Method for detecting tracks of touch inputs on touch-sensitive panel and related computer program product and electronic apparatus using the same

• US 8,405,625 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2009
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Lai, Ming-Te
• Primary Examiner(s): MERCEDES, DISMERY E
• Application Number:
  US12/622,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20110032194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method for detecting tracks of touch inputs on touch-sensitive panel, which is applied for an electronic apparatus having a touch-sensitive panel, comprises: during a first period, detecting M touch positions of M touch inputs on the touch-sensitive panel; during a second period, detecting N touch positions of N touch inputs on the touch-sensitive panel, where M and N are positive integers and M is less than or equal to N; selecting a specific touch input from the M touch inputs, where the specific touch input corresponds to a specific touch position of the M touch positions; and determining a track of the specific touch input on the touch-sensitive panel according to N distances that are between the specific touch position and the N touch positions respectively.

Claims

1. A method for detecting tracks of touch inputs on touch-sensitive panel, applied to an electronic apparatus having a touch-sensitive panel, the method comprising:

during a first period, detecting M touch positions of M touch inputs on the touch-sensitive panel;

during a second period, detecting N touch positions of N touch inputs on the touch-sensitive panel, wherein M and N are positive integers and M is less than or equal to N;

selecting a specific touch input from the M touch inputs, wherein the specific touch input corresponds to a specific touch position of the M touch positions, and the specific touch position corresponds to a specific identification; and

determining a track of the specific touch input on the touch-sensitive panel according to a plurality of distances that are between the specific touch position and the N touch positions respectively;

wherein the step of determining the track of the specific touch input comprises;

comparing the distances so as to determine a nearest touch position of the N touch positions that is closest to the specific touch position;

setting the nearest touch position to correspond to the specific identification as well; and

determining that the specific touch input is moved from the specific touch position to the nearest touch position on the touch-sensitive panel according to the specific identification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period is earlier than the second period.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein M is less than N, and the method further comprises the following steps:

sequentially determining tracks of the M touch inputs;

identifying (N-M) touch positions of the N touch positions that not corresponding to any one of the M touch inputs, wherein the (N-M) touch positions respectively correspond to (N-M) touch inputs of the N touch inputs; and

determining that the (N-M) touch inputs are newly added at the (N-M) touch positions on the touch-sensitive panel respectively.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

setting the (N-M) touch positions respectively to correspond to (N-M) identification.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific identification is a time stamp that is related to the time the specific touch input is newly added on the touch-sensitive panel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period is later than the second period.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein M is less than N, and the method further comprises the following steps:

sequentially determining tracks of the M touch inputs;

identifying (N-M) touch positions of the N touch positions that not corresponding to any one of the M touch inputs, wherein the (N-M) touch positions respectively correspond to (N-M) touch inputs of the N touch inputs; and

determining that the (N-M) touch inputs are removed from the (N-M) touch positions on the touch-sensitive panel respectively.

8. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a touch-sensitive panel; and

a processor, coupled to the touch-sensitive panel, for detecting M touch positions of M touch inputs on the touch-sensitive panel during a first period, and for detecting N touch positions of N touch inputs on the touch-sensitive panel during a second period, wherein M and N are positive integers and M is less than or equal to N;

the processor is further used for selecting a specific touch input from the M touch inputs, wherein the specific touch input corresponds to a specific touch position of the M touch positions, and the specific touch position corresponds to a specific identification; and

the processor is further used for determining a track of the specific touch input on the touch-sensitive panel according to a plurality of distances that are between the specific touch position and the N touch positions respectively;

wherein the processor is further used for comparing the distances so as to determine a nearest touch position of the N touch positions that is closest to the specific touch position, setting the nearest touch position to correspond to the specific identification as well, and determining that the specific touch input is moved from the specific touch position to the nearest touch position on the touch-sensitive panel according to the specific identification.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first period is earlier than the second period.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 9, wherein M is less than N;

and the processor is further used for sequentially determining tracks of the M touch inputs, for identifying (N-M) touch positions of the N touch positions that not corresponding to any one of the M touch inputs, wherein the (N-M) touch positions respectively correspond to (N-M) touch inputs of the N touch inputs, and for determining that the (N-M) touch inputs are newly added at the (N-M) touch positions on the touch-sensitive panel respectively.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further used for setting the (N-M) touch positions respectively to correspond to (N-M) identification.

12. The electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the specific identification is a time stamp that is related to the time the specific touch input is newly added on the touch-sensitive panel.

13. The electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first period is later than the second period.

14. The electronic apparatus of claim 13, wherein M is less than N;

and the processor is further used for sequentially determining tracks of the M touch inputs, for identifying (N-M) touch positions of the N touch positions that not corresponding to any one of the M touch inputs, wherein the (N-M) touch positions respectively correspond to (N-M) touch inputs of the N touch inputs, and for determining that the (N-M) touch inputs are removed from the (N-M) touch positions on the touch-sensitive panel respectively.

15. A non-transitory computer program product, having program instructions used for executing the following steps:

during a first period, detecting M touch positions of M touch inputs on the touch-sensitive panel;

during a second period, detecting N touch positions of N touch inputs on the touch-sensitive panel, wherein M and N are positive integers and M is less than or equal to N;

selecting a specific touch input from the M touch inputs, wherein the specific touch input corresponds to a specific touch position of the M touch positions, and the specific touch position corresponds to a specific identification; and

determining a track of the specific touch input on the touch-sensitive panel according to a plurality of distances that are between the specific touch position and the N touch positions respectively;

wherein the step of determining the track of the specific touch input comprises;

comparing the distances so as to determine a nearest touch position of the N touch positions that is closest to the specific touch position;

setting the nearest touch position to correspond to the specific) identification as well; and

determining that the specific touch input is moved from the specific touch position to the nearest touch position on the touch-sensitive panel according to the specific identification.

16. An apparatus for detecting tracks of touch inputs on a touch-sensitive panel, comprising:

a first means, for detecting M touch positions of M touch inputs on the touch-sensitive panel during a first period, and for detecting N touch positions of N touch inputs on the touch-sensitive panel during a second) period, wherein M and N are positive integers and M is less than or equal to N;

a second means, for selecting a specific touch input from the M touch inputs, wherein the specific touch input corresponds to a specific touch position of the M touch positions, and the specific touch position corresponds to a specific identification; and

a third means, for determining a track of the specific touch input on the touch-sensitive panel according to a plurality of distances that are between the specific touch position and the N touch positions respectively; and

the third means is further used for comparing the distances so as to) determine a nearest touch position of the N touch positions that is closest to the specific touch position, setting the nearest touch position to correspond to the specific identification as well, and determining that the specific touch input is moved from the specific touch position to the nearest touch position on the touch-sensitive panel according to the specific identification.