display Surface.
`
`18 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets
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`Samsung et al. v. Neonode
`IPR2021-00145 (US 8,812,993)
`Neonode Ex. 2017
`Page 1
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`US 7,880,732 B2
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`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`ck
`6/2002 Mouton ...................... 345,173
`2002fOO67346 A1
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`5-173699
`7, 1993
`
`JP
`
`WO
`WO
`WO
`
`WOO1/O2949 A1
`Of 40922 A1
`WOO3,O38592 A1
`
`1, 2001
`6, 2001
`5, 2003
`
`* cited by examiner
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`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 1, 2011
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`Sheet 1 of 5
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`US 7,880,732 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 1, 2011
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`U.S. Patent
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`US 7,880,732 B2
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`Samsung et al. v. Neonode
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`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 1, 2011
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`US 7,880,732 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 1, 2011
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`US 7,880,732 B2
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`US 7,880,732 B2
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`1.
`TOUCH SCREEN FORMOBILE TELEPHONE
`
`This application is the US national phase of international
`application PCT/SE02/02000 filed in English on 4 Nov. 2002,
`which designated the US. PCT/SE02/02000 claims priority to
`SE Application No. 0103835-5 filed 2 Nov. 2001. The entire
`contents of these applications are incorporated herein by ref
`CCC.
`
`FIELD OF INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates generally to a display
`arrangement, that is formed onto or is Supported by a Sub
`strate, and more particularly to a mobile-telephone-adapted
`touch screen arrangement, which is constructed with and
`around a display unit, whose external dimensions conform
`with those applicable to mobile telephone apparatus or cell
`phones.
`The touchscreen arrangement is hereinafter abbreviated to
`“touch screen'.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART
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`light rays are shadowed by an object serving as a pointer,
`depending on the position of one or more coordinate-orien
`tated light receiving units, having associated circuits which
`are intended to indicate the presence of light.
`It is known in the case of this latter application to use the tip
`of an index finger as a pointer, and no physical actuation of or
`pressure against said display Surface section is required in this
`particular technique, even though Such is usual.
`The contents of the patent publications listed below also
`belong to the earlier standpoint of techniques with regard to
`the use of a touch screen, in which light emitting and light
`receiving units and the tip of an index finger or the like
`function to activate signals corresponding to a chosen symbol
`presented on a surface section of the display Surface.
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,606
`This publication illustrates and describes a control system
`(10), which in addition to a display panel (22) comprised of
`liquid crystals also includes a light source (20) and a light
`detector (36).
`More specifically, the publication is concerned with allow
`ing light from the light source to be directed through at least
`part of the liquid crystal display panel and onto the light
`detector.
`The system (10) includes a casing (12), which is formed to
`be fitted to the instrument panel of a car, said panel including
`a Sunken Surface part (14) and being produced from a trans
`parent material.
`A casing part (18) is adapted to enclose the components
`related to the control system (10).
`The light source (20) is illustrated in the form of a fluores
`cent lamp and is adapted to extend across the full width of the
`casing.
`Light is able to pass through a number of “windows' (24)
`in the panel (22) and is reflected through 90 degrees by a
`mirror surface (26).
`The light shall then pass a transparent casing-wall portion
`(28), and then through the Sunken Surface portion (14), and
`thereafter through an opposite wall portion (32), so as to be
`reflected onto the light detector or light receiver (36) by a
`mirror surface (34).
`FIG. 1 of this patent publication shows that when a finger
`tip (49) is placed within the sunken surface (14), a number of
`light rays are shadowed within a defined area (48a), enabling
`this area to be detected.
`FIG. 8 shows a system in which light sources and light
`detectors or light receivers are orientated in perpendicular
`co-ordinates.
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,969
`This patent publication describes and illustrates a program
`mable touch screen.
`FIGS. 3 and 4 in particular illustrate an optical keyboard
`(12) which includes an IR-adapted light source (32), a light
`receiver (34) and optical “prism' or mirror surfaces (36, 38).
`In this regard, FIG. 3 shows that these mirror surfaces (36.
`38) are related to mutually opposite edge portions of a win
`dow surface (22).
`EP-A1-033O 767
`This publication illustrates and describes a touch screen,
`which is adapted to create control signals by means of which
`a function can be selected in response to the movement and
`displacement of an operators fingertip relative to the screen
`(1).
`More particularly, this publication is concerned with the
`activation of a time circuit immediately when a finger or a
`fingertip touches the touch screen, where a particular move
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`Mobile telephone displays normally consist of an LCD unit
`and an associated keypad, where depression of a key activates
`one or more telephone functions.
`It can be mentioned with regard to known technology, that
`the use of a touch screen has been proposed with regard to
`hand-carried computer terminals, with the intention of reduc
`ing the dimensions of a display Surface, wherein selected
`functions can be activated through the medium of visible
`digits or other symbols, by exerting pressure on a surface
`section corresponding to the Surface section of the symbol
`concerned, with the aid of a pointer.
`Touch screens, or touch sheets, of this kind have been
`produced in the form of two mutually parallel plastic sheets,
`where a mechanical actuation of an uppermost sheet within a
`chosen Surface section creates conditions for a resistance
`measurement perpendicular to said Surface section, wherein
`the geographical position of said Surface section on the touch
`screen can be established by a calculating circuit, with the aid
`of the resistance values established, and therewith generate a
`significant signal for a function related to a touched symbol.
`In this case, there is used a hand-held and hand-maneu
`Vered elongate pointer having a tip, comparable to that of a
`pencil or pen, which requires physical actuation on and pres
`Sure against the chosen Surface section of the display unit.
`Also known to the art are touchscreens that have relatively
`large external dimensions, where the dimensions chosen and
`a chosen screen thickness are of Small account and constitute
`no limitation to the chosen application.
`For example, it is known in respect of this use application
`to allow the touch screen to be comprised of a display unit in
`the form of an LCD unit, with edge-orientated and mutually
`opposite light-emitting units and light receiving units.
`More particularly, in the case of this application the light
`emitting units and the light receiving units are orientated in
`two rows and two columns over the upper surface of the
`display unit, with the transmitting and receiving directions of
`the light rays orientated and directed immediately above the
`upper Surface of the display unit, with said units directly
`opposite each other.
`Light emitting circuits and light receiving circuits are also
`mutually coordinated and connected to a calculating or com
`puting unit in this case, so as to evaluate and calculate a
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`position representative of the geographical position on the
`upper Surface of the display unit, where mutually intersecting
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`3
`ment direction and a particular distance of movement are
`detected and an electronic unit or the like is activated in
`response to these parameters.
`The touch screen or touch panel (1) is provided along its
`four sides with light-emitting diodes (LED) (101-114) and
`light receiving devices in the form of phototransistors or
`photodiodes (201-214), as illustrated in FIG. 2.
`The finger or the fingertipshadows one or more light beams
`orientated in a right-angled co-ordinate system, wherein
`shadowed light receiving devices and detected changes in
`shaded devices constitute magnitudes from which desired
`functions are evaluated and initiated.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`Technical Problems
`
`4
`screen, Such as to enable the screen to be significantly thinner
`than prior art screens, so as to adapt said screen directly onto
`a mobile telephone.
`A further technical problem resides in the ability to provide
`a touchscreen, with which, in respect of other external dimen
`sions of said screen, it is possible to create conditions which
`enable the external measurements of a mobile telephone unit
`to be reduced while, nevertheless, enabling the width of the
`display Surface of a display unit to be made larger than the
`display Surface of known mobile telephone units.
`A further technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages associated with allow
`ing an inventive touch screen to be used as an alternative, not
`solely for a typical keypad but also for a standard display
`surface of a mobile telephone.
`Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages afforded by utilising a
`display unit in the form of an LCD unit, so as to enable each
`“key to be included on the screen in the form of a graphic, so
`that when a pen, pencil, finger or a fingertip is placed on the
`same location or Surface section where a key is presented, a
`chosen function and/or application corresponding to said
`graphic is activated and generated.
`Still another technical problem resides in the ability to
`realise the significance of and the advantages afforded by
`using an LCD unit, whose upper Surface can be allocated
`different information carrying structures according to a cho
`Sen menu, for different sequences within an information
`transmitting mode.
`Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages associated with orien
`tating said light pulse emitting units and said light pulse
`receiving units adjacent said display unit, with the transmit
`ting and receiving directions of the light pulses being perpen
`dicular to, or at least generally perpendicular to, a flat upper
`Surface of the display unit.
`Yet another technical problem resides in the ability to rea
`lise the significance of and the advantages associated with
`placing at least two, normally four, pulse-deflecting devices
`close to the display unit and to its mutually opposite edge
`portions.
`Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages associated with using
`as a Supportive substrate a mobile telephone printed circuit
`board, that is capable of carrying an LCD unit or the like.
`A further technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of enabling a Substrate to support not only
`said display unit but also said light pulse emitting and light
`pulse receiving units, where said light pulses have a fre
`quency within the infrared range (IR range).
`Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages afforded by enabling
`said light pulse emitting units and said light pulse receiving
`units to be connected to corresponding pulse generating cir
`cuits and pulse receiving circuits included in said Substrate,
`through the medium of connection wires or the like.
`Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages afforded by allowing
`the light deflecting devices or light pulse deflecting devices to
`consist of a plurality of mirror units, co-ordinated with the
`casing of the mobile telephone unit.
`Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages associated with allow
`ing said light pulse deflecting devices to consist of four mirror
`units, with their mirror surfaces orientated at 45 degrees in
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`When taking into consideration the technical deliberations
`that a person skilled in this particular art must make in order
`to provide a solution to one or more technical problems that
`he/she encounters, it will be seen that it is necessary, on the
`one hand, to realise initially the measures and/or the sequence
`of measures that must be undertaken to this end, and on the
`other hand to realise which means is/are required to solve one
`or more of said problems. On this basis, it will be evident that
`the technical problems listed below are highly relevant to the
`development of the present invention.
`When considering the earlier standpoint of techniques, as
`presented in the afore going, it will be seen that a technical
`problem resides in the ability to create conditions which
`enable a mobile telephone apparatus, or cell phone, to be
`provided with a touchscreen that includes edge-related light
`emitting units and oppositely located edge-related light
`receiving units together with associated circuits while retain
`ing the Small external dimensions of said apparatus, so that a
`geographical Surface section and a function corresponding to
`said surface section can be established through the medium of
`a calculating unit, or computing unit, when certain light pulse
`receiving units do not indicate the reception of expected light
`pulses.
`Another technical problem resides in the ability to create
`construction instructions that will provide conditions for
`reducing the space required by Such a touch screen and for
`adapted planning and placement of said Screen within the
`external confines of a mobile telephone.
`A further technical problem resides in the ability to create
`conditions, with the aid of simple means, that enable energy
`consumption and power requirements to be kept low, with
`regard to the mobile telephone being battery powered, by
`generating short light pulses and by allowing the units to be
`activated sequentially in a chosen order.
`In the case of this latter application, it will be seen that a
`technical problem resides in allowing the use of a number of
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`pulse generating circuits, each connected to a respective light
`pulse emitting unit, and a number of light pulse receiving
`units, each connected to a respective pulse receiving circuit,
`and in the ability to establish, via a calculating unit, the
`geographic position of a user's fingertip, or thumb tip, on a
`front Surface part, positioned so as to shadow one or more
`parallel, related light pulses and therewith indicate the
`absence of light pulses in one or more light pulse receiving
`units and unit-related pulse-receiving circuits.
`When considering the earlier standpoint of techniques as
`described above, it will also be seen that a technical problem
`resides in the provision of structural changes in a touch
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`5
`relation to the propagation direction of the light pulses, from
`said angled light pulse generating units and to said angled
`light pulse receiving units.
`A further technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages associated with allow
`ing said light pulse deflecting devices to consist of a separate
`right-angled equilateral, three-sided and right-angled prism
`unit, having a light pulse deflecting mirror Surface, or a cor
`responding means.
`Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages afforded by enabling a
`circuit board or a printed circuit board to carry electronic
`circuits and components adapted for carrying out functions
`related to the mobile telephone unit and/or to an associated
`mobile telephone network.
`Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages associated with allow
`ing said light pulse emitting units and said light pulse receiv
`ing units to be orientated in respective rows and respective
`columns, with mutual perpendicular orientations and with a
`distance between said rows or columns that only slightly
`exceeds the dimensions chosen with respect to said display
`unit.
`Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages associated with allow
`ing said circuit board carrying, interal, said display unit, said
`light pulse emitting units, said light pulse receiving units and
`fixed components necessary to the function of the mobile
`telephone unit, to be adapted for attachment to a part of the
`complete casing of the mobile telephone unit.
`Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages afforded by fastening
`the edges of said light pulse deflecting devices along the
`raised rim portions of a recess in a casing part in the form of
`a replaceable lid, where said rim and said rim portions co-act
`with a transparent protective means, such as a plastic sheet.
`In respect of certain conditions where a plurality of side
`related light pulse receiving units and their associated pulse
`receiving circuits also indicate the absence of light pulses,
`another technical problem resides in the ability to realise the
`significance of and the advantages that are afforded by adapt
`ing the calculating unit to interpret this information, with the
`aid of internal computing circuits, as meaning that the
`intended geographical position shall be considered to be
`located between outer points representative of said pulse
`receiving circuits that indicate the absence of light pulses.
`In respect of certain conditions where a plurality of angled
`and side-related light pulse receiving units and associated
`pulse receiving circuits indicate, at the same time, the absence
`of light pulses, another technical problem resides in the abil
`ity to realise the significance of and the advantages afforded
`by adapting the calculating unit to interpret this information,
`with the aid of internal computing circuits, as meaning that
`the intended geographical position shall be considered to be
`located between outer points representative of said pulse
`receiving circuits that indicate the absence of light pulses.
`Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages afforded by allowing
`said light pulse emitting units to be activated, through the
`medium of associated pulse generating circuits, either
`sequentially or in chosen positions in a predetermined order,
`and by allowing the corresponding light pulse receiving units
`and their pulse receiving circuits to be also activated in said
`predetermined order.
`A further technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages afforded by adapting a
`plurality of light pulse emitting units to emit light pulses
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`consecutively over a chosen time duration, and by adapting
`one single light pulse receiving unit to be activated, via its
`pulse receiving circuit, so as to receive expected light pulses
`during said chosen time duration and therewith allow regis
`tration of occurring light pulses and/or shadowed light pulses
`or the absence of light pulses.
`Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise
`the significance of and the advantages afforded by adapting a
`plurality of light pulse receiving circuits so that light pulses
`emitted from a single light pulse emitting unit can be received
`consecutively during said time duration, and by adapting the
`light pulse receiving units so that said units will be active, via
`pulse receiving circuits, during said chosen time duration for
`receiving expected light pulses and therewith allow registra
`tion of occurring light pulses and/or shadowed light pulses or
`the absence of light pulses.
`Solution
`The present invention takes as its starting point the known
`technology, as it is described above, and is based on a touch
`screen arrangement, which is built on or rests on a Supportive
`Substrate, and which is adapted for a mobile telephone appa
`ratus or set and incorporated in the apparatus with the aid of
`a known display unit.
`With the intention of solving one or more of the aforesaid
`technical problems related directly to mobile telephone appa
`ratus or sets, the invention proposes the use of an arrange
`ment, constructed in principle in accordance with what is
`used and proposed within other technical fields, said arrange
`ment comprising a number of light pulse emitting units
`together with a number of oppositely located light pulse
`receiving units, said units both being edge-related to the dis
`play unit of said mobile telephone.
`The light pulse emitting units are adapted to send light
`pulses sequentially through a short distance over the upper
`Surface of a display unit, via associated pulse generating
`circuits, said upper Surface presenting a graphic, such as rows
`and columns of geographically disposed symbols, such as
`letters, numbers and/or corresponding graphics.
`The light pulse receiving units are adapted to receive light
`pulses sequentially, and each of the pulse receiving circuits
`and pulse emitting circuits are coordinated and connected to
`a calculating or computing unit.
`The calculating unit will include calculating circuits, that
`function to evaluate a position representative of the geo
`graphical position on the upper Surface of the display unit
`where light rays, such as intersecting light rays, are shadowed
`by a pointer, such as the front Surface part of a users thumb,
`depending on the position of one or more co-ordinate orien
`tated light pulse receiving units and their associated pulse
`receiving circuits that should indicate the presence of a light
`pulse.
`By way of proposed embodiments, that lie within the scope
`of the present invention, it is particularly proposed that said
`light pulse emitting units and said light pulse receiving units
`are orientated adjacent said display unit, with the light pulse
`emitting and light pulse receiving directions being at right
`angles, or at least generally at right angles, to a planar upper
`Surface of the display unit.
`Also proposed is the use of a number of light pulse deflect
`ing devices, such as four devices, that are orientated close to
`the display unit and that function to cause mutually intersect
`ing light pulses to pass parallel across the upper Surface of the
`display unit.
`By way of proposed embodiments that lie within the scope
`of the inventive concept, it is also proposed that a Supportive
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`substrate is comprised of a circuit board or printed circuit
`board of the mobile telephone unit.
`In addition to carrying the display unit, the Substrate is also
`adapted to carry said light pulse emitting and light pulse
`receiving units.
`The light pulse emitting units and the light pulse receiving
`units are connected to said pulse generating circuits and said
`pulse receiving circuits coordinated on the Supportive Sub
`strate, by connecting wires or the like.
`Each of the light pulse deflecting devices may comprise a
`mirror unit, or a mirror portion, carried by the casing to
`provide a corresponding effect.
`The light pulse deflecting devices may comprise mirror
`units that have mirror Surfaces or casing-carried mirror Sur
`faces orientated at 45 degrees in relation to the direction of
`propagation of the light pulses emitted by said light pulse
`emitting units towards said light pulse receiving units.
`The light pulse deflecting devices may also comprise a
`right-angled equilateral, three-sided and right-angled prism
`unit.
`The circuit board or printed circuit board, that functions as
`a Substrate, may also Support electronic circuits and compo
`nents adapted to perform functions related to the mobile
`telephone unit or set.
`The light pulse emitting units and the light pulse receiving
`units are orientated in two rows and two columns of mutual
`perpendicular orientations, with a distance between said rows
`and columns that only slightly exceeds corresponding dimen
`sions of said display unit.
`It is also proposed that the circuit board or printed circuit
`board that includes, interal, display units, light pulse emitting
`units, light pulse receiving units, and fixed components, nec
`essary to carry out the normal functions of the mobile tele
`phone unit, is adapted to enable it to be fastened to or against
`part of the casing of the mobile telephone unit.
`The light pulse deflecting devices are fastened, edge-ori
`entated, along the raised rims of a replaceable lid or cover,
`said rims, or parts of said rims, co-acting with and Supporting
`a transparent protective device. Such as a plastic or glass
`sheet.
`It is also proposed in accordance with the invention that
`conditions are provided whereby, when a plurality of side
`related light pulse receiving units and their associated pulse
`receiving circuits indicate simultaneously the absence of light
`pulses, the calculating unit will interpret this information,
`with the aid of internal calculating circuits, as indicating that
`the intended geographical position shall be considered to be
`located at or between points representative of said light pulse
`receiving units, as an indication of the absence of light pulses.
`In respect of conditions where a plurality of angled and
`side-related light pulse receiving units, and their associated
`pulse receiving circuits, simultaneously indicate the absence
`of light pulses, the calculating unit functions, with the aid of
`internal calculating circuits, to interpret this information to
`mean that the intended geographical position shall be consid
`ered to be located at one point or between points representa
`tive of said light pulse receiving units that indicate the
`absence of light pulses.
`It is also proposed that when said light pulse emitting units
`are activated, via associated pulse generating circuits, either
`sequentially or positioned selectively in a predetermined
`order, the corresponding pulse receiving circuits shall also be
`capable of being activated in the same predetermined order.
`A plurality of light pulse emitting units may be adapted to
`consecutively emit light pulses with the aid of said pulse
`generating circuits over a chosen time duration, wherein one
`single light pulse receiving unit is adapted to be activated to
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`receive anticipated light pulses during said chosen time dura
`tion and therewith allow occurring light pulses and/or shaded
`light pulses or the absence of light pulses to be registered
`through the medium of an associated pulse receiving circuit.
`A plurality of light pulse receiving units may be adapted to
`receive light pulses emitted from one single light pulse emit
`ting unit consecutively during a chosen time period, wherein
`each of the light pulse receiving units is adapted to be acti
`vated, via associated pulse receiving circuits, to receive light
`pulses during said chosen time period and therewith allow
`occurring light pulses and shadowed light pulses and/or the
`absence of light pulses to be registered.
`ADVANTAGES
`
`Those advantages primarily characteristic of the present
`invention and the particular significant characteristics of said
`invention reside in the creation of conditions, which enable
`the creation of a touch screen arrangement for a mobile tele
`phone apparatus or telephone unit or set on the basis of the
`technology described in the introduction, wherein edge-re
`lated light pulse emitting units and light pulse receiving units
`adjacent associated light pulse deflecting devices may be
`mounted adjacent the edge Surfaces of a display unit or an
`LCD unit, and also in that the touch screen can thereby be
`given a particularly thin design, with low energy consumption
`and a limited power input.
`More particularly, the invention makes possible clear
`evaluation of a small chosen Surface section of a small display
`surface with the aid of the front surface part of a thumb, said
`Surface part covering a surface section that greatly exceeds
`the Small chosen Surface section.
`The primary characteristic features of the present invention
`are set forth in the characterising clause of the accompanying
`claim 1.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`An embodiment at present preferred and including signifi
`cant characteristic features of the present invention will now
`be described in more detail by way of example and with
`reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
`FI