Electronic device including touch-sensitive display

• US 9,229,567 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Parekh, Premal, Singh, Amit Pal
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abebe, Sosina
• Application Number:
  US13/360,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20130194195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-183, 178 1801- 2004
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/00 Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0287 having an universal lay-out, e.g. pad or land grid patterns or mesh patterns
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0289 having a matrix lay-out, i.e. having selectively interconnectable sets of X-conductors and Y-conductors in different planes

Abstract

A method includes detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display, determining a time of a display update of the touch-sensitive display, and adjusting a scanning rate of scanning electrodes of the touch-sensitive display based on the time of the display update.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display during scanning of scanning electrodes of the touch-sensitive display at a first scanning rate;

in response to detecting the touch;

determining a time of a next display update after detecting the touch on the touch-sensitive display and determining a report time, prior to the next display update, by which to report touch data from a scan of the touch-sensitive display in which each drive electrode is driven while sensing utilizing each sense electrode such that the touch data is utilized when updating the display in the next display update;

determining a time remaining between detecting the touch and the report time;

adjusting a length of time of the scan of the touch-sensitive display based on the time remaining between detecting the touch and the report time by scanning at a second scanning rate such that the scan is completed and the touch is reported at the report time before the time of the next display update of the touch-sensitive display;

wherein the second scanning rate is different than the first scanning rate.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining a time of a next display update comprises determining a time based on a Vertical Synchronization signal from the touch-sensitive display.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting comprises reducing a number of pulses applied to the scanning electrodes during touch sensing.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting comprises reducing a number of groups of pulses utilized to drive each scanning electrode during touch sensing.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining a length of time between display updates and adjusting the scanning rate of subsequent scans after the touch is detected, based on the length of time.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising reporting touch data and a confidence bit to a processor.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining whether or not to utilize the touch data based on the confidence bit.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable code executable by at least one processor of a portable electronic device to:

detect a touch on a touch-sensitive display during scanning of scanning electrodes of the touch-sensitive display at a first scanning rate;

in response to detecting the touch;

determine a time of a next display update after detecting the touch on the touch-sensitive display and determine a report time, prior to the next display update, by which to report touch data from a scan of the touch-sensitive display in which each drive electrode is driven while sensing utilizing each sense electrode such that the touch data is utilized when updating the display in the next display update;

determine a time remaining between detecting the touch and the report time;

adjust a length of time of the scan of the touch-sensitive display based on the time remaining between detecting the touch and the report time by scanning at a second scanning rate such that the scan is completed and the touch is reported at the report time before the time of the next display update of the touch-sensitive display;

wherein the second scanning rate is different than the first scanning rate.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

at least one controller coupled to the touch-sensitive display and configured to;

detect a touch on the touch-sensitive display during scanning of scanning electrodes of the touch-sensitive display at a first scanning rate,

in response to detecting the touch;

determine a time of a next display update after detecting the touch on the touch-sensitive display, and determine a report time, prior to the next display update, by which to report touch data from a scan of the touch-sensitive display in which each drive electrode is driven while sensing utilizing each sense electrode such that the touch data is utilized when updating the display in the next display update;

determine a time remaining between detecting the touch and the report time;

adjust a length of time of the scan of the touch-sensitive display based on the time remaining by scanning at a second scanning rate such that the scan is completed and the touch is reported at the report time before the time of the next display update of the touch-sensitive display;

wherein the second scanning rate is different than the first scanning rate.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one controller comprises a touch controller and a display controller coupled to the touch controller to send a Vertical Synchronization signal from the display controller to the touch controller.

11. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the length of time of subsequent scans is also adjusted by reducing a scanning time.

12. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the length of time of the scan is adjusted by reducing a number of pulses applied to scanning electrodes during touch sensing.

13. The electronic device according to claim 9, comprising a processor coupled to the at least one controller and configured to receive touch data and a confidence bit from the at least one controller and to determine whether or not to utilize the touch data based on a confidence bit.