TOUCH PANEL AND INPUT METHOD THEREOF

• US 20140132540A1
• Filed: 11/13/2013
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: PARK, Je Won
• Application Number:
  US14/078,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20140132540A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

Disclosed are a touch panel and an input method thereof. The touch panel includes an active area and an unactive area surrounding the active area, a first sensing unit in the active area, and a second sensing unit in the unactive area. The input method includes touching a first point in an active area, and touching a second point in an unactive area surrounding the active area.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

an active area and an unactive area surrounding the active area;

a first sensing unit in the active area; and

a second sensing unit in the unactive area.

2. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein a first direction and a second direction crossing the first direction are defined on a same plane in the active area, and the first sensing unit senses a motion in at least one of the first and second directions.

3. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the first sensing unit comprises a transparent electrode.

4. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein a third direction crossing the first and second directions is defined, and the second sensing unit senses a motion in the third direction.

5. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the second sensing unit comprises one selected from the group consisting of a proximity sensor, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and an illuminance sensor.

6. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the first and second sensing units zooms in or zooms out a screen image in the active area.

7. An input method comprising:

touching a first point in an active area; and

touching a second point in an unactive area surrounding the active area.

8. The input method of claim 7, wherein the touching of the first point comprises zooming in or zooming out a screen image while moving a touch from the first point.

9. The input method of claim 8, wherein the touch for the first point is performed on a same plane.

10. The input method of claim 8, wherein a first direction and a second direction crossing the first direction are defined on a same plane in the active area, and the touch for the first point is achieved in at least one of the first and second directions.

11. The input method of claim 7, wherein the touching of the second point comprises zooming in or zooming out a screen image while moving a touch from the second point.

12. The input method of claim 11, wherein a third direction crossing first and second directions is additionally defined, and the touch for the second point is achieved in the third direction.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the touch for the second point is achieved as the touch is closed to or away from the second point.

14. The input method of claim 11, wherein the touch for the second point is achieved in a three dimensional manner.

15. The input method of claim 7, wherein a proximity sensor is provided at the second point and the touch for the second point is achieved by sensing variation of a capacitance.

16. The input method of claim 7, wherein an infrared sensor is provided at the second point and the touch for the second point is achieved by sensing a path of an infrared light.

17. The input method of claim 7, wherein an illuminance sensor is provided at the second point and the touch for the second point is achieved by sensing variation in brightness of a light.

18. The input method of claim 7, wherein a screen image of the active area is zoomed in or zoomed out by touching the first point or the second point.