Touch screen device with wet detection and control method thereof

• US 8,963,875 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugiura, Chikashi, Kawamura, Akinori, Sudo, Takashi, Fujimura, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): McLoone, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US13/330,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20120249470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 345/174, 345/173, 178/18.05, 178/18.06, 178/18.07, 178/19.01
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a touch panel, an operation module, a detector, and a switch module. The touch panel and the operation module are configured to receive an operation command. The detector detects whether the touch panel is wet based on a touch position detected by the touch panel. The switch module switches, if the touch panel is wet, the receiver of the operation command from the touch panel to the operation module.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a touch panel configured to receive an operation command for performing a first process;

an operation interface configured to receive an operation command for performing the first process;

a detector configured to detect whether the touch panel is wet based on a touch position detected by the touch panel;

a processor configured to switch, if the touch panel is wet, a receiver of an operation command from the touch panel to the operation interface so that the operation interface can receive an operation command instead of the touch panel, and configured to notify, if the receiver of the operation command is switched from the touch panel to the operation interface, a user that the touch panel is unusable to input an operation command and the receiver of the operation command is switched from the touch panel to the operation interface,

wherein the operation interface is configured to receive the operation command by a switch button disposed on a surface of a housing of the electronic device, and the notifying the user comprises displaying on the touch panel that the receiver is switched to the switch button because the touch panel is wet.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operation interface is configured to further receive the operation command by at least one of key operation, audio input, and a tilt of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the touch panel is configured to detect a plurality of touch positions, and

the detector is configured to determine that the touch panel is wet if a number of the touch positions detected by the touch panel exceeds a first value.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the touch panel is configured to detect a plurality of touch positions, and

the detector is configured to determine that the touch panel is wet if an area corresponding to the touch positions detected by the touch panel is larger than a first size.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the touch panel is configured to detect a plurality of touch positions, and

the detector is configured to determine that the touch panel is wet if an area corresponding to the touch positions detected by the touch panel moves.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the touch panel is configured to detect a plurality of touch positions, and

the detector is configured to determine that the touch panel is wet if each of the touch positions detected by the touch panel moves.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the touch panel is configured to detect a plurality of touch positions, and

the detector is configured to determine that the touch panel is wet if a number of the touch positions detected by the touch panel changes.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operation interface is configured to receive the operation command by a tilt of the electronic device detected by an acceleration sensor.

9. A control method applied to an electronic device comprising a touch panel and an operation interface configured to receive an operation command for performing a first process, the control method comprising:

detecting whether the touch panel is wet based on a touch position detected by the touch panel;

switching, by a processor, if the touch panel is wet, a receiver of an operation command from the touch panel to the operation interface so that the operation interface can receive an operation command instead of the touch panel, and notifying, if the receiver of the operation command is switched form the touch panel to the operation interface, a user that the touch panel is unusable to input an operation command and the receiver of the operation command is switched from the touch panel to the operation interface,

wherein the operation interface is configured to receive the operation command by a switch button disposed on a surface of a housing of the electronic device, and the notifying in the user comprises displaying on the touch panel that the receiver is switched to the switch button because the touch panel is wet.

10. The control method of claim 9, wherein the operation interface is configured to further receive the operation command by at least one of key operation, audio input, and a tilt of the electronic device.

11. The control method of claim 9, further comprising

detecting, by the touch panel, a plurality of touch positions, wherein

the detecting comprises determining that the touch panel is wet if a number of the touch positions detected by the touch panel exceeds a predetermined value.

12. The control method of claim 9, further comprising

detecting, by the touch panel, a plurality of touch positions, wherein

the detecting comprises determining that the touch panel is wet if an area corresponding to the touch positions detected by the touch panel is larger than a predetermined size.

13. The control method of claim 9, further comprising

detecting, by the touch panel, a plurality of touch positions, wherein the detecting comprises determining that the touch panel is wet if an area corresponding to the touch positions detected by the touch panel moves.

14. The control method of claim 9, further comprising

detecting, by the touch panel, a plurality of touch positions, wherein

the detecting comprises determining that the touch panel is wet if each of the touch positions detected by the touch panel moves.

15. The control method of claim 9, further comprising

detecting, by the touch panel, a plurality of touch positions, wherein

the detecting comprises determining that the touch panel is wet if a number of the touch positions detected by the touch panel changes.