ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND TOUCH SCAN METHOD THEREOF

• US 20160195990A1
• Filed: 01/07/2016
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Han, Dong Kyoon, Jung, Louis Hyunsuk, Kim, Soo Hyung, Bae, Jong Kon, Lee, Yong Man
• Application Number:
  US14/990,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20160195990A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3262 Power saving in digitizer or tablet
• 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 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a touch panel including a plurality of transmission electrode lines and a plurality of receiving electrode lines and a touch panel operation module configured to select a part of the plurality of transmission electrode lines and the plurality of receiving electrode lines and to sense a partial area of the touch panel based on a sensing mode.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a touch panel comprising a plurality of transmission electrode lines and a plurality of receiving electrode lines; and

a touch panel operation module configured to;

select a part of the plurality of transmission electrode lines and the plurality of receiving electrode lines, and

sense a partial area of the touch panel based on a sensing mode.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the touch panel operation module comprises:

a transmission module configured to provide a driving signal to the touch panel;

a receiving module configured to receive a received signal from the touch panel;

a transmission channel selection switch configured to select a transmission electrode line through which the driving signal is provided;

a receiving electrode line selection switch configured to select a receiving electrode line through which a received signal is received; and

a control module configured to select a part of the plurality of transmission electrode lines and the plurality of receiving electrode lines and to sense a partial area of the touch panel.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the touch panel operation module is configured to simultaneously sense a partial area of the touch panel using a plurality of driving signals with unique code information.

4. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the touch panel operation module is configured to generate a plurality of driving signals with unique code information and to provide the plurality of driving signals to different areas, respectively.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display panel configured to display a user interface (UI),

wherein the touch panel operation module is configured to sense a partial area corresponding to an effective touch area if information about the effective touch area of a UI displayed on the touch panel is received.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the touch panel operation module sets a sensing rate or a signal throughput of the partial area high.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, if a touch input is sensed on the touch panel, the touch panel operation module is configured to sense a partial area comprising a location at which the touch input is sensed.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein, if a location of the touch input moves, the touch panel operation module is configured to change a sensing area so as to correspond to a movement of the touch input.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the touch panel operation module is configured to sense a partial area comprising the location at which the touch input is sensed and an entire area of the touch panel alternately in a specific rate.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a pen recognition panel configured to sense an electromagnetic resonance (EMR) pen manipulation,

wherein the touch panel operation module is configured to sense a remaining area other than a sensing area of the pen recognition panel if information about the sensing area of the pen recognition panel is received.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the touch panel operation module is configured to sense an area of the touch panel corresponding to a transparent area of a cover with a transparent area on a front thereof, if information indicating that the cover is closed is received with the electronic device coupled with the cover.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display panel configured to display a user interface (UI),

wherein the touch panel operation module is configured to sense a touch input corresponding to a maximum number of touches if information about the maximum number of touches corresponding to the UI displayed on the display panel is received.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a motion detection sensor configured to detect a movement of the electronic device,

wherein the touch panel operation module is configured to operate in an event detection mode if a specific movement is detected on the electronic device with a sensing of the touch panel being discontinued.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a microphone configured to detect a user voice,

wherein the touch panel operation module is configured to operate in a specific sensing mode if a voice is detected through the microphone with a sensing of the touch panel being discontinued.

15. A touch sensing method of an electronic device, the method comprising:

setting a sensing mode and a sensing area of a touch panel comprising a plurality of transmission electrode lines and a plurality of receiving electrode lines;

selecting a transmission electrode line and a receiving electrode line corresponding to the set sensing area using a channel selection switch; and

sensing a partial area of the touch panel based on the set sensing mode.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the sensing of the partial area of the touch panel comprises:

generating a plurality of driving signals with a plurality of code information; and

providing the plurality of the driving signals to the partial area of the touch panel at the same time.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the sensing of the partial area of the touch panel comprises:

generating a plurality of driving signals with a plurality of code information; and

providing the plurality of the driving signals to different areas, respectively.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the setting of the sensing area comprises:

displaying a user interface (UI) on a display panel;

determining an effective touch area of the UI displayed on the display panel; and

setting an area corresponding to the effective touch area as a sensing area.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the setting of the sensing area comprises:

setting a partial area, comprising a location where a touch input is sensed, as a sensing area if the touch input is sensed on the touch panel.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the setting of the sensing area further comprises:

changing a sensing area so as to correspond to a movement of the touch input if the location of the touch input moves.