Electronic device and coordinate detecting method

• US 9,141,245 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2014
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takano, Tomoki, Yamaguchi, Takeshi, Takizawa, Yuuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, VINH TANG
• Application Number:
  US14/174,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20150042603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 345/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic device including: a display section that displays information; an electrostatic-capacitance touch panel layer that allows visible light corresponding to display contents of the display section to pass through the touch panel layer and that determines a two-dimensional coordinate indicated by an indicator having conductivity; glass that protects the touch panel layer and that allows visible light corresponding to display contents of the display section to pass through the glass; a depression sensor that detects deformation of the glass; and a control section that validates a two-dimensional coordinate when a plurality of two-dimensional coordinates are determined by the touch panel layer and when deformation is detected by the depression sensor, the two-dimensional coordinate being determined last among the plurality of two-dimensional coordinates.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a display section that is disposed inside the housing and that is capable to show contents;

an electrostatic-capacitance touch panel section that allows visible light corresponding to display contents of the display section to pass through the touch panel section and that is capable to determine a two-dimensional coordinate indicated by an indicator having predetermined conductivity;

a transparent member that protects the touch panel section and that allows visible light corresponding to the contents of the display section to pass through the transparent member; and

a depression detecting section that detects deformation of the transparent member, wherein;

if a plurality of two-dimensional coordinates are determined in order by the touch panel section and, after determining the two-dimensional coordinates, a predetermined amount of deformation is detected by the depression detecting section,

then a latest two-dimensional coordinate on the basis of a time point when the predetermined amount of deformation has been detected is validated among the plurality of two-dimensional coordinates; and

one or more two-dimensional coordinates other than the validated two-dimensional coordinate are not validated among the plurality of two-dimensional coordinates.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the validation of the two-dimensional coordinate is maintained until an indicator which indicates the validated two-dimensional coordinate moves away from the touch panel section at a predetermined distance.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, when a vertical distance between the indicator and the touch panel section is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the two-dimensional coordinate indicated by the indicator is determined.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined value is zero.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the depression detecting section is disposed between the display section and part of the housing.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the transparent member and the touch panel section are integrated into one piece.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the depression detecting section is overlapped with the display section.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the depression detecting section and the touch panel section are integrated into one piece.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein:

the validation of the two-dimensional coordinate is maintained until the indicator which indicates the validated two-dimensional coordinate moves away from the touch panel section at a predetermined distance, and

a two-dimensional coordinate determined after the validation is not validated.

11. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined value is more than zero.

9. A coordinate detecting method for an electronic device that includes:

a housing;

a display section that is disposed inside the housing and that is capable to show contents;

an electrostatic-capacitance touch panel section that allows visible light corresponding to the contents of the display section to pass through the touch panel section and that is capable to determine a two-dimensional coordinate indicated by an indicator having predetermined conductivity;

a transparent member that protects the touch panel section and that allows visible light corresponding to the contents of the display section to pass through the transparent member; and

a depression detecting section that detects deformation of the transparent member, the method comprising;

when a plurality of two-dimensional coordinates are determined in order by the touch panel section and, after determining the two-dimensional coordinates, a predetermined amount of deformation is detected by the depression detecting section,

then validating a latest two-dimensional coordinate on the basis of a time point when the predetermined amount of deformation has been detected, among the plurality of two-dimensional coordinates; and

not validating one or more two-dimensional coordinates other than the validated two-dimensional coordinate, among the plurality of two-dimensional coordinates.