Image display apparatus and method of operating the same

• US 8,587,544 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2011
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Taehyung, Ahn, Byeongkil, Moon, Seonghak, Cho, Janghwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tzeng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US13/185,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20120019462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/157
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0386 for light pen

Abstract

There are provided an image display apparatus having a display unit capable of sensing a touch made by a pointing device, and a method for operating the same. The method includes outputting a synchronous signal through the entire region of the display unit, transmitting a first scanning signal and a second scanning signal respectively scanning the display unit in a first direction and a second direction to the pointing device; and acquiring touch position information regarding a touch made by the pointing device by using touch time information regarding time points when the pointing device receives the first scanning signal and the second scanning signal after sensing the synchronous signal. Accordingly, an error in touch recognition caused by the delay of a synchronous signal can be minimized.

Claims

1. A method for operating an image display apparatus having a display unit capable of sensing a touch made by a pointing device, the method comprising:

outputting a synchronous signal through the entire region of the display unit;

transmitting a first scanning signal scanning the display unit in a first direction and a second scanning signal scanning the display unit in a second direction to the pointing device; and

acquiring touch position information including a time point when the first scanning signal is received by the pointing device after sensing the synchronous signal and a time point when the second scanning signal is received by the pointing device after sensing the synchronous signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first direction is a horizontal direction, and the second direction is a vertical direction, an X coordinate of a touch position of the pointing device is calculated from the first scanning signal, and a Y coordinate of the touch position of the pointing device is calculated from the second scanning signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the synchronous signal being output comprises two or more synchronous signals, the synchronous signals are output a preset number of times for synchronization with the pointing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronous signal being output has a preset synchronization frequency for synchronization with the pointing device, and the synchronization frequency is different from a frequency of other signals transmitted by the image display apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when the synchronous signal being output comprises two or more synchronous signals, the synchronous signals are output at a preset interval for synchronization with the pointing device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the pointing device the touch time information; and

calculating coordinate information regarding the position of the pointing device from the touch time information,

wherein the touch position information is acquired from the coordinate information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the pointing device calculates coordinate information regarding the position of the pointing device from the touch time information, and

the image display apparatus acquires the touch position information from the coordinate information when the coordinate information is received from the pointing device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a touch image corresponding to a trace of a touch made on the display unit by the pointing device; and

outputting the touch image.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user command through the pointing device touching a specific position of the display unit; and

performing an operation according to the user command corresponding to the touch position information of the pointing device.

10. An image display apparatus having a display unit capable of sensing a touch made by a pointing device, the image display apparatus comprising:

a control unit generating a synchronous signal output through the entire region of the display unit, and a first scanning signal scanning the display unit in a first direction and a second scanning signal scanning the display unit in a second direction; and

a display unit outputting the synchronous signal, the first scanning signal and the second scanning signal,

wherein, the control unit acquires touch position information regarding a touch made by the pointing device by using touch time information including a time point when the first scanning signal is received by the pointing device after sensing the synchronous signal and a time point when the second scanning signal is received by the pointing device.

11. The image display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first direction is a horizontal direction, and the second direction is a vertical direction, an X coordinate of a touch position of the pointing device is calculated from the first scanning signal, and a Y coordinate of the touch position of the pointing device is calculated from the second scanning signal.

12. The image display apparatus of claim 10, wherein when the synchronous signal output through the display unit comprises two or more synchronous signals, the display unit outputs the synchronous signals a preset number of times for synchronization with the pointing device.

13. The image display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control unit generates the synchronous signal to have a preset synchronization frequency for synchronization with the pointing device, and the synchronization frequency is different from a frequency of other signals transmitted by the image display apparatus.

14. The image display apparatus of claim 10, wherein, when the synchronous signal being output through the display unit comprises two or more synchronous signals, the display unit outputs the synchronous signals at a preset interval for synchronization with the pointing device.

15. The image display apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an external device interface unit receiving from the pointing device the touch time information,

wherein the control unit calculates coordinate information regarding a position of the pointing device from the touch time information, and acquires the touch position information from the coordinate information.

16. The image display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the pointing device calculate coordinate information regarding a position of the pointing device from the touch time information, and

the image display apparatus further comprises an external device interface unit receiving the coordinate information from the pointing device,

wherein the control unit acquires the touch position information from the coordinate information.

17. The image display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control unit generates a touch image corresponding to a trace of a touch made on the display unit by the pointing device, and

the display unit outputs the touch image.

18. The image display apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a user input interface unit receiving a user command as the pointing device touches a specific position on the display unit,

wherein the control unit performs an operation according to the user demand corresponding to the touch position information of the pointing device.