SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR DETECTING DEBRIS ON A TOUCHSCREEN SYSTEM DISPLAY SCREEN

• US 20130055080A1
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin International, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin International, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Dixon, David M., Komer, Joseph L., Mabie, Ted D., Vondrasek, Clayton C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,959,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/709
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

Touchscreen electronics for detecting debris on a display screen of a touchscreen system and alerting a user to the presence of the debris broadly comprises a plurality of transmitters, a plurality of receivers, and a controller. Each transmitter may transmit at least one beam across the display screen. The receivers may detect the beams from the transmitters, and each receiver may generate a receive signal. The controller communicates with the transmitters and the receivers and may be configured to analyze the receive signals to determine if debris may be present on the display screen. If so, then the controller may generate an alert signal to indicate that the display screen needs to be cleaned or examined.

Claims

1. Touchscreen electronics for detecting debris on a display screen of a touchscreen system and alerting a user to the presence of the debris, the touchscreen electronics comprising:

a plurality of transmitters for transmitting beams across the display screen;

a plurality of receivers for detecting the beams from the transmitters and generating receive signals; and

a controller in communication with the transmitters and the receivers and configured to;

analyze a status of the receive signals to detect a possible presence of debris on the display screen, and

if the receive signals suggest the presence of debris on the display screen;

determine a location on the display screen corresponding to the detected debris, and

generate an alert signal.

2. The touchscreen electronics of claim 1, wherein the generated alert signal indicates the determined location of the detected debris and the controller is configured to control the display screen to visually instruct a user to clean the location of the display screen corresponding to the detected debris.

3. The touchscreen electronics of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to analyze the status of the receive signals by checking each receive signal for a stuck broken beam.

4. The touchscreen electronics of claim 3, wherein a beam is a stuck broken beam if the beam is not detected by a receiver for a first time period.

5. The touchscreen electronics of claim 4, wherein the first time period is at least five seconds.

6. The touchscreen electronics of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to generate an alert signal if a first number of stuck broken beams along a first axis of the display screen exceeds a first value and a second number of stuck broken beams along an opposing side of the first axis exceeds a second value.

7. The touchscreen electronics of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to generate an alert signal if a first number of stuck broken beams along a first axis of the display screen exceeds a first value, a second number of stuck broken beams along an opposing side of the first axis exceeds a second value, and a third number of stuck broken beams along a second axis of the display screen exceeds a third value.

8. A method for detecting debris on a display screen of a touchscreen system and alerting a user to the presence of the debris, the method comprising the steps of:

a) transmitting a plurality of beams from a plurality of transmitters to a plurality of receivers;

b) detecting the beams from the transmitters and generating receive signals;

c) analyzing a status of the receive signals to detect a possible presence of debris on the display screen;

d) determining a location on the display screen corresponding to the detected debris, if the receive signals suggest the presence of debris on the display screen; and

e) generating an alert signal indicating the determined location of the detected debris, if the receive signals suggest the presence of debris on the display screen.

9. The method of claim 8, further including the step of controlling the display screen to visually instruct a user to clean the location of the display screen corresponding to the detected debris, if the receive signals suggest the presence of debris on the display screen.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing the status of the receive signals includes checking each receive signal for a stuck broken beam.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a beam is a stuck broken beam if the beam is not detected by a receiver for a first time period.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first time period is at least five seconds.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein step e) is performed if a first number of stuck broken beams along a first axis of the display screen exceeds a first value and a second number of stuck broken beams along an opposing side of the first axis exceeds a second value.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein step e) is performed if a first number of stuck broken beams along a first axis of the display screen exceeds a first value, a second number of stuck broken beams along an opposing side of the first axis exceeds a second value, and a third number of stuck broken beams along a second axis of the display screen exceeds a third value.

15. A method for detecting debris on a display screen of a touchscreen system and alerting a user to the presence of the debris, the method comprising the steps of:

a) transmitting a plurality of beams from a plurality of transmitters to a plurality of receivers;

b) detecting the beams from the transmitters and generating receive signals;

c) analyzing a status of the receive signals to detect a plurality of stuck broken beams;

d) determining a location on the display screen corresponding to a position of the stuck broken beams; and

e) generating an alert signal indicating the location determined on the display screen.

16. The method of claim 15, further including the step of controlling the display screen to visually instruct a user to clean the location determined on the display screen.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein a beam is a stuck broken beam if the beam is not detected by a receiver for a first time period.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first time period is at least five seconds.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the stuck broken beams include a first number of stuck broken beams along a first axis of the display screen exceeding a first value and a second number of stuck broken beams along an opposing side of the first axis exceeding a second value.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the stuck broken beams include a first number of stuck broken beams along a first axis of the display screen exceeding a first value, a second number of stuck broken beams along an opposing side of the first axis exceeding a second value, and a third number of stuck broken beams along a second axis of the display screen exceeding a third value.