User Interface Responsiveness in an Electronic Device Having a Touch Screen Display

• US 20130162584A1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Optis Circuit Technology, LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Inventors: Persson, Lars
• Granted Patent: US 9,552,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/141 Activation of instrument input devices by approaching fingers or pens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1464 3D-gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/141 Activation by approaching fingers or pens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1464 3D-gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• 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 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- 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 without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/022 in absence of operation, e.g. no data being entered during a predetermined time
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/363 Graphics controllers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An electronic device with a touch screen display that includes capacitive sensing to determine the point of contact between the display and an input device. The device also includes a graphics circuit for rendering images on the touch screen display. The graphics circuit may be inactivated when not in use. The inactive mode provides a variety of advantages, such as a lower power drain on the power source. The device is further configured to sense the approach of an input device in proximity to the display. The device is configured to start activating the graphics circuit upon sensing the approach of the input device prior to contact with the display. The timing of the activation improves responsiveness of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic device that includes a capacitive touch screen display, comprising:

placing a graphics circuit that renders images to the touch screen display in an inactive mode;

while in the inactive mode, sensing a user input device in a capacitive field of the touch screen prior to the input device contacting the touch screen; and

in response to sensing the user input device within the capacitive field, activating the graphics circuit and rendering an image on the touch screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein rendering the image on the touch screen display comprises rendering the image on the touch screen display prior to sensing that the user input device has contacted the touch screen.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing the user input device contacting the touch screen and in response rendering a second image on the touch screen display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch screen display is blank in the inactive mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the user input device is within the capacitive field of the touch screen display occurs when the user input device is within 0.02 meters of the touch screen display.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising estimating a position that the user input device will contact the touch screen prior to the user input device contacting the touch screen and rendering an image on the touch screen display responsive to the estimated position.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing the graphics circuit in the inactive mode immediately after rendering the image on the touch screen display.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising after rendering the image on the touch screen, placing the graphics circuit in the inactive mode a predetermined period of time after a user event.

9. A method of operating an electronic device with a capacitive touch screen, comprising:

placing a graphics circuit in an inactive mode;

while in the inactive mode, sensing a disturbance in a capacitive field of the touch screen display prior to sensing a contact with the touch screen display;

in response to sensing the disturbance, activating the graphics circuit; and

rendering an image on the touch screen display.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein sensing the disturbance within the capacitive field includes sensing an approaching user input device that is spaced away from the touch screen display.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising performing at least one initiation sequence in response to sensing the disturbance within the capacitive field.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising sensing contact with the touch screen display and, in response, rendering a second image on the touch screen display.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying a blank screen on the touch screen display while the graphics circuit is in the inactive mode.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining an expected point of contact with the touch screen display prior to sensing contact with the touch screen display and rendering a different image on the touch screen display.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising rendering the different image on the touch screen display prior to sensing the contact with the touch screen display.

16. An electronic device comprising:

a touch screen display having an outwardly-extending capacitive field;

a sensor that detects a disturbance in the capacitive field caused by a user input device that is distanced away from the touch screen display;

a graphics circuit configured to render images on the touch screen display;

a battery that powers at least the graphics circuit;

a control circuit that maintains the graphics circuit in an inactive mode prior to the sensor detecting the disturbance in the capacitive field, the control circuit configured to activate the graphics circuit to render an image on the touch screen display in response to the sensor detecting the disturbance in the capacitive field and prior to detecting contact with the touch screen.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the control circuit maintains the touch screen display blank when the graphics circuit is in the inactive mode.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the electronic device is a mobile terminal.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, further comprising at least one component controlled by the control circuit, the at least one component configured to send signals to the control circuit that are rendered by the graphics circuit and imaged on the touch screen display.

20. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the control circuit inactivates the graphics circuit immediately after the images are rendered on the touch screen display.