METHOD AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR OBTAINING TOUCH INPUT

• US 20170344155A1
• Filed: 05/31/2017
• Published: 11/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Won Wook, Kim, Jung Kyu, Kim, Kyeong Jun
• Granted Patent: US 10,503,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An electronic device is provided which includes a touch sensor, a pressure sensor, and a processor electrically connected with the touch sensor and the pressure sensor. The processor is configured to determine at least one of a location of a first touch sensed by the touch sensor or pressure of the first touch sensed by the pressure sensor as a user input in a first state and to determine at least one of a location of a second touch sensed by the pressure sensor or pressure of the second touch as a user input in a second state.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a touch sensor;

a pressure sensor; and

a processor electrically connected with the touch sensor and the pressure sensor, wherein the processor is configured to;

determine at least one of a location of a first touch sensed by the touch sensor or pressure of the first touch sensed by the pressure sensor as a user input in a first state; and

determine at least one of a location of a second touch sensed by the pressure sensor or pressure of the second touch as a user input in a second state.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor is configured to sense the first touch based on a coupling voltage between a transmitter and a receiver, and

wherein, if the coupling voltage is greater than or equal to a first voltage value in at least a first specified area of the touch sensor during at least a first specified time, the processor is further configured to determine that the first state is satisfied.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein if the coupling voltage is less than a second voltage value in at least a second specified area of the touch sensor during at least a second specified time, the processor is further configured to determine that the second state is satisfied, and

wherein the second voltage value is set to be the same as or less than the first voltage value.

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

a pair of conductive patches exposed to an outside,

wherein, if an impedance between the pair of conductive patches is greater than or equal to a first value, the processor is further configured to determine that the first state is satisfied.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein if the impedance between the pair of conductive patches is less than a second value, the processor is further configured to determine that the second state is satisfied, and

wherein the second value is set to be the same as or less than the first value.

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

a plurality of pairs of conductive patches exposed to an outside,

wherein, if an impedance between at least one pair of conductive patches among the plurality of pairs of conductive patches is greater than or equal to a specified value, the processor is further configured to determine that the first state is satisfied.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein if the impedance of each of the plurality of pairs of conductive patches is less than the specified value, the processor is further configured to determine that the second state is satisfied.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor includes a capacitive touch sensor.

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

a display panel configured to output a user interface (UI) including at least one object,

wherein the processor is further configured to change at least one of a layout, a size, a shape, and a color of the at least one object, if the second state is satisfied.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to increase a brightness of the display panel if the second state is satisfied.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a first touch sensor;

a second touch sensor; and

a processor electrically connected with the first touch sensor and the second touch sensor,

wherein the processor is configured to;

determine whether a first condition or a second condition associated with a surrounding environment of the electronic device is satisfied,

if it is determined that the first condition is satisfied, obtain a first touch sensed by at least one of the first touch sensor and the second touch sensor as a user input, and

if it is determined that the second condition is satisfied, obtain a second touch sensed by the second touch sensor as the user input.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first touch sensor is configured to sense the first touch based on a coupling voltage between a transmitter and a receiver.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the second touch sensor is configured to sense the first touch or the second touch based on a variation in pressure applied to the second touch sensor.

14. A touch input obtaining method of an electronic device, the method comprising:

determining whether a first condition or a second condition associated with a surrounding environment of the electronic device is satisfied;

obtaining, if it is determined that the first condition is satisfied, a first touch sensed by at least one of a first touch sensor or a second touch sensor as a user input; and

obtaining, if it is determined that the second condition is satisfied, a second touch sensed by the second touch sensor as the user input.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first touch sensor is configured to sense the first touch based on a coupling voltage between a transmitter and a receiver, and

wherein determining whether a first condition or a second condition associated with a surrounding environment of the electronic device is satisfied includes:

if the coupling voltage is greater than or equal to a first voltage value in at least a first specified area of the first touch sensor during at least a first specified time, determining that the first condition is satisfied.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining whether a first condition or a second condition associated with a surrounding environment of the electronic device is satisfied includes:

if the coupling voltage is less than a second voltage value in at least a second specified area of the first touch sensor during at least a second specified time, determining that the second condition is satisfied, and

wherein the second voltage value is the same as or less than the first voltage value.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the electronic device comprises a pair of conductive patches exposed to an outside, and

wherein determining whether a first condition or a second condition associated with a surrounding environment of the electronic device is satisfied includes:

if an impedance between the pair of conductive patches is greater than or equal to a first value, determining that the first condition is satisfied.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining whether a first condition or a second condition associated with a surrounding environment of the electronic device is satisfied further includes:

if the impedance between the pair of conductive patches is less than a second value, determining that the second condition is satisfied, and

wherein the second value is set to be the same as or less than the first value.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the electronic device comprises a plurality of pairs of conductive patches exposed to an outside,

wherein determining whether a first condition or a second condition associated with a surrounding environment of the electronic device is satisfied further includes:

if an impedance between at least one pair of conductive patches among the plurality of pairs of conductive patches is greater than or equal to a specified value, determining that the first condition is satisfied; and

if the impedance of each of the plurality of pairs of conductive patches is less than the specified value, determining that the second condition is satisfied.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the electronic device comprises a display panel configured to output a user interface (UI) including at least one object, and

further comprising:

changing at least one of a layout, a size, a shape, and a color of the at least one object, if the second condition is satisfied.