ACOUSTIC WAVE TOUCH ACTUATED SYSTEM

1 . A touch pad assembly comprising:

a substrate; and

a plurality of acoustic wave switches positioned with respect to said substrate, each of said plurality of acoustic wave switches comprising a touch surface connected to an acoustic wave cavity and a transducer secured to said acoustic wave cavity, said plurality of acoustic wave switches being positioned to provide detection of sliding motion direction and rate between said plurality of acoustic wave switches.

2 . The touch pad assembly of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of acoustic wave switches are oriented in a linear fashion.

3 . The touch pad assembly of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of acoustic wave switches are arranged in a circle.

4 . The touch pad assembly of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of acoustic wave switches are arranged in a plurality of rows.

5 . The touch pad assembly of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of acoustic wave switches are arranged in rows and columns on said substrate, wherein said rows and columns intersect to form said touch surfaces.

6 . The touch pad assembly of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of acoustic wave switches comprises four acoustic wave switches arranged as a cross.

7 . The touch pad assembly of claim 1 , wherein adjacent acoustic wave switches are spaced close enough together so that a finger tip touches both at the same time during operation.

8 . The touch pad assembly of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of acoustic wave switches distinguish between varying touch pressures.

9 . The touch pad assembly of claim 1 , wherein said transducer generates an acoustic wave that is trapped in said acoustic wave cavity.

10 . The touch pad assembly of claim 9 , wherein a touch on said touch surface produces a detectable change in the impedance of said transducer.

11 . The touch pad assembly of claim 9 , wherein a touch on said touch surface absorbs acoustic wave energy from the acoustic wave generated in said acoustic wave cavity by said transducer, and wherein a time decay of said acoustic wave is correlated to an amount of pressure exerted on said touch surface.

12 . A touch pad system comprising:

a sensing device;

a substrate; and

a plurality of acoustic wave switches positioned with respect to said substrate, each of said plurality of acoustic wave switches comprising a touch surface connected to an acoustic wave cavity and a transducer secured to a side of said acoustic wave cavity opposite said touch surface, said sensing device being in communication with said transducer, said plurality of acoustic wave switches being positioned to provide detection of sliding motion direction and rate between said plurality of acoustic wave switches, wherein adjacent acoustic wave switches are positioned close enough with respect to one another that a finger tip touches both at the same time during operation.

13 . The touch pad system of claim 12 , wherein said sensing device is one or both of a processing unit and/or a sensing circuit.

14 . The touch pad system of claim 12 , wherein said plurality of acoustic wave switches are oriented in a linear fashion.

15 . The touch pad system of claim 12 , wherein said plurality of acoustic wave switches are arranged in a circle.

16 . The touch pad system of claim 12 , wherein said plurality of acoustic wave switches are arranged in a plurality of rows.

17 . The touch pad system of claim 12 , wherein said plurality of acoustic wave switches are arranged in rows and columns on said substrate, wherein said rows and columns intersect to form said touch surfaces.

18 . The touch pad system of claim 12 , wherein said plurality of acoustic wave switches comprises four acoustic wave switches arranged as a cross, wherein a finger overlays a portion of each of said four acoustic wave switches during operation.

19 . The touch pad system of claim 12 , wherein said sensing device receives signals from said plurality of acoustic wave switches such that varying touch pressures are capable of being distinguished.

20 . The touch pad system of claim 12 , wherein said transducer generates an acoustic wave that is trapped in said acoustic wave cavity.

21 . The touch pad system of claim 20 , wherein said sensing device detects a touch on said touch surface through a detectable change in the impedance of said transducer.

22 . The touch pad system of claim 20 , wherein said sensing device detects a touch on said touch surface that absorbs acoustic wave energy from the acoustic wave generated in said acoustic wave cavity by said transducer, and wherein a time decay of said acoustic wave is correlated to an amount of pressure exerted on said touch surface.

23 . A touch pad system comprising:

one or both of a processing unit and/or a sensing circuit;

a substrate; and

a plurality of acoustic wave switches positioned with respect to said substrate, each of said plurality of acoustic wave switches comprising a touch surface connected to an acoustic wave cavity and a transducer secured to a side of said acoustic wave cavity opposite said touch surface, said transducer generating an acoustic wave that is trapped in said acoustic wave cavity, said transducer being in communication with one or both of said processing unit and/or said sensing circuit, said plurality of acoustic wave switches being positioned to provide detection of sliding motion direction and rate between said plurality of acoustic wave switches, one or both of said processing unit and/or said sensing device receiving signals from said plurality of acoustic wave switches such that varying touch pressures are capable of being distinguished, wherein adjacent acoustic wave switches are positioned close enough with respect to one another that a finger tip touches both at the same time during operation.

24 . A touch pad system comprising:

one or both of a processing unit and/or a sensing circuit; and

first and second acoustic wave switches, wherein said first and second acoustic wave switches are spaced from one another such that a finger may contact both of said first and second acoustic wave switches simultaneously, and wherein said one or both of said processing unit and/or said sensing circuit recognizes a touch on said first acoustic wave switch as a first value, a touch on said second acoustic wave switch as a second value, and a touch on both of said first and second acoustic wave switches simultaneously as a third value.

25 . The touch pad system of claim 24 , wherein said first, second and third values are correlated to a position of a finger on the touch pad system.