Appeal No. 2002-2334
Application 09/097,235
The disclosed invention relates to a touchpad digital system
input device having the advantages of both resistive and capaci-
tive type sensors. The touchpad structure has an integrated
design with a substrate material disposed between the resistive
sensor and the capacitance sensor, thereby providing electrical
isolation between the resistive and capacitance sensors. The
touchpad system distinguishes between different types of inputs,
such as a pen or a finger, and can operate in different modes
depending on the particular sensed input.
Representative claim 12 is reproduced as follows:
12. A method of detecting the position of a pointing
element on an input device comprising the steps of:
providing a resistive sensor and a capacitive sensor,
wherein the resistive sensor is electrically isolated from the
capacitive sensor;
if the capacitive sensor detects a pointing element, then
ignoring the resistive sensor; and
determining the position of the pointing element with
the capacitive sensor; and
if the capacitive sensor does not detect a pointint element
then determining the position of the pointing element with the
resistive sensor.
The Examiner relies on the following prior art:
Stein et al. (Stein) 5,365,461 Nov. 15, 1994
Gough et al. (Gough) 5,603,053 Feb. 11, 1997
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