SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOW POWER INPUT OBJECT DETECTION AND INTERACTION

• US 20140092031A1
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Published: 04/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: SCHWARTZ, Adam, JORDAN, Joel, REYNOLDS, Joseph Kurth, SHEPELEV, Petr, SMALL, Jeffrey, STARCHENKO, Stepan
• Granted Patent: US 9,785,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3262 Power saving in digitizer or tablet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

In a method of operating a touch screen, an object interaction is detected with the touch screen while in a first doze mode. It is determined if a detected object interaction with the touch screen is a valid input object interaction with the touch screen. In response to determining the object interaction is a valid input object interaction, the touch screen is transitioned from the first doze mode to a gesture recognition mode. The touch screen is transitioned from the gesture recognition mode to an active mode in response to a determination of a valid gesture interaction with the touch screen by the input object.

Claims

1. A method of operating a touch screen, said method comprising:

detecting an object interaction with said touch screen while in a first doze mode;

determining if a detected object interaction with said touch screen is a valid input object interaction with said touch screen; and

in response to determining said object interaction is a valid input object interaction;

transitioning from said first doze mode to a gesture recognition mode; and

transitioning from said gesture recognition mode to an active mode in response to a determination of a valid gesture interaction by said object with said touch screen.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring a baseline measurement following said determination of said valid gesture interaction.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

transitioning from said gesture recognition mode back to said first doze mode in response to lack of a valid gesture interaction occurring with said touch screen within a predefined time period.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining said object interaction is an invalid input object interaction;

transitioning to a second doze mode and detecting an object interaction with said touch screen while in said second doze mode, wherein a time interval for said detecting in said second doze mode is relaxed in comparison to said detecting in said first doze mode.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

adjusting a baseline measurement in response to persistence of said invalid input object interaction.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

transitioning from said second doze mode to said first doze mode after a predefined period of time has passed without detection of additional object interaction with said touch screen.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining if a detected object interaction with said touch screen is a valid input object interaction with said touch screen comprises:

utilizing at least one of orientation and movement information of said touch screen as part of said determination.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said transitioning from said first doze mode to a gesture recognition mode further comprises:

providing low power feedback to a user of said touch screen while in said gesture recognition mode.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said transitioning from said gesture recognition mode to an active mode in response to a determination of a valid gesture interaction with said touch screen comprises:

transitioning from said gesture recognition mode into said active mode in response to recognizing said valid gesture interaction, wherein said valid gesture interaction comprises a single contact interval gesture.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said transitioning from said gesture recognition mode to an active mode in response to a determination of a valid gesture interaction with said touch screen comprises:

transitioning from said gesture recognition mode into said active mode in response to recognizing said valid gesture interaction, wherein said valid gesture interaction comprises a multiple contact interval gesture.

11. A touch screen processing system for an electronic system, said touch screen processing system comprising:

sensor circuitry configured to detect object interaction in a sensing region of said touch screen;

display update circuitry configured to update a display associated with said touch screen; and

a control logic configured to;

detect at periodic intervals for an object interaction with said touch screen while in a first doze mode, wherein said first doze mode comprises a host processor of said electronic system being in a low power state and operations associated with said touch screen being processed by said touch screen processing system; and

a determination module configured to;

determine if a detected object interaction with said touch screen is a valid input object interaction with said touch screen;

in response to a determination that said object interaction is a valid input object interaction;

transition from said first doze mode to a gesture recognition mode; and

transition from said gesture recognition mode to an active mode in response to a determination of a first type of valid gesture interaction with said touch screen by said object, wherein said active mode comprises said host processor departing said low power state; and

in response to a determination of a second type of valid gesture interaction with said touch screen;

update said display while said host processor remains in said low power state.

12. The touch screen processing system of claim 11, wherein said gesture recognition mode comprises said host processor remaining in said low power state and said gesture recognition being performed by said touch screen processing system.

13. A electronic system, said electronic system comprising:

sensor circuitry configured to detect object interaction in a sensing region, wherein the sensing region overlaps a display;

display update circuitry configured to update said display; and

a processing system configured to;

operate said sensor circuitry at periodic intervals to detect for an object interaction in said sensing region while the electronic system is in a first doze mode, wherein said first doze mode comprises said display being off;

determine if a detected object interaction in said sensing region is a valid input object interaction performing a valid gesture interaction; and

in response to a determination that said object interaction is a valid input object interaction performing a valid gesture interaction operating said display update circuitry to update the display, transition said electronic system to an active mode, wherein said display is turned on.

14. The electronic system of claim 13, wherein said electronic system further comprises a host processing system wherein said host processing system transitions from a low power state to an active state in response to said determination that said object interaction is a valid input object interaction performing a valid gesture interaction.

15. The electronic system of claim 14, wherein said electronic system comprises no electromechanical input for signaling said host processing system to transition from said low power state to said active state.

16. A method of operating a touch screen, said method comprising:

operating sensor circuitry configured to detect object interaction in a sensing region of said touch screen in a low power state, wherein said low power state comprises determining a plurality of resulting signals using said sensor circuitry at a first rate;

examining a difference in consecutive resulting signals obtained at said first rate for a valid gesture interaction; and

in response to a determination of a valid gesture interaction exiting said low power state.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

acquiring a baseline measurement following liftoff of an input object from said touch screen after recognizing said valid gesture interaction.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said examining a difference in consecutive resulting signals obtained at said first rate for a valid gesture interaction comprises:

examining said consecutive resulting signals for one of a plurality of a single contact interval gestures.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said examining a difference in consecutive resulting signals obtained at said first rate for a valid gesture interaction comprises:

examining said consecutive resulting signals for one of a plurality of multiple contact interval gestures.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said examining a difference in consecutive resulting signals obtained at said first rate for a valid gesture interaction comprises:

examining said consecutive for one of a plurality of gesture inputs which take a predefined minimum amount of time to complete.