Electronic device with touch-sensitive display and three-dimensional gesture-detection

• US 9,323,380 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2013
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Gu, Huanhuan, Warden, James Paul, Sheynman, Arnold
• Primary Examiner(s): Sternbane, Larry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ritchie, Darlene M
• Application Number:
  US13/743,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20140198058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-174, 178/18.06
• 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 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• 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 3/04166 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 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method includes utilizing transmitters and receivers, performing detection of objects spaced from an electronic device, when an object that is spaced from the electronic device is detected, continuing performing detection of objects, when no object is detected, discontinuing performing detection of objects, and utilizing touch sensors of the touch-sensitive display, performing touch detection.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

utilizing touch sensors extending across a display area of a touch-sensitive display that includes the display area in which information is displayable and a non-display area in which information is not displayable, performing touch detection to detect touches on the display area;

when a touch is detected utilizing the touch sensors, continuing performing touch detection utilizing the touch sensors;

when no touch is detected utilizing the touch sensors;

performing three-dimensional gesture detection to detect gestures spaced from the electronic device utilizing transmitters and receivers disposed in the non-display area of the touch-sensitive display, wherein the transmitters and receivers are separate from the touch sensors and the transmitters extend near opposing sides of the display area and the receivers extend near opposing sides of the display area such that a first one of the transmitters extends near and along a length of a first side of the display area, a second one of the transmitters extends near and along a length of a second side of the display area, a first one of the receivers extends near and along a length of a third side of the display area and a second one of the receivers extends near and along a length of a fourth side of the display area, wherein the transmitters emit signals in a range of from 30 KHz to 300 KHz when performing three-dimensional gesture detection;

discontinuing performing three-dimensional gesture detection in response to detecting a touch utilizing the touch sensors such that the transmitters and receivers are not utilized during touch detection utilizing the touch sensors.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein three-dimensional gesture detection is performed when no touch is detected for a threshold time period.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising discontinuing performing three-dimensional object detection when no three-dimensional gesture is detected.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising discontinuing performing three-dimensional object detection after a three-dimensional gesture is detected.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing three-dimensional gesture detection comprises detecting movement of objects that are spaced from the electronic device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein an object is detected when the object moves relative to the transmitters and the receivers.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing three-dimensional gesture detection comprises:

emitting the signals from the transmitters and measuring induced charge on the receivers;

utilizing changes in the induced charge to detect the three-dimensional gesture.

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

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first one of the transmitters extends substantially an entire length of the first side, the second one of the transmitters extends substantially an entire length of the second side, the first one of the receivers extends substantially an entire length of the third side, and the second one of the receivers extends substantially an entire length of the fourth side.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first one of the transmitters, the second one of the transmitters, the first one of the receivers, and the second one of the receivers are each generally triangularly shaped.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display comprising a display area in which information is displayable and a non-display area in which information is not displayable, the touch-sensitive display including touch sensors disposed in the display area to perform touch detection to detect touches on the display area and to continue performing touch detection in response to detecting a touch;

transmitters and receivers arranged and constructed to perform three-dimensional gesture detection of objects spaced from the electronic device when no touch is detected utilizing the touch sensors and to discontinue performing three-dimensional gesture detection in response to detecting a touch utilizing the touch sensors such that the transmitters and receivers are not utilized during touch detection utilizing the touch sensors;

wherein the transmitters and receivers are disposed in the non-display area and are separate from the touch sensors and, wherein the transmitters extend near opposing sides of the display area and the receivers extend near opposing sides of the display area such that a first one of the transmitters extends near and along a length of a first side of the display area, a second one of the transmitters extends near and along a length of a second side of the display area, a first one of the receivers extends near and along a length of a third side of the display area and a second one of the receivers extends near and along a length of a fourth side of the display area, wherein the transmitters emit signals in a range of from 30 KHz to 300 KHz when performing three-dimensional gesture detection.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein an object is detected when the object moves relative to the transmitters and the receivers.

13. The electronic device according to claim 11, comprising a processor coupled to the transmitters and receivers to detect movement of the objects spaced from the display based on changes in induced charge on the receivers.

14. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the transmitters and receivers are controlled by a controller to continue to perform three-dimensional gesture detection until a touch is detected.

15. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the transmitters and receivers are controlled by a controller such that three-dimensional gesture detection is not performed again until no touch is detected on the touch-sensitive display.

16. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the transmitters and receivers are controlled by a controller such that three-dimensional gesture detection is not performed until no touch is detected on the touch-sensitive display for a threshold time period.

17. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein three-dimensional gesture detection is performed by:

emitting signals from the transmitters and measuring induced charge on the receivers;

utilizing changes in the induced charge to detect the three-dimensional gesture.

18. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the first one of the transmitters extends substantially an entire length of the first side, the second one of the transmitters extends substantially an entire length of the second side, the first one of the receivers extends substantially an entire length of the third side, and the second one of the receivers extends substantially an entire length of the fourth side.

19. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the first one of the transmitters, the second one of the transmitters, the first one of the receivers, and the second one of the receivers are each generally triangularly shaped.