Touch-sensing device and sensing method for electrical apparatus

• US 20080223705A1
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Inventors: Shen, Wei, Ho, David, Chang, Ching-Sung
• Application Number:
  US11/812,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20080223705A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/5A
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface

Abstract

The invention discloses a touch-sensing device for an electrical apparatus. The touch-sensing device, according to the invention, includes a sensing panel, a detector, and a controller. The sensing panel includes an inner sensing region and an outer sensing region. The inner sensing region, disposed on the sensing panel, is substantially divided into a plurality of equivalent inner sensing sub-regions. The outer sensing region, disposed on the sensing panel, is at the outer edge of the inner sensing region. The outer sensing region is substantially divided into a plurality of equivalent outer sensing sub-regions. The detector is electrically connected to the inner sensing region and the outer sensing region. When an object contacts a region of the inner sensing sub-regions or the outer sensing sub-regions, the detector generates a corresponding detected signal. The controller is used to receive the detected signal.

Claims

1. A touch-sensing device for an electrical apparatus, comprising:

a sensing panel, comprising;

an inner sensing region, disposed on the sensing panel, the inner sensing region being substantially divided into a plurality of equivalent inner sensing sub-regions; and

an outer sensing region, disposed on the sensing panel and at the outer edge of the inner sensing region, the outer sensing region being substantially divided into a plurality of equivalent outer sensing sub-regions;

a detector, electrically connected to the inner sensing region and the outer sensing region, when an object contacts a region of the inner sensing sub-regions or the outer sensing sub-regions, the detector generating a corresponding detected signal; and

a controller, for receiving the detected signal.

2. The touch-sensing device of claim 1, wherein any two adjacent inner sensing sub-regions are separated by an inner sideline, and any two adjacent outer sensing sub-regions are separated by an outer sideline.

3. The touch-sensing device of claim 2, wherein when the object contacts a first inner sideline and then moves toward a first direction within the inner sensing region to contact a second inner sideline, the detector generates a first forward signal;

when the object contacts the first inner sideline and then moves toward a second direction within the inner sensing region to contact the second inner sideline, the detector generates a first backward signal, wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

4. The touch-sensing device of claim 2, wherein when the object contacts a first outer sideline and then moves toward a first direction within the outer sensing region to contact a second outer sideline, the detector generates a second forward signal;

when the object contacts the first outer sideline and then moves toward a second direction within the outer sensing region to contact the second outer sideline, the detector generates a second backward signal, wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

5. The touch-sensing device of claim 1, wherein when the object contacts the inner sensing region and the outer sensing region simultaneously, the detector generates a first detected signal corresponding to the inner sensing region and a second detected signal corresponding to the outer sensing region, the controller selectively receives the first detected signal or the second detected signal according to the strength of the first detected signal and the second detected signal.

6. The touch-sensing device of claim 1, wherein the sensing panel comprises a plurality of capacitive sensors for sensing whether the object contacts the sensing panel.

7. The touch-sensing device of claim 1, wherein the shape of the sensing panel is a circle or a regular polygon.

8. A sensing method for an electrical apparatus, the electrical apparatus comprising a sensing panel, the sensing panel comprising an inner sensing region and an outer sensing region, the inner sensing region being disposed on the sensing panel and substantially divided into a plurality of equivalent inner sensing sub-regions, the outer sensing region being disposed on the sensing panel and at the outer edge of the inner sensing region, the outer sensing region being substantially divided into a plurality of equivalent outer sensing sub-regions, the method comprising the steps of

generating a corresponding detected signal when an object contacts a region of the inner sensing sub-regions or the outer sensing sub-regions;

and

receiving the detected signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein any two adjacent inner sensing sub-regions are separated by an inner sideline, and any two adjacent outer sensing sub-regions are separated by an outer sideline.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of

generating a first forward signal when the object contacts a first inner sideline and then moves toward a first direction within the inner sensing region to contact a second inner sideline;

and

generating a first backward signal when the object contacts the first inner sideline and then moves toward a second direction within the inner sensing region to contact the second inner sideline, wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

generating a second forward signal when the object contacts a first outer sideline and then moves toward a first direction within the outer sensing region to contact a second outer sideline; and

generating a second backward signal when the object contacts the first outer sideline and then moves toward a second direction within the outer sensing region to contact the second outer sideline, wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of

generating a first detected signal corresponding to the inner sensing region and a second detected signal corresponding to the outer sensing region when the object contacts the inner sensing region and the outer sensing region simultaneously;

and

selectively receiving the first detected signal or the second detected signal according to the strength of the first detected signal and the second detected signal.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the sensing panel comprises a plurality of capacitive sensors for sensing whether the object contacts the sensing panel.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the shape of the sensing panel is a circle or a regular polygon.