Electronic device and coordinate detecting method

• US 10,013,129 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2017
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takano, Tomoki, Yamaguchi, Takeshi, Takizawa, Yuuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Soto Lopez, Jose
• Application Number:
  US15/647,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20170308208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

An electronic device includes a housing, a display that displays predetermined information, an electrostatic-capacitance touch panel that allows visible light corresponding to display contents of the display to pass through the touch panel, a transparent member that protects the touch panel and that allows the visible light to pass through the transparent member, and a detector that detects deformation of the transparent member. The touch panel detects a pair of two-dimensional coordinates indicated by an indicator, wherein when the touch panel detects a plurality of pairs of two-dimensional coordinates and when the detector detects a predetermined deformation amount; at least one pair of two-dimensional coordinates detected during a predetermined time period prior to a time when the deformation is detected is validated.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a display that is disposed inside the housing and that displays predetermined information;

an electrostatic-capacitance touch panel that allows visible light, corresponding to display contents of the display, to pass through the electrostatic-capacitance touch panel;

a transparent member that protects the electrostatic-capacitance touch panel and that allows the visible light corresponding to the display contents of the display to pass through the transparent member; and

a depression detector that detects deformation of the transparent member, wherein

when a plurality of two-dimensional coordinates are determined in order by the electrostatic-capacitance touch panel and, when a predetermined amount of deformation is detected by the depression detector, after determining the two-dimensional coordinates,

then at least one of two-dimensional coordinates, detected during a predetermined time period prior to a time when the deformation is detected, is validated; and

a two-dimensional coordinate, detected before the predetermined time period prior to the time when the deformation is detected, is not validated,

wherein the predetermined time period does not include a deformation of an amount equal to or greater than the predetermined amount of deformation.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the validation of the two-dimensional coordinate is maintained until an indicator, which indicates the validated two-dimensional coordinate, moves away from the electrostatic-capacitance touch panel by a predetermined distance.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, when a vertical distance between the indicator and the electrostatic-capacitance touch panel is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the two-dimensional coordinate indicated by the indicator is determined.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined value is zero.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the depression detector is disposed between the display and part of the housing.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the transparent member and the electrostatic-capacitance touch panel are integrated into one piece.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the depression detector overlaps with the display.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the depression detector and the electrostatic-capacitance touch panel are integrated into one piece.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein:

the validation of the two-dimensional coordinate is maintained until an indicator indicates that the validated two-dimensional coordinate moves away from the electrostatic-capacitive touch panel by a predetermined distance, and

a two-dimensional coordinate determined after the validation is not validated.

10. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined value is greater than zero.

11. A coordinate detecting method to be used for an electronic device that includes a housing, a display provided within the housing and that displays predetermined information, and electrostatic-capacitance touch panel that allows visible light, corresponding to display contents of the display, to pass through the electronic-capacitance touch panel, and a transparent member that protects the electrostatic-capacitance touch panel and that allows the visible light corresponding to the display contents of the display to pass through the transparent member, the method comprising:

detecting, by a depression detector, deformation of the transparent member;

when the electrostatic-capacitance touch panel determines a plurality of two-dimensional coordinates in order, and when a predetermined amount of deformation is detected by the depression detector after the two dimensional coordinates are determined;

validating at least one of two-dimensional coordinates, detected during a predetermined time period prior to a time when the deformation is detected; and

not validating a two dimensional coordinate, detected before the predetermined time period prior to the time when the deformation is detected,

wherein the predetermined time period does not include a deformation of an amount equal to or greater than the predetermined amount of deformation.

12. The coordinate detecting method according to claim 11, further comprising maintaining the validation of the two dimensional coordinate until an indicator, which indicates the validated two-dimensional coordinate, moves away from the electrostatic-capacitance touch panel by a predetermined distance.

13. The coordinate detecting method according to claim 11, further comprising determining the two-dimensional coordinate indicated by the indicator when a vertical distance between the indicator and the electrostatic-capacitance touch panel is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

14. The coordinate detecting method according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined value is zero.

15. The coordinate detecting method according to claim 11, wherein the depression detector is positioned between the display and part of the housing.

16. The coordinate detecting method according to claim 11, wherein the transparent member and the electrostatic-capacitance touch panel are integrated into one piece.

17. The coordinate detecting method according to claim 11, wherein at least part of the depression detector overlaps with the display.

18. The coordinate detecting method according to claim 11, wherein the depression detector and the electrostatic-capacitance touch panel are integrated into one piece.

19. The coordinate detecting method according to claim 11, further comprising:

maintaining the validation of the two dimensional coordinate until an indicator indicates that the validated two-dimensional coordinate moves away from the electrostatic-capacitive touch panel by a predetermined distance; and

not validating a two dimensional coordinate determined after the validation.

20. The coordinate detecting method according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined value is greater than zero.