ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20080284746A1
• Filed: 04/21/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, John C., Kao, Yih-Feng, Shih, Chin-Chung, Hou, Chun-Yao, Hsu, Chih-Feng
• Granted Patent: US 8,411,043 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An electronic device including a casing, a touch display and a processor is provided. The casing has an opening, and the touch display is disposed inside the casing for receiving the operation of an input tool. The opening exposes a portion of the touch display. The touch display has a sensing surface. The processor is coupled to the touch display, and the user interface displayed by the touch display is determined by the processor. As a result, the convenience of operating the electronic device is increased.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a casing having an opening;

a touch display disposed in the casing, the opening exposing a part of the touch display, wherein the touch display is configured for receiving an operation of an input tool, and the touch display has a sensing surface; and

a processor electrically coupled to the touch display, wherein the processor determines a user interface displayed on the touch display.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the method by which the processor determines the user interface displayed on the touch display comprises the processor identifying the type of the input tool and switching to the corresponding user interface according to the type of the input tool.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the touch display further comprises:

a display disposed in the casing; and

a touch sensing means disposed in the casing and over the display, wherein the display and the touch sensing means are electrically coupled to the processor.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the touch sensing means comprises:

a transparent substrate;

a first conductor film disposed on the transparent substrate;

at least one spacer;

a second conductor film, wherein the spacer is disposed between the first conductor film and the second conductor film; and

a protective layer disposed on the second conductor film, wherein the protective layer has the sensing surface.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the touch sensing means further comprises:

a plurality of electrodes penetrating the transparent substrate and respectively electrically connected to the first conductor film or the second conductor film; and

a flexible circuit board disposed on a lower surface of the transparent substrate and electrically connected to the electrodes and the processor.

6. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the touch sensing means comprises a resistive sensing device.

7. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the touch sensing means comprises a capacitive sensing device.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the touch display comprises a temperature sensor.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the touch display comprises an image sensing device for obtaining an image including the input tool.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the input tool comprises a stylus or a finger of a user.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

a casing having an opening;

a touch display disposed in the casing, the opening exposing a part of the touch display, wherein the touch display is configured for receiving an operation of an input tool, and the touch display has a sensing surface; and

a processor electrically coupled to the touch display for identifying a type of the input tool.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor further comprises determining a user interface displayed on the touch display according to the type of the input tool.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the touch display further comprises:

a display disposed in the casing; and

a touch sensing means disposed over the display and in the casing, wherein the display and the touch sensing means are electrically coupled to the processor.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the touch sensing means comprises:

a transparent substrate;

a first conductor film disposed on the transparent substrate;

at least one spacer;

a second conductor film, wherein the spacer is disposed between the first conductor film and the second conductor film; and

a protective layer disposed on the second conductor film, wherein the protective layer has the sensing surface.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the touch sensing means further comprises:

a plurality of electrodes penetrating the transparent substrate and respectively electrically connected to the first conductor film or the second conductor film; and

a flexible circuit board disposed on a lower surface of the transparent substrate and electrically connected to the electrodes and the processor.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the touch sensing means comprises a resistive sensing device.

17. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the touch sensing means comprises a capacitive sensing device.

18. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the touch display comprises a temperature sensor.

19. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the touch display comprises an image sensing device for obtaining an image including the input tool.

20. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the input tool comprises a stylus or a finger of a user.