Sensor-based touchscreen assembly, handheld portable electronic device having assembly, and method of determining touch location on a display panel

• US 20070070046A1
• Filed: 07/27/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sheynblat, Leonid, Gum, Arnold
• Application Number:
  US11/495,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20070070046A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves

Abstract

A sensor-based touchscreen assembly for use with a display panel is configured to determine a location on the display panel touched by a user. The sensor-based touchscreen assembly employs at least three sensors mounted on the display panel at different locations. The sensor-based touchscreen assembly further includes a controller coupled to the sensors. The controller is operable to determine a location on the display panel touched by a user by computing a time of difference of arrival (TDOA) of a signal (mechanical or sound wave) emitted from a touch to the sensors.

Claims

1. A sensor-based touchscreen assembly comprising:

at least three sensors coupled to a display panel at different locations; and

a controller coupled to the sensors, the controller operable to determine a location on the display panel touched by a user by computing time of difference of arrival (TDOA) of a signal emitted from a touch to the sensors.

2. The sensor-based touchscreen assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least three sensors comprise:

a first sensor coupled to a display panel at a first location, the first sensor operable to detect the signal emitted from the touch at the first location;

a second sensor coupled to the display panel at a second location, the second sensor operable to detect the signal emitted from the touch at the second location; and

a third sensor coupled to the display panel at a third location, the third sensor operable to detect the signal emitted from the touch at the third location.

3. The sensor-based touchscreen assembly of claim 2, wherein the controller computes TDOA values based signals provided the first sensor, the second sensor and the third sensor, and determines the touch location based on the TDOA values.

4. The sensor-based touchscreen assembly of claim 1, wherein the signal emitted from the touch is a mechanical wave generated as a result of the user touching the display panel with a finger or an input device.

5. The sensor-based touchscreen assembly of claim 4, wherein the sensors are capable of sensing mechanical waves.

6. The sensor-based touchscreen assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise accelerometers.

7. The sensor-based touchscreen assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise motion sensors.

8. The sensor-based touchscreen assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise shock/vibration sensors.

9. The sensor-based touchscreen assembly of claim 1, wherein the signal emitted from the touch is a sound wave generated as a result of the user touching the display panel with a finger or an input device.

10. The sensor-based touchscreen assembly of claim 9, wherein the sensors are capable of sensing sound waves.

11. A handheld portable device comprising:

a display panel; and

a sensor-based touchscreen assembly including at least three sensors coupled to the display panel, the sensor-based touchscreen assembly being operable to determine a location on the display panel touched by a user by computing a time of difference of arrival (TDOA) of a signal emitted from a touch to the sensors.

12. The handheld portable device of claim 11, wherein the signal emitted from the touch is a mechanical wave generated as a result of the user touching the display panel with a finger or an input device.

13. The handheld portable device of claim 12, wherein the sensors are capable of sensing mechanical waves.

14. The handheld portable device of claim 11, wherein the sensors comprise accelerometers.

15. The handheld portable device of claim 11, wherein the sensors comprise motion sensors.

16. The handheld portable device of claim 11, wherein the sensors comprise shock/vibration sensors.

17. The handheld portable device of claim 11, wherein the signal emitted from the touch is a sound wave generated as a result of the user touching the display panel with a finger or an input device.

18. The handheld portable device of claim 17, wherein the sensors are capable of sensing sound waves.

19. The handheld portable device of claim 11, wherein the handheld portable device is a cellular phone.

20. The handheld portable device of claim 11, wherein the handheld portable device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

21. The handheld portable device of claim 11, wherein the handheld portable device is a video game device.

22. The handheld portable device of claim 11, wherein the handheld portable device is a navigation system.

23. The handheld portable device of claim 11, wherein the handheld portable device is a handheld computer.

24. A system for use with a device having a display panel, comprising:

a first sensor coupled to the display panel at a first location, the first sensor operable to provide a first signal representative of a measurement of a touch parameter detected at the first location;

a second sensor coupled to the display panel at a second location, the second sensor operable to provide a second signal representative of a measurement of the touch parameter detected at the second location;

a third sensor coupled to the display panel at a third location, the third sensor operable to provide a third signal representative of a measurement of the touch parameter detected at the third location; and

wherein a location on the display panel touched by a user is determined based on the first signal, the second signal and the third signal.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the touch parameter measured by the sensors is a magnitude of movement detected at the sensor locations.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the touch parameter measured by the sensors is a magnitude of acceleration force detected at the sensor locations.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the touch parameter measured by the sensors is a magnitude of vibration motion detected at the sensor locations.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the touch parameter measured by the sensors is a magnitude of shock motion detected at the sensor locations.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the sensors comprise motion sensors.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the sensors comprise MEMS accelerometers.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the sensors are disposed on a rear side of the display panel.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein the touch location is determined in accordance with multilateration principle.

33. The system of claim 24, wherein the touch location is determined in accordance with triangulation principle.

34. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a controller; and

a sensor interface coupled between the sensors and the controller to process the signals provided by the sensors and produce signals readable by the controller.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the sensor interface comprises:

a first signal conditioning circuit coupled between the first sensor and the controller, the first signal conditioning circuit including an amplifier circuit;

a second signal conditioning circuit coupled between the second sensor and the controller, the second signal conditioning circuit including an amplifier circuit; and

a third signal conditioning circuit coupled between the third sensor and the controller, the third signal conditioning circuit including an amplifier circuit.

36. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first signal representative of a magnitude of a touch motion detected at a first location of a display panel;

receiving a second signal representative of a magnitude of a touch motion detected at a second location of the display panel; and

receiving a third signal representative of a magnitude of a touch motion detected at a third location of the display panel.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

determining a location on the display panel touched by a user based on the first signal, the second signal and the third signal.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the touch location is determined in accordance with multilateration principle.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the touch location is determined in accordance with triangulation principle.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising the steps of:

mounting a first motion sensor to the display panel at the first location to provide the first signal;

mounting a second motion sensor to the display panel at the second location to provide the second signal; and

mounting a third motion sensor to the display panel at the third location to provide the third signal.

41. The method of claim 36, further comprising the steps of:

mounting a first accelerometer to the display panel at the first location to provide the first signal;

mounting a second accelerometer to the display panel at the second location to provide the second signal; and

mounting a third accelerometer to the display panel at the third location to provide the third signal.

42. A system comprising:

a display panel; and

an assembly including at least three motion sensors coupled to the display panel, the assembly operable to determine a location on the display panel touched by a user based on signals generated by at least three motion sensors.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the motion sensors are disposed on a rear side of the display panel.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the touch location is determined in accordance with multilateration principle.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein the touch location is determined in accordance with triangulation principle.

46. The system of claim 42, wherein the at least three motion sensors comprise:

a first sensor coupled to the display panel at a first location, the first sensor operable to provide a first signal representative of a magnitude of movement detected at the first location;

a second sensor coupled to the display panel at a second location, the second sensor operable to provide a second signal representative of a magnitude of movement detected at the second location; and

a third sensor coupled to the display panel at a third location, the third sensor operable to provide a third signal representative of a magnitude of movement detected at the third location.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the assembly further comprises:

a controller; and

a sensor interface coupled between the sensors and the controller to process the signals provided by the sensors and produce signals readable by the controller.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the sensor interface comprises:

a first signal conditioning circuit coupled between the first sensor and the controller, the first signal conditioning circuit including an amplifier circuit;

a second signal conditioning circuit coupled between the second sensor and the controller, the second signal conditioning circuit including an amplifier circuit; and

a third signal conditioning circuit coupled between the third sensor and the controller, the third signal conditioning circuit including an amplifier circuit.

49. The system of claim 42, wherein the display panel is incorporated within a portable electronic device.

50. The system of claim 42, wherein the display panel is configured for use with a computer system.

51. A method comprising:

determining a first detection time when a touch event is sensed by a first sensor at a first location of a display panel;

determining a second detection time when the same touch event is sensed by a second sensor at a second location of the display panel; and

determining a third detection time when the same touch event is sensed by a third sensor at a third location of the display panel.

52. The method of claim 51, further comprising the steps of:

determining a location on the display panel touched by a user as a function of the first detection time, the second detection time and the third detection time.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein the touch location is determined in accordance with multilateration principle.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein the touch location is determined in accordance with triangulation principle.

55. A sensor-based touchscreen assembly comprising:

at least one sensor coupled to a display panel at a known location; and

a controller coupled to the sensor, the controller operable to determine a location on the display panel touched by a user by computing time of arrival of a signal emitted from a touch to the sensor.

56. A sensor-based touchscreen assembly comprising:

at least one sensor coupled to a display panel at a known location; and

a controller coupled to the sensor, the controller operable to determine an object displayed on the display panel touched by a user by computing time of arrival of a signal emitted from a touch to the sensor.