Electronic device including touch-sensitive display and method of controlling same

• US 8,669,946 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2010
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Tong, Kuo-Feng
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Jr., Kenneth B
• Application Number:
  US12/790,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20110291951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-175
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• 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 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

A method includes detecting a first touch at a first location and a second touch at a second location on a touch-sensitive display, determining a first force value by a first sensor and a second force value by a second sensor, wherein the first force value and the second force value are determined at a time when the first touch and the second touch are both detected, and determining a first applied force value for the first touch and a second applied force value for the second touch based on the first force value and the second force value and based on the first location and the second location.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a first touch at a first location and a second touch at a second location on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device;

determining a first force value on the touch-sensitive display utilizing a first sensor of the electronic device and a second force value on the touch-sensitive display utilizing a second sensor of the electronic device, the first force value and the second force value being determined at a time when the first touch and the second touch are both detected;

determining a first applied force value for the first touch and a second applied force value for the second touch by utilizing a force balance technique utilizing the first force value and the second force value, and by utilizing a torque balance technique utilizing the first force value, the second force value, and distances, along respective coordinate axes of each of the first touch and the second touch from the first sensor and the second sensor.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining a third force value on the touch-sensitive display utilizing a third sensor of the electronic device and a fourth force value on the touch-sensitive display utilizing a fourth sensor of the electronic device, wherein the third force value and the fourth force value are determined at the time when the first touch and the second touch are both detected.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the first applied force value and the second applied force value comprises determining utilizing the force balance technique further utilizing the third force value, and the fourth force value, and utilizing the torque balance technique further utilizing the third force value, and the fourth force value.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining an orientation of the electronic device, wherein determining the first force value and the second force value comprises compensating for the orientation of the electronic device based on gravity and a mass of the touch-sensitive display.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining whether a greater applied force value is associated with the first location or the second location.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining an input based on the first applied force value and the second applied force value.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising performing an associated function when the greater of the first applied force value and the second applied force value meets a threshold force value.

8. A computer-readable storage device having computer-readable code executable by at least one processor of the portable electronic device to perform the method of claim 1.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

a first force sensor and a second force sensor;

a processor coupled to the first force sensor, the second force sensor, and the touch-sensitive display to;

detect a first touch and a second touch;

determine a first force value on the touch-sensitive display utilizing the first force sensor and a second force value on the touch-sensitive display utilizing the second force sensor, the first force value and the second force value being determined at a time when the first touch and the second touch are both detected;

determine a first applied force value for the first touch and a second applied force value for the second touch based on by utilizing a force balance technique utilizing the first force value and the second force value and based on by utilizing a torque balance technique utilizing the first force value, the second force value, and distances, along respective coordinate axes, of each of the first touch and the second touch from the first sensor and the second sensor.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, comprising a third force sensor and a fourth force sensor, each coupled to the processor to determine a third force value on the touch-sensitive display utilizing the third force sensor of the electronic device and a fourth force value on the touch-sensitive display utilizing the fourth force sensor of the electronic device at the time when the first touch and the second touch are both detected.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the processor determines the first applied force value and the second applied force value further utilizing the force balance technique further utilizing the third force value, and the fourth force value, and utilizing the torque balance technique further utilizing the third force value and the fourth force value.

12. The electronic device according to claim 9, comprising an accelerometer arranged and constructed to determine an orientation of the electronic device, wherein the processor adjusts the first force value and the second force value to compensate for the force of gravity and a mass of the touch-sensitive display, based on the orientation of the electronic device.

13. The electronic device according to claim 9, comprising a third force sensor and a fourth force sensor, each coupled to the processor to determine a third force value on the touch-sensitive display utilizing the third force sensor a fourth force value on the touch-sensitive display utilizing the fourth force sensor, wherein each of the first force sensor, the second force sensor, the third force sensor, and the fourth force sensor is positioned near a respective corner of the touch-sensitive display.

14. The electronic device according to claim 9, comprising a plurality of piezo actuators arranged and constructed to apply a force to the touch-sensitive display in response to determining that at least one of the first applied force value and the second applied force value exceeds a threshold force.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein each force sensor is aligned with a respective one of the piezo actuators.