APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING A TOUCH RECOGNITION AREA IN A TOUCH INTERFACE

• US 20130181924A1
• Filed: 01/17/2013
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: HONG, Hyun-Su, JUNG, Woo-Jin
• Granted Patent: US 9,703,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for adjusting a touch recognition area on a touch interface. The method includes displaying an item on a screen of a terminal; sensing an approach area according to an approach of a user input object to the touch interface; determining an approach direction of the user input object, based on the approach area; and adjusting a touch recognition area of the item, based on the approach direction.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a touch recognition area on a touch interface, the method comprising:

displaying an item on a screen of a terminal;

sensing an approach area according to an approach of a user input object to the touch interface;

determining an approach direction of the user input object, based on the approach area; and

adjusting a touch recognition area of the item, based on the approach direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the touch recognition area of the item comprises changing a shape of the touch recognition area or moving the touch recognition area to a side from which the approach area occurs.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the touch recognition area of the item comprises changing a shape of the touch recognition area or moving the touch recognition area in a direction opposite to the approach direction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the approach direction is determined based on at least one of an outer shape of the approach area, a density distribution of approach points in the approach area, and a movement trajectory of the approach area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch recognition area of the item is adjusted to at least partially overlap the approach area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch recognition area of the item is adjusted to include center coordinates of the approach area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the approach direction comprises calculating an approach direction vector representing the approach direction of the user input object, from the approach area.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising recognizing that the user input object touches the adjusted touch recognition area.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing a sensing signal generated by the approach or a touch of the user input object to the touch interface with first and second thresholds; and

determining that the user input object approaches the touch interface, without touching the touch interface, when a voltage of the sensing signal is less than or equal to the second threshold and is greater than the first threshold.

10. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium for recording a program for executing a method for adjusting a touch recognition area on a touch interface, the method comprising:

displaying an item on a screen of a terminal;

sensing an approach area according to an approach of a user input object to the touch interface;

determining an approach direction of the user input object, based on the approach area; and

adjusting a touch recognition area of the item, based on the approach direction.

11. A apparatus including a touch interface, the apparatus terminal comprising:

a touch interface that displays an item on a screen, and senses an approach area according to an approach of a user input object to the screen; and

a controller that determines an approach direction of the user input object based on the approach area, and controls the touch interface to adjust a touch recognition area of the item, based on the approach direction.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller controls the touch interface to change a shape of the touch recognition area or moving the touch recognition area to a side from which the approach area occurs.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller controls the touch interface to change a shape of the touch recognition area or moving the touch recognition area in a direction opposite to the approach direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller determines the approach direction based on at least one of an outer shape of the approach area, a density distribution of approach points in the approach area, and a movement trajectory of the approach area.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the touch interface compares a sensing signal generated by the approach or a touch of the user input object to the touch interface with first and second thresholds, and determines that the user input object approaches the touch interface, without touching the touch interface, when a voltage of the sensing signal is less than or equal to the second threshold and is greater than the first threshold.