CA2198017A1 - Touch panel - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a touch panel comprising optical transmitters and receivers disposed so that they face each other, plus a control unit and an interface. The transmitters and receivers are IR transmitters and receivers and are mounted, together with the control unit and interface, on circuit boards, the transmitters and receivers being fitted in tubes or bores.

Description

1S~37 T~!E 13:2f3 FA,. ~U2 ~ 0~ ~pf~cer & FranXO ~002 72~98011 =

~V 96JO~i~07 ~Tf~tE~5fOll O
Docket E~X CK~ O ~ 5 4 Tr7Ln~lation of German texlt Touch P~ne Th~ ir-~r~ntion c:on~ern5 a touch p~ne~, compr ~ 5irl~ opti!-al ~x~nsmitter:~ and re~-ei~r~3rs, Aisposed ~c~ that th~y f~ce e~ch ~ther, ~ ço~trol ~nit ~nd an inter~ce~
With th~ growin~ nu~r of Dptions p~GVi cle~ iy automation, t~er~ is an inc~ea~ing demand or user-frie~dly equLipme~lt, in particul~r ~n the ~rea of input and dis}~l~Ly. So-c~ led touch ~creens ~re ~een develope~ ~ecer~ly fo~ ~his purpose, th~t: is ~reens wher~ ~he user can chGse ~etween 1~ ~e~eral optio~ b~ eG~1Y ~ouchin~ the display. The place of c~on~act is rec~o~ni~etl ~y the ~o~[lpute~ connect.ed t:o th~ screen a;l~ f-urther prc)cess 1 ng t~kes place ~orrQspc;ndir~gly .
The~e are four ;7ption~; for the e~nb~lment ~f such 2 ~ouch screen:
~5 Th~ d~ection is cap~iti~re~r meaning- ~ha~ alte~rn~ing ~,ur~ent flows are lnfluerlcecl by touoning a condl~c:ti~e ~oi~:
The detec~ior3 i5 r~sti~re, meanin~ a sh~rt-cir~uit is ~3~eneratecl by p2rml' ti.ng ~ n~ucti~e foil ~o touch practic21~y ~ ~3unter foii; ana ~he r~s~st~nce s~n~tion~
c~an~e;
The de'~ n is ~cou~;tlcal, ~e~nin~r t~a~ h-ithin a ~oom an ultra,so~nd ~ is gener~ted between ~wo ~oils; an;l by 02,~18iP~ T~E l~:~ff FA.~ 2~2 41~ 4~ Sp~ncqr ~ Fr~ 3 ~1 9~01 1 W0 g6/0~407 PCT,~E95~01110 touGhing one ~ the foils an~ ~hus n~rrr~wing ~he roo~n ~t 3 ~ert~in spot, ~he intensity a~d frequerlcy of the soun.;l wave~ ~rri~.i.n~ at th~ ~en~ors cha~e:
The detection ~s opt:ic~1, meaning a ~id n~twork of infrared or IR ~ay~; is formed, Whic~h i~ interr~pted by the f in~er of a u~er . The respecti~e re~eivers rec:ord this in~;erruption ~nd the respec~ive gri~ point can be lo~alized in thi~ way.
Fo~ touch ~reen~ ' h~ oper~e ~ccor,~in~ tG the op~ica~
15 principle, ~he resolution ~epen~ ~n ~LOW~ ny ~ rar~sm ~.erJ
~eceiYer pai rs exi~ ~ Tllis number en~er~ in'co ~he ~os ~s . For the k~r~e~line c~se, an arrangemer~t of tr~nsmitters and recei~rers ~hat ~re ~p~ced approx~ tely ~ pa~t m~st he assumed, whic:h d~ er~.ir~es the s~reen def~rlLtiorl ~d ~e ~st~.
15 Acou~ ally or ele~tro~t~tic~lly op~ratins3 tou~h s~ ree~
-y~-t~s) for example, have a higher sçx~een definitlQn ~ :~ c~t-e~fec~tî~e tr~nsmitt~rs ~r liqht-emitti ng di~de:s ~re used, their tr~ns~itting ~apa~i~y frequently i~ no~
sufficient for bri~ging longer dista~ces ~0 Ano~her pro~lem when usin~ ~ptic~ opera~ing trarlsm~, tte.~s and re~ivcrs, usually ~R ~omponents, is that neigh~orin~ cvr~ponellts interfere with e~ch other and th~t d~ylight also has a dl saavantageoTls e~fectA

r~ s. ~, Tu~ 2~ F~ 4040 SPeuc~r & Fr~nh- i~ool ~1 98~7 ~0 ~064~7 PCT~ E~5~'01~10 lt c~n ~lso happe~ that te~pe~a~ure ~nd brightn~3s fluctu~tinns m~e it m~re dif~ ult to ~d~ust the switçhin~
~h~sholds . o~ the rece.ivin~ ele~ents.
~n~ther ~ known prob~ em is th~ er2:0neous triggerlrl~ ~f an 5 optic:al tr~n~;mit~er~recei~rer system throu~h interf~ring elements, whis~h r~.ach the ~.ensox range and thus c~use ~ signal.
An el~ct:rorlic~ operate~ ~art game has ~lready ~een sug~e ~ which h~s a frame outside of th~ ~rget ~oard wh~r~
~r~3lsmit~ing and ~!2~1~ 97 ~E ~ FA~ ~02 ~11 4f~YO Spencer 8~ Franl~ oo~

2lsa~l7 WO 9fi/~6407 ~CT,~ Eg5,t'0~110 r~cei~ing ~le~;~en~s are arr~n~ed, an~ for which the ~onne~ir~g lin~s over the target fo~n a grid and are penetr~ed by a d~ t hitting the t~r~e~ Coc)rdinates ~re assi~r~ed ~o the gri~/ the ~r~ e~ of which ar~ detec~ec~ in ~ccor~an~e w~h the poin~s of 5 penetration and a~e ev~lu~ed ~or the c~oIItinued play. The fra~ae, whi~h ~rms ~n e~sily raoun~ed s~ru~ ur~l G~mponen~, preferably c.~nsists of strip-type elements tha~ a~e sui~a~ly 2~rany~.~ at a righ~ ~ngle to each other, In tha~ e ~ a X
Y coor~ e ~ric3 ~esults. ~i~des are provided as trarlsmittin~3 10 ~nd recei~ring elements. The op~raticn is wi ~h pul~ed ~nd continuous 1 i~ht b~.~ms.
Lt is the ob je~ of th~ in~en~lon ~4 create a~ e~Lsy ~o us~
~nd c~ost-effe~ive t~uch ~creen or tcJuch panel arra~gemen~ with g~ud operati~g char~c~er~st~ç~, whi~h i:~ suited ~ h pa~'cic:ula~
1~ ~or use with ~ar~i.ng ~quipment~
The sc~lutic3n ~ccordi~g t c the ~ nventiD~ i~ wi~h a to1;~h p~nel Wt th the features as .in Cl~m 1. Advantageous mod . ~ tionC c: f the inr~ren~.ive ~ou~h p~nel ~r~ the subj~clt of ~he depellderst Cl-sl.iIn5.
~0 An in~n~i~re ~ou~h p~r~1 thus ~ omposed of an op~ic2l1 transmitter and r~c.eiver dispo~d such that ~hey fac~ each other, a c~on~rol unit and an interf~c~ ~he optica~
~r~nsmi~t~rs ~nd rec~e~vers a~-e IR trar~sT~ erS and IR
r~ceiYer~, which ~re moun~ed on printed c;ircuit ~oards, 7 TT.. rE 1~ 7 F~ ~0~ rl~o ,~pel}~er ~ Fr~DX [~on~

- 2~98017 11~ 5~,~U64~ E~T~E95~01110 toge~ 2r with the corltrol uni ~ ~nd inter~ace . I'h~ ~ransmitter ~r~d re~ei~er in ~his oa~;e 3r~ ~range~ tube~ or ~re_.
T~e irl~rel~tion makes it pcissik:le to produ~e ~ tou~h p~nel with low Pxpen~l~ur~ and to ~.ount it. The joint ~rrangement of tr~,n E;mi~t.e~s, re~elve~:~ as wel 1 a~ ontrol uni~ ~nd interface on the prirlted circui~ hoards results in a module-typa design.
Th~ ~ounl~el-sunk a~r~.ngement Qf ~he trans~itter ~nd the receiver lr7.

0~ 37 r~E }~; ~7 FAX ~d~ 4o~n Spencer & Fr~ no7 2198~17 WO 5IÇf~6407 PCT/DE~5fU1110 tuke~; or bores o~ the 1 i}ce, a~ the sa~e ~ el imi~la~es fr~{uently c;~ urring interferenc~3s c~l~sec~ }:)y en~tironmental t. Another a~v~n~a~ o~ ~hls arrange~nent is th~ ~Lt p~rmits ~ prec~ise-~itt~ng in~a~la~i~n ~nd ~hus ~lso ~ ustment o~ transmi~t~rs and re~eivers. Fur~he~or~ this also require~
~hat the transmitter radiate oYer a narrow a~gle rarlge arld thus pr~Yi~e the possibility of ~ rLu~ hig~er cu~pu~ ~er the short ter~.
owin~ to the modular and thus e~remely as~embly-~riend~
10 de~lgn~ to-uch pan~l~i a~cordi rlg tc: the invention can be used for prac~ ly all optlon~i displ~y ~lelds~ In particula~-, th~y ~n be u~ed wi~h gamin~ e~uipment, so th~t th,e di~E~lay ~icreens si~lt~neously function as oper~ting ~nd input e~e~ents.
~hi~ reduces the sp~ce reguired on the front p~nels of the lS eqUipment, w~ h thus can ~e c3esi~ned srnaller or With more functional cl~rity. The i~puls~ to play :Eor the play~r~: c2n t~.erefore be incrPase~ ~hr4ugh mc)re func~ion~l ~lari~y ~nd incre2lsed op~r~tin~ oonv~n~en~e~ Al~:or ~he ~:osts are nc~t a5 high due to ~he ~rec~uently ~=m~l displ;~y ~nd op~r~ting ~0 elements A touch pa~el ~ccord.ing to the invention c~n be integr~ted into ~ monitor- or other d~ spl~;~ e.~ e~nent. P~rti~ularly a~va~lt~eous, hc~ev~r, is its ~esign ~s de~ach~Lble frame for ~n 0~ TUE ~ 27 FA~ 0 S~nCer ~ FraDX 1~ 008 21 9 8~1 7 wo g ~,t o 6 4 o 7 ~C~T/~E g 5~ 0 1 1 lo existing ~ispl~y, ~hich makes it possi}:le to u~e it a~ retrofit part .
When use~ as a detachable frame, on~ prefe~red e~empl~ry ~m~odl~nenl; of th~2 inv~ iol provides ~or t:wo ~ir~u~ ~ ~oards 5 respectively, ~nd the to~al 2Irr~rlgement is buil~ int~ a pr~fer~ly tw~-pa~ plas~ic ~asing. In t~ ase, ~he prin~ed ci~cuit b~rds~, which are advisably narrow, c~n E~ connected vi a plug-ar~ s~ke~ ~onne<:~ors c~r fl~xi~le prin-~e~ circuit boa~d:E;. It is ~;so adv~ntzg~ous ~Lf a ~eri~l in~r:Ea~ is IO arran~ed on the ~ir~ bQards or inside the pla;stic c:~ing.
W~i~h this, ~he tot~l desig~ is e~bo~ie~ virtually in one struc~ur~l un i~ ~
C)n the ~nG h~n~ the p~ astic c~ing ~e~,es the purpose of encapsuL2~ting, o~ t.he ~the~ ha~d i5 func~tior~s as suFpert ~nd 15 gui~e for the ~ircui~ boards and i n pa~ti~.ul~r ror the op~
eleme~ts pre~sed Lnt~ it~ The planned ~ubes ~nd ~ores, in short tu}~es r have a lellg~h of approxi~ately i~ mm r e~en thouc~h thi~ ~lu~ should in n~ w~y be viewed as ~ iIni~ing. ~t; is a~ n~.a~eous i~ th~ ~:ube w~lls ~re comFose~ of ~l~c~; plastic~
2f~ parts, if necess~y corr~por~ling, ~ackened ca~ing parts.
I~ is prefer~ble if ~yli~ht fil~ers ar2 a~r~ngetl ~n ~ront ~f the ~ransmitters ~nd receivers. At -the s~me ti~e vr alternati~re~ yf I~-p~rmeable syn~he~ic gl a~ c~n be prcJv:L~e~ i~

7 T~ . 2~ FA~ 2i~2 ~14 ~u~O S~encer ~ Fr3nL~ b~o~

Wo ~6jo~407 Pc~Tf~:g5~01110 front of the tubes. The openinqs are coY~red i~ this w~y, and ex~raneous ~ i~h~ is filt~re~ ou~.
Thç optical transmit~ers can l:)e l~ht-emit~.~ng dis~des (LED' s~ or laser diodes9 et~. ~he re~eiv~rs, fc~r ~xample, C~AI'I
~e phototransist~xs or pho~odiodes. These componen~s are ~istln~i~hed by a small s r~ tural ~i~e ~nd relative~ y f~Yor~le pric:e ~t is ad~is~bl~ if ~ c~nverter~ are cc~lmected to the reGeivers, whi~h capture th~ xeceive~ ~Fol~age ~ralues.
o Tn 2c:cord~nce wi~h anoth~r ~ncdification o~ the in~en~ion, çycli~l trigge.~ g o~ ~:he li~h~-e~ ing d.iocl~s i~; planned, su~h that these a~e tur~d ~n ~nd o~ On ~he 0315~ hand, this ~rill ~e~e the energy c;c)ns~ption sinc~ it i5 po~sible to achie~e an almo~t contin,lous mc~nitori~g of th~ display field with suf~ en~ clo~k ~requen~y. On ~h~ o~her han~, t~is results in a uniform pDwer ~on~urcption. A pu] ~ed oper2tion for the transmlt~er~ ~ 5 al~ advi s~ble, w~ich m~k~s l t eas i er el i~ n~te int~rf ~re~c~s .
Alternatively, ;~ ~yc~lic~l ~riggerinq of the ~ight-e~ tln~
dio~le~ ~n ke plarlned, ~u~h that these are turnecl o~ a~:~ off in group~ ~ Th~s si~pli~ies ~he circ~ult an :1 line e;cpenditure .
One ad~anta~eous exempl;~ry eml~odimeht of a~ inventi~ve ~ou~h pane~ p:ro~ride~ f~r a dQvice th~t i~te~o~ates ti~e 8 ~ E ~ qo~ o SE~ cel~ ~ Fr~ olo 21 980~7 WO ~fO6407 PCTfDE9~JC1110 rec6~ rer cyclically In this w~y~ the ~o~plet~ monitoring can ~i)e c:~rganized wi~h few elemen~s.
~ davi~e for det:ectina int~rferi~g objçct~ in the ray ~ath c3uri ng the power up ph~se ~n be provi8ed a~vantageously to 5 ~o~ ~ in~erferenc.~s .
; ad~ri~ le if an ev~ ~ uation unit is provided f~r the inver,ti~ t ~u~h panel .
The inveht.ion is des~ribec~ further in the ~o~lowing with the ~id ~f preferred em.oGdi~ ts a.nd the ~lrawin~. ,Sl~ow~ in th~

1 0 dr~T~ing are Fi~ur~ 1 A diz~gra~matic represen~a~ n of ~he transmit~erJ
recei.ver arr~ger~en~ on a tc)uch panel Fig~re ~ A d.idg. rlmm~tio rep3resen~a~ior~ o~ a first ~ouch p~ne 1, 1.S Fi~ur~ 3 A dia~ramm~' ic represent~tion o~ ~ secc~nd to~ch panel;
F.ig~lre 4 A b~si~ c~nfigu~ation of ~n inv~ntive ~ou~h pa~el a~n~ement ~nd Figu~e 5 The u~e of inventl-~e to~ h p~nels for entextainment e~ ~erl~ .
~n the :fol lowi ng; referen~e iS initi ~ly ~aad2 Jc~ ~I¢i . 1 where the transmitter~recei~er arra~g~m~ for aL t~uc:h pan~l is il.lustrated. The arr~ngement ser~e~ to mor~tor a field ~, e.~,.
a di~play, wh c::h is a c:;~mponent ~ ~ dev.ic~ 4. P~irs of P~ 7 T~E 13 28 FA.~ ~2 ~14 40~iJ SP~n~e~ ~ Fran~ l 011 21 98û17 ~0 ~0~107 PCTfl~EgS/OlllO
t~ansTnitters and re~ei~ers ~, ~ or 10 ~ lZ, disposed s~ch tha~
they :~espe~t~vely faGe e~eh other, ~re arr~n~ed ~long ~e edges of field 2 . These trarls~it~erfreceiYer pairs supply par~ lel ~ands of ray~, th~t in~rsect ~ a '~0~ ~ngle, whi~h re~ul~ in a X ~ ~ coordirlate ~id . If ~ r touche~ an obj eC:t sh~wn on the rield with the finger or .~ pen, he/she ~ n~erru~ts one ezlch of the horizont~1 and vertical r~!~s~ Th~ asso~i~ted r~ceivers re~eive les~ or no lig~L~, which is rec~orde~ by th~
evaluat i or~ unit that iden~i~ie~ the re~e, ve~s ~nd dRter~ines the corresponding X - Y c::cor~inates cr the position c~f ~h~
f inge~ or pen ~ ~n this w~y, it is possible to as:~:ign ~Ln cb-~ ect disp~ayed at ~his poin~ and the ~pplicatl~n progr~m ~c.n ~ontinue ;~ordi~ly.
Fi~ure 2 show~ ~n exe~nplz~ en~odiment ~f a touch panel 5 with circ~ r ~ield 1~. Four fra~e strip~ , 20, 22 ar~
arrangecl respe~tively at a right arl~le and directly ~dj~ent to ~he field 14, wherei;n ~n 3pproximate strip spacin~ o~ 50 cm resul~;s. Transmitter aI~ receiver e~elnents in the ~orrn of li~h~-emitting diodes ~nd ~3e~sors are btJLil~ i~to the ~trips 16 ~o to 22, wh~reir~l ~rans:mitter ~nd ~eiver ~re r1especti~ely faci~g each o~her . ~he frzLme strips 16 and ~ O thus comprlse the tr~nsmittiIlg el~ ents and the frame strips 18 and ~2 th~
receiving elements. ~he :Light r~ys cross ea~h cther in ~his way. A ~in~e~ ~ pen i n~e~rup~ the ray path c~f su~h p~ Of U~ , TTE 1~:2~ F~ 2n2 ~1~ 4n~ per.~r ~ ~rar~ 1~!ol~

~1 98017 ~0 g6~56~07 PC~T~ Eg5~fO1110 r~ys. In the ~mbod~nerlt shown/ ~his is illustr~ted wi~h the :Lig}~t ra~ 24, z~, wh~rein the positi~n of the corresponding tr~r.smit~r and re ~ i ~er e;L~ment~ supply th~ X - Y coordina~es f~ ~he f i nge~ pen posi~ivn on the fiel~ 14 .
The ~e~ond ~vu~h p~nel shown in ~IG. -~ is an a~t~c:hment for a ~creen 28. Thi~ panel. c.~mprise twi3 pai~; of circ:Uit ~oard~ 3r)r 3~, 34~ 3fi, whic~ respe~t~vely carry opti~ai tr~ mitt~rs 3~, ~'.0 and c~pti~l re~eivers 42 r 44 ~ th~t ~a~e ea~h other . Furth~rmor~/ ~ c~ntrol unit 4 ~ with ~ransmi~ting 10 uni~ and co}~troli~r and a s~rial inte~face 4g ~-e arranged on the c: ir~uit boards 30 to 36. In the illustra~ec!l ~mbocliment~
the circ~uit ~o~rds 3(~ tc~ re ~onnec~ed by me~nC of plug-and-~ocket. conne~t~rs 50. A ~on~eoting ~al~le 5~ s~rve~
conn~ to ~ supply th~t: 1s no~ ~hown. F~r use, the c:ircui~
bo~r~ o to ~ e ~dvis~bly housed in a tw~-p~r~ plas~
casing, whirh contain~ ~he ~ircuit hc~rds ~nd ~pt.ical c~mponerLts 3~ t~ 44 and se~ s as guicle for t.he~;e~ Ihe optical comp~nen~ 3~ ~o 44 ar~ mounted in op~ic~l tu~es of the casing, which ~r~ ~orm~d ~7 the h~l ~-5hells of ~he ~:~o c~sin~ p~t~.
20 Thi~~ infl~en~:~s ~he ray p~th ancl furthermore preven~s 1nterferex~e from extraneous light. ~e co~plete arr~ngemer~
th~n c~n suhseq~ently ~e ~l~ted onto the ~ een 3 8 a~
;~tt~chm~nt 0~13, 9~ ~E 13: 2~ F~ 2~2 ~14 ~ O Spen~er ~ Frank [~1013 21~8~7 WC: 9 ~,JO ~ 4 Q7 ~?CT,~DE9 5~ 01110 Figure 4 shows th~: ~asic cc)nf i~uration of a t~uch p~nel arrangement ~ccording to ~he inven~ion. A number of li~h~ rays ~8; which are inter~lpted ~ ~ finge~ n o~ the Like are ~ocatec~ ~etween tr~nsmit~ers anc3 receiver5 that are c:om~ined to ~o~n tr~nsmi~ting ~nit 54 artd ~eiving unit 56. The ~cran~mittir~y unit ~4 an~L receiving uni~ 56 ar~: conne~ed via 17 n~s ~0, ~2 to ~n ev~luation unit. 64 . Th' s e~z~luati~n unit ir.f~rs ~O~l t~he ~l~ment~ of the rece:iving uni~ 5~, with the aid of it~ output si~r~als, whether sr no~ the~e h~.re received the.
10 full transm}tting ~.Lgnal, a~d determines from ~heir pt~s~tic~n the positi or~ o~ ~ fin~rer or the like intr~d~c~ed into the l~eam P~
An ~xemp~ry emhodimen~ for t}~ in~entiv~3 ' ou~h panels ~
wn in ~ ~. 5~ This r~ an entertainrilent unit, in p~r~:~cu~r for p~yin~ ~117 ~ 4 . " Thi~ c~cmprlces a c~sing 6~
-~L~h ~ front panel 6~ )n wh~ch ~ n~t~)er of displa~ ~hd operatir~ ele~nent:s ~re l~cate~. ~n partic~u~ar, the front p~n~l 6~ has n~mher ~~ inpu~ elements 70 ~n ~he ~o~tom, whl~h ~e ~rr~4nded ~y ~ frzme 72 with therell~ a~rans~e~i trars~n~itt~rs and 20 receivers ~s to~ch p~el. O~ th~ lef~ side of ~he ~ronlt l?anel 68 i~; ~ field 74 for ~he pa~ouk ~nd ri~;k ~l.ue~, which is surrclunc~Ied ~7 a frame 76 with t;herein ~rra~ged tran~ltters arld re~eivers ~s tou~ anel On the right side ~f the frcnt pan~l 6~ ~s ~ ~ield 7~ o~ ake v~lue~;~ whi~h is surr~und~d by a ~ 1q, ~7 TUE 1~: Z3 FA~ 2~ 41~ 4~ SPenCer ~ ~r~ 01~

~o ~ a 7 P~ E~fOl~lo ~r~me 8 ~ wit~ therein ~rr~nged tr~nsmitter~ an~ r~c:eive~s as t~ch p~nel . A f ~e~d ~ orl the top of the frc~nt p~nel 6~ is u~e~ t:o displ~y ~he ga~ or point readi~g. ~he center o~ ~ront panel ~ shows two s~ol ~isplays 84, ~6. With ~he a~d of the 5 touch panel ~rrangement, it is possibl~ for th~ pl2~y~rs ~o inpu~. their y~m2 han~icaps, st~kes or the like directl~, in that they sirE~ply touch the re~;pe~t~e po~int fields, risk 4iel~
etc at the ~.~s 1 r~d spots~
Of course, diverse mo~ifications of the in~enti~e ~o~ch 10 par.el in addition to the abo~e-described system v~riants ~re possihl~, eYen ir. a~ldition tc, the c:ombinati~n~ vided in the dependent ~ . The~e ~hould ~he~fore not b~ viewed as 1 ~mitin~ the scope of th~ in.~ent~on, which is anLy de~ined ~y ~he c l a il:r.s .

1:3

Claims (14)

Claims

1. A touch panel, comprising optical IR transmitters (6, 10, 38, 40, 54) and IR receivers (8, 12, 42, 44, 56) disposed opposite each other; a control unit (46) and an interface (48), wherein the optical transmitters and receivers, together with control unit and interface are mounted on circuit boards (30 to 36) and wherein the transmitters and receivers are arranged in tubes or bores.

2. A touch panel according to Claim 1, as detachable frame, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that respectively two pairs of circuit boards (30, 32: 34, 36) are provided and the complete arrangement is preferably installed in a two-part plastic casing.

3. A touch panel according to Claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the walls of the tubes or bores are formed by black plastic parts.

4. A touch panel according to one of the Claims 1 to 3, c h a r a c t r i z e d in that the tubes are formed by casing parts.

5. A touch panel according to one of the Claims 1 to 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that daylight filters are arranged in front of the transmitters and receivers.

6. A touch panel according to one of the Claims 1 to 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the tubes or bores are closed off by IR permeable synthetic glass.

7. A touch panel according to one of the Claims 1 to 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the transmitters are light-emitting diodes (LED's) and/or the receivers are phototransistors or photodiodes.

8. A touch panel according to one of the Claims 1 to 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a cyclical triggering of the light-emitting diodes is provided, such that these are switched on and off.

9. A touch panel according to one of the Claims 1 to 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a cyclical triggering of the light-diodes is provided, such these are switched on and off in groups.

10. A touch panel according to one of the Claims 1 to 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a device for the cyclical interrogation of the receivers is provided.

11. A touch panel according to one of the Claims 1 to 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that A/D converters are connected to the IR receivers.

12. A touch panel according to one of the Claims 1 to 11, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a device is provided for detecting interfering objects in the beam path during the power-up phase.

13. A touch panel according to one of the Claims 1 to 12, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that an evaluation unit (64) is provided.

14. Use of the touch panel according to one of the Claims 1 to 13 for operating and display elements of an entertainment unit.