METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISTINGUISHING SCREEN HOLD FROM SCREEN TOUCH

• US 20160041683A1
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Ma, Xiaojun, Xu, Jun, Zhang, Yanfeng, Zhang, Zhigang
• Application Number:
  US14/782,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20160041683A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A touch screen enabled device of the present invention includes at least a display screen, a frame bordering the display screen and at least one touch sensor located in the device such that when pressure is applied to at least a portion of the frame proximate the at least one touch sensor, the pressure is sensed by the at least one touch sensor. In a touch screen enabled device of the present invention, the activation of a touch sensor located proximate at least a portion of a frame of the touch screen enabled device is electrically sensed and a touch screen functionality of at least a portion of a screen of the touch screen enabled device proximate the activated touch sensor is disabled.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

electrically sensing the activation of a touch sensor located proximate at least a portion of a frame of a touch screen enabled device; and

disabling a touch screen functionality of at least a portion of a screen of the touch screen enabled device proximate the activated touch sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising relocating icons located in the disabled portion of the screen to an area on the screen outside of the disabled portion of the screen.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising disabling a touch screen functionality of at least a portion of a screen of the touch screen enabled device proximate the activated touch sensor for as long as the activated touch sensor is activated.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising disabling a touch screen functionality of at least a portion of a screen of the touch screen enabled device proximate the activated touch sensor for touches of the screen coincident with the activation of the activated touch sensor.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising disabling a touch screen functionality of at least a portion of a screen of the touch screen enabled device proximate the activated touch sensor for touches of the screen coincident with the activation of the activated touch sensor that exceed a predetermined period of time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein an amount of force required to activate the touch sensor is adjustable.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a touch screen functionality of at least a portion of a screen of the touch screen enabled device proximate the activated touch sensor is only disabled for touches of the screen that exceed a predetermined period of time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein disabling a touch screen functionality of at least a portion of a screen of the touch screen enabled device proximate the activated touch sensor comprises delaying the touch screen response of the screen.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a touch screen functionality of at least a portion of the display screen proximate an activated touch sensor is disabled for touches of the display screen coincident with the activation of the activated touch sensor.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein a touch screen functionality of at least a portion of the display screen proximate an activated touch sensor is disabled for touches of the screen coincident with the activation of the activated touch sensor that exceed a predetermined period of time.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a display screen;

a frame bordering the display screen; and

at least one touch sensor located in the apparatus such that when pressure is applied to at least a portion of the frame proximate the at least one touch sensor, the pressure is sensed by the at least one touch sensor;

said apparatus having touch screen functionality and configured to;

electrically sense the activation of a touch sensor located on at least a portion of a frame of a touch screen enabled device; and

disable a touch screen functionality of at least a portion of a screen of the touch screen enabled device proximate the activated touch sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein icons located in a disabled portion of the display screen are relocated to portion of the display screen outside of the disabled portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a touch screen functionality of at least a portion of the display screen proximate an activated touch sensor is disabled for as long as the activated touch sensor is activated.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein an amount of force required to activate the at least one touch sensor is adjustable.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a touch screen functionality of at least a portion of the display screen proximate an activated touch sensor is disabled for touches of the screen that exceed a predetermined period of time.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein disabling a touch screen functionality of at least a portion of the display screen proximate the activated touch sensor comprises delaying the touch screen response of the display screen.