Self-healing and diagnostic screen

• US 8,525,796 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Arnold, Nicole M., Do, Lydia M., Nesbitt, Pamela A., Seacat, Lisa A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, VINH TANG
• Application Number:
  US11/962,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20090160780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-184, 178 1801- 2001
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for determining a level of cleanliness of a multi-touch screen display, characterizing objects that make contact with the screen, and initiating a specific maintenance action on the screen, based on screen cleanliness and the object(s) characterization(s). A screen diagnostic and maintenance (SDM) utility initiates a number of procedures to determine the type of object(s) and a set of characteristics of object(s) that make contact with the touch screen. Based on the results of the procedures, the SDM utility characterizes/identifies the object(s). In addition, the SDM utility initiates maintenance screen check(s) based on information stored in maintenance configuration file(s). Based on the results of the maintenance check(s), configuration file(s) data and type and characterization of the object(s) that have made contact with the screen, the SDM utility determines the type of maintenance that is performed and the timing/schedule of the maintenance action(s).

Claims

1. A method for performing maintenance of an electronic device having a touch screen, the method comprising:

detecting a physical contact occurrence with the touch screen;

automatically determining a set of characteristics of an object causing the contact occurrence with the touch screen;

identifying an object type based on the determined set of characteristics;

identifying a maintenance schedule based on the object type;

determining that maintenance is due based on the object type and the maintenance schedule; and

responsive to determining that maintenance is due, activating a set of maintenance actions to enhance a level of cleanliness of the touch screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining that maintenance is due is further based on performing a number of maintenance checks at specific time intervals based on one or more of;

(1) a set of configuration data; and

(2) a set of one or more files including maintenance records and results.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

identifying the set of characteristics of the object is performed via application of one or more of the following procedures;

(1) a temperature measurement of the object;

(2) a weight measurement of the object;

(3) a determination of a location of the object on the touch screen;

(4) an image capture of the object;

(5) determining a type of the object with an aid of a set of applications which set includes one or more applications based on an object recognition technology;

(6) a determination of a set of physical dimensions of the object;

(7) a determination of a physical state of the object;

(8) a determination of a mobility of the object; and

(9) a determination of a viscosity of the object; and

the method further comprises tracking one or more of a set of dynamic characteristics of the object with an update of values from one or more of the procedures.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the detecting includes simultaneously detecting multiple objects at one or more areas of the touch screen with the aid of a multi-detection mechanism; and

the automatically determining includes determining the set of characteristics of each of the multiple objects.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of maintenance actions comprises one or more of the following:

(1) a visual change in a particular screen location;

(2) an audio alert;

(3) a usage restriction of the screen area;

(4) a temperature alert;

(5) a modification of a pixel resolution around a particular area of the screen;

(6) a constant indicator, wherein the constant indicator includes one or more mechanisms, including;

(a) a visual effect that includes a highlighting mechanism facilitated by a display of one or more of icons and arrows on the screen at a location within a preset range of distances to an affected area;

(b) a touch sensory mechanism that includes one or more of a heating and cooling of an affected screen area when touched by the object; and

(c) an audio sensory mechanism that includes a sound that increases in sound level when an object is positioned within a defined proximity of the affected area;

(7) an application of a transparent film to the screen surface; and

(8) utilization of a wiper mechanism that dispenses cleaning material across the screen surface.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising one or more of:

displaying a list of maintenance tasks to be completed by a user to execute at least one of the set of maintenance actions;

enabling execution of the set of maintenance actions via the displayed list, wherein a received interaction with the list indicates completion of one or more tasks on the list; and

providing the at least one of the set of maintenance actions via an external screen protection device, wherein the screen protection device has blue-tooth capability that enables communication between the protection device and the electronic device, wherein the electronic device communicates a set of location details of the affected area of the screen to the external screen protection device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting one or more physical defects in one or more display screen pixels; and

in response to detecting the one or more physical defects, triggering a set of maintenance actions based on the one or more physical defects;

wherein a discovery of the one or more physical defects is facilitated by one or more maintenance actions which include a cleaning action of the touch screen, wherein the maintenance actions enable an identification of the one or more physical defects with the screen display, wherein the one or more physical defects are not attributable to the level of cleanliness of the screen; and

wherein the one or more physical defects are confirmed by a set of results obtained by a test of the one or more screen pixels.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the object type is identified as a finger based on the temperature of the object,

the maintenance schedule is identified as a threshold number of contacts by the finger, and

determining that maintenance is due comprises determining that the threshold number of contacts by the finger is reached.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying a region of the touch screen for which maintenance is due, wherein the set of maintenance actions comprises visually modifying the identified region of the touch screen.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the object type is identified as a liquid, and

the maintenance schedule indicates that maintenance is due based on the object type being identified as liquid, and

the set of maintenance actions comprises requesting removal of the liquid.