Simulating Single and Multi-Touch Events for Testing A Touch Panel

• US 20120280934A1
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ha, Tho T., Ghaffari, Razieh
• Application Number:
  US13/100,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20120280934A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2221 to test input/output devices or peripheral units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

An apparatus for testing a touch panel is disclosed. The apparatus includes a robot hand that is to be positioned over a touch panel under test. The robot hand moves toward and away from the touch panel. A first testing finger and a second testing finger are coupled to the robot hand. As the robot hand moves toward the touch panel, the first testing finger is to contact the touch panel to simulate a one finger touch, and the second testing finger is to subsequently contact the touch panel to simulate a two finger touch. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for testing a touch panel, comprising:

a robot hand that moves relatively toward and away from the touch panel;

a first testing finger coupled to the robot hand; and

a second testing finger coupled to the robot hand,

wherein the first testing finger is to contact the touch panel to cause a single touch event, and the second testing finger is to subsequently contact the touch panel to cause a multi-touch event, as the robot hand moves toward the touch panel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the robot hand includes a planar surface, and the first testing finger and the second testing finger are coupled to the planar surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first testing finger has a length that is greater than the second testing finger.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a difference in the length between the first testing finger and the second testing finger is such that the second testing finger does not induce the multi-touch event when the first testing finger comes into contact with the touch panel.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first testing finger includes a compression mechanism to allow the first testing finger to compress in response to the force of the robot hand moving toward the touch panel so that the second testing finger can touch the touch panel while the first testing finger remains in contact with the touch panel.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second testing finger includes a cushioning mechanism to reduce the probability of damaging the touch panel when the second finger touches the touch panel.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the robot hand is configured to move in a direction that is parallel to the touch panel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first testing finger is configured to move toward and away from the second testing finger.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first testing finger and the second testing finger have a surface for contacting the touch panel that is made of a conductive material.

10. A system for testing a touch panel, comprising:

a robot hand having at least two testing fingers of different lengths, wherein the testing fingers are to contact the touch panel successively as the robot hand moves toward the touch panel;

test controller circuitry to control the robot hand so as to cause the robot hand to move toward and away from the touch panel; and

touch screen monitoring circuitry to monitor the touch panel to determine that the touch panel detected successive taps as a result of the testing fingers successively touching the touch panel.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the test controller circuitry controls the robot hand so as to cause one testing finger to move toward and away from the other testing finger.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the touch screen monitoring circuitry is to monitor the touch panel to determine that the touch panel detected changes in contact that are representative of a pinch event, as a result of one testing finger moving toward the other testing finger while both testing fingers are touching the touch panel.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the touch screen monitoring circuitry is to monitor the touch panel to determine that the touch panel detected changes in contact that are representative of an unpinch event, as a result of one testing finger moving away from the other testing finger while both testing fingers are touching the touch panel.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the test controller circuitry controls the robot hand so as to cause the robot hand to move in a direction that is parallel to the touch panel.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the touch screen monitoring circuitry is to monitor the touch panel to determine that the touch panel detected changes in contact that are representative of a swipe event, as a result of one testing finger moving across the touch panel while the one testing finger is touching the touch panel.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein each testing finger has a contact end that causes a change in capacitance of the touch panel at a location where the contact end touches the touch panel.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein one testing finger has a compression spring to allow the contact end of the one testing finger to retract into the one testing finger in response to the force of the robot hand moving toward the touch panel, so that the other testing finger can touch the touch panel while the one testing finger remains in contact with the touch panel.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the difference in length between the testing fingers is such that the contact end of the other testing finger does not cause the change in capacitance when the contact end of the one testing finger comes into contact with the touch panel.

19. A method for testing a multi-touch touch panel, comprising:

positioning a base that is coupled to a first testing element and a second testing element such that the first and second testing elements extend toward the touch panel;

moving the base toward the touch panel so that the first testing element contacts the touch panel;

monitoring the touch panel to determine that the touch panel detected contact with the first testing element;

moving the base further in the same direction toward the touch panel so as to cause the first testing element to compress and the second testing element to contact the touch panel; and

monitoring the touch panel to determine that the touch panel detected contact with the first and the second testing elements.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

moving the first testing element toward the second testing element while the first and the second testing elements are in contact with the touch panel; and

monitoring the touch panel to determine that the touch panel detected changes in contact that are representative of a pinching gesture.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

moving the first testing element away from the second testing element while the first and the second testing elements are in contact with the touch panel; and

monitoring the touch panel to determine that the touch panel detected changes in contact that are representative of an unpinching gesture.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

moving the base in a direction parallel to the touch panel; and

monitoring the touch panel to determine that the touch panel detected changes in contact that are representative of a swiping gesture.