Touch-sense apparatus available for one-dimensional and two-dimensional modes and control method therefor

• US 20060232563A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Tang, Kuan-Chun, Lii, Jia-Yih
• Granted Patent: US 7,688,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

A touch-sense apparatus available for one-dimensional and two-dimensional modes comprises a sensor having a plurality of traces in two directions to sense the position touched by an object to produce a first signal, a two-dimensional coordinate processor to produce a two-dimensional coordinate based on the first signal in the two-dimensional mode, and a coordinate transformer to produce a second signal from the first signal or the two-dimensional coordinate in the one-dimensional mode for a one-dimensional coordinate processor to produce a one-dimensional coordinate in response to the second signal.

Claims

1. A touch-sense apparatus available for one-dimensional and two-dimensional modes, comprising:

a sensor with a plurality of traces in two directions for sensing a position touched by an object on a panel of the touch-sense apparatus to generate a first signal;

a two-dimensional coordinate processor for generating a two-dimensional coordinate based on the first signal in the two-dimensional mode;

a coordinate transformer for generating a second signal from the first signal or the two-dimensional coordinate in the one-dimensional mode; and

a one-dimensional processor for generating a one-dimensional coordinate based on the second signal.

2. The touch-sense apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one-dimensional coordinate processor produces a coordinate difference in response to the object sliding on the panel in the one-dimensional mode.

3. The touch-sense apparatus of claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional coordinate processor switches the touch-sense apparatus between the one-dimensional and two-dimensional modes according to where the object lands on the panel.

4. The touch-sense apparatus of claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional coordinate processor switches the touch-sense apparatus between the one-dimensional and two-dimensional modes according to a number of the object landing on the panel.

5. The touch-sense apparatus of claim 1, wherein the panel comprises two defined areas each for serving as a mode switch to switch the touch-sense apparatus.

6. The touch-sense apparatus of claim 5, wherein the touch-sense apparatus is switched to the one-dimensional and two-dimensional modes, respectively, when the object lands on the two defined areas.

7. The touch-sense apparatus of claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional coordinate processor has a handwriting recognition function.

8. The touch-sense apparatus of claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional coordinate processor produces a coordinate difference in response to the object sliding on the panel in the two-dimensional mode.

9. A control method for a touch-sense apparatus available for one-dimensional and two-dimensional modes, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing a position touched by an object on a panel of the touch-sense apparatus for generating a first signal;

generating a two-dimensional coordinate based on the first signal in the two-dimensional mode; and

generating a second signal form the first signal or the two-dimensional coordinate and generating a one-dimensional coordinate based on the second signal in the one-dimensional mode.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of switching the touch-sense apparatus between the one-dimensional and two-dimensional modes according to where the object lands on the panel.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of switching the touch-sense apparatus between the one-dimensional and two-dimensional modes comprises the step of determining which mode is to be switched thereto according to the object landing on a first or second area.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

sensing a number of the object landing on the panel; and

switching the touch-sense apparatus between the one-dimensional and two-dimensional modes according the number.