Portable electronic device and method for avoiding erroneous touch on touch panel thereof

• US 8,669,962 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2009
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Kuan, Tsung-Pao
• Primary Examiner(s): OLSON, JASON C
• Application Number:
  US12/626,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20100214258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A method for avoiding an erroneous touch on a touch panel in a portable electronic device includes the steps of: determining whether a triggering event is received; enabling a sensor when the triggering event is received; detecting a distance between the portable electronic device and an object by the sensor; and determining a predetermined touch pressure threshold of the touch panel according to the detected distance.

Claims

1. A method for avoiding an erroneous touch on a touch panel in a portable electronic device, the touch panel having a predetermined touch pressure threshold, the method comprising:

determining whether a triggering event is received;

when the triggering event is received, enabling a sensor, wherein the triggering event comprises a phone call;

detecting a distance between the portable electronic device and an object by the sensor; and

determining the predetermined touch pressure threshold of the touch panel according to the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the predetermined touch pressure threshold of the touch panel according to the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object comprises:

determining whether the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object is smaller than a predetermined distance;

when the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object is not smaller than the predetermined distance, adjusting the predetermined touch pressure threshold to a first threshold; and

when the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object is smaller than the predetermined distance, adjusting the predetermined touch pressure threshold to a second threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

measuring a touch pressure value corresponding to a touch on the touch panel, and determining whether the touch pressure value is greater than the predetermined touch pressure threshold to generate a determination result; and

determining whether to perform a touch function corresponding to the touch according to the determination result.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining whether to perform the touch function corresponding to the touch according to the determination result comprises:

when the determination result indicates that the touch pressure value is greater than the predetermined touch pressure threshold, performing the touch function corresponding to the touch; and

when the determination result indicates that the touch pressure value is not greater than the predetermined touch pressure threshold, skipping the step of performing the touch function corresponding to the touch.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the touch panel is a resistive touch panel, and the step of measuring the touch pressure value corresponding to the touch on the touch panel comprises:

measuring a contact resistance caused by the touch and formed between a first resistive plate and a second resistive plate of the resistive touch panel; and

transforming the contact resistance into the touch pressure value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the predetermined touch pressure threshold of the touch panel according to the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object comprises:

determining whether the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object is smaller than a predetermined distance;

when the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object is not smaller than the predetermined distance, enabling the portable electronic device to operate in a first mode and skipping the step of adjusting the predetermined touch pressure threshold; and

when the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object is smaller than the predetermined distance, enabling the portable electronic device to operate in a second mode and adjusting the predetermined touch pressure threshold to a second threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

when the portable electronic device operates in the second mode, measuring a touch pressure value corresponding to a touch on the touch panel and determining whether the touch pressure value is greater than the second threshold to generate a determination result; and

determining whether to perform a touch function corresponding to the touch according to the determination result.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining whether to perform the touch function corresponding to the touch according to the determination result comprises:

when the determination result indicates that the touch pressure value is greater than the second threshold, performing the touch function corresponding to the touch; and

when the determination result indicates that the touch pressure value is not greater than the second threshold, skipping the step of performing the touch function corresponding to the touch.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the touch panel is a resistive touch panel, and the step of measuring the touch pressure value corresponding to the touch on the touch panel comprises:

measuring a contact resistance caused by the touch and formed between a first resistive plate and a second resistive plate of the resistive touch panel; and

transforming the contact resistance into the touch pressure value.

10. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a touch panel, having a predetermined touch pressure threshold;

a sensor, configured to detect a distance between the portable electronic device and an object;

a triggering event determining module, configured to determine whether a triggering event is received and enable the sensor when the triggering event is received, wherein the triggering event comprises a phone call; and

a touch pressure threshold setting module, configured to determine the predetermined touch pressure threshold of the touch panel according to the distance detected by the sensor.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the sensor is further configured to determine whether the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object is smaller than a predetermined distance; and

the touch pressure threshold setting module is further configured to perform steps of;

adjusting the predetermined touch pressure threshold to a first threshold when the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object is not smaller than the predetermined distance; and

adjusting the predetermined touch pressure threshold to a second threshold when the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object is smaller than the predetermined distance.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 11, further comprising:

a touch pressure measuring module, configured to measure a touch pressure value corresponding to a touch on the touch panel;

a touch pressure determining module, configured to determine whether the touch pressure value is greater than the predetermined touch pressure threshold to generate a determination result; and

a control module, for determining whether to perform a touch function corresponding to the touch according to the determination result.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 12, wherein the control module is configured to perform the steps of:

performing the touch function corresponding to the touch when the determination result indicates that the touch pressure value is greater than the predetermined touch pressure threshold; and

skipping the step of performing the touch function corresponding to the touch when the determination result indicates that the touch pressure value is not greater than the predetermined touch pressure threshold.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 12, wherein the touch panel further comprises:

a display; and

a first resistive plate and a second resistive plate, disposed on the display, wherein the touch pressure measuring module measures a contact resistance caused by the touch and formed between the first resistive plate and the second resistive plate and transforms the contact resistance into the touch pressure value.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the sensor is further configured to determine whether the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object is smaller than a predetermined distance; and

the touch pressure threshold setting module is further configured to perform the steps of;

enabling the portable electronic device to operate in a first mode and skipping the step of adjusting the predetermined touch pressure threshold when the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object is not smaller than the predetermined distance; and

enabling the portable electronic device to operate in a second mode and adjusting the predetermined touch pressure threshold to a second threshold when the detected distance between the portable electronic device and the object is smaller than the predetermined distance.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 15, further comprising:

a touch pressure measuring module, configured to measure a touch pressure value corresponding to a touch on the touch panel when the portable electronic device operates in the second mode;

a touch pressure determining module, configured to determine whether the touch pressure value is greater than the second threshold to generate a determination result; and

a control module, configured to determine whether to perform a touch function corresponding to the touch according to the determination result.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the control module is further configured to perform the steps of:

performing the touch function corresponding to the touch when the determination result indicates that the touch pressure value is greater than the second threshold; and

skipping the step of performing the touch function corresponding to the touch when the determination result indicates that the touch pressure value is not greater than the second threshold.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the touch panel further comprises:

a display; and

a first resistive plate and a second resistive plate, disposed on the display, wherein the touch pressure measuring module measures a contact resistance caused by the touch and formed between the first resistive plate and the second resistive plate and transforms the contact resistance into the touch pressure value.