Touched state recognition apparatus for matrix type touch panel and a control method thereof

• US 6,023,265 A
• Filed: 08/27/1997
• Issued: 02/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LG Industrial Systems Co., Ltd (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Industrial Systems Co., Ltd (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Joon-No
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mengisteab, Tewolde
• Application Number:
  US08/917,866
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/145, 345/146
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A touched state recognition apparatus for a matrix type touch panel and a control method thereof which are capable of correctly recognizing a touched state of a touch switch even when two touch switches are concurrently touched. The touched state recognition apparatus for a matrix type touch panel which includes a touch panel which acts as a switch or a keyboard and has an upper plate and a lower plate each having a plurality of electrodes, a touch processor for applying a checking signal to the touch panel, receiving a detection signal with respect to the touched region, judging the touched region, comparing the number of touch switches contained in the touched region with the area of the touch switch, and judging the touched touch switch, a memory for storing a graphic data therein which corresponds to a coordinate of a region of the touch panel and each touch switch therein, a microprocessor for receiving a signal from the touch processor, which signal corresponds to whether a predetermined touch switch is touched, executing a screen control program corresponding to the touch switch, reading a graphic data from the memory, and outputting the thusly read graphic data, a graphic controller for outputting a graphic signal by which a graphic data from the microprocessor is displayed, and a display device for receiving the graphic signal from the graphic controller and displaying the same.

Claims

1. A touched state recognition apparatus for a matrix type touch panel, comprising:

a touch panel which acts as a switch or a keyboard and has an upper plate and a lower plate each having a plurality of electrodes;

a touch processor for applying a checking signal to the touch panel, receiving a detection signal with respect to the touched region, judging the touched region, comparing the number of touch switches contained in the touched region with the area of the touch switch, and judging the touched touch switch;

a memory for storing a graphic data therein which corresponds to a coordinate of a region of the touch panel and each touch switch therein;

a microprocessor for receiving a signal from the touch processor, which signal corresponds to whether a predetermined touch switch is touched, executing a screen control program corresponding to the touch switch, reading a graphic data from the memory, and outputting the thusly read graphic data;

a graphic controller for outputting a graphic signal by which a graphic data from the microprocessor is displayed; and

a display device for receiving the graphic signal from the graphic controller and displaying the same.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said touch processor includes:

a region detection means for detecting a touched region;

a touch switch detection means for judging a touch switch contained in the touched region;

a counter for counting the number of the touch switches detected by the touch switch detection means;

a computation means for computing the area of the touch switch contained in the touched region; and

a comparing means for comparing the areas of the touch switches computed by the computation means.

3. A touched state recognition control method for a matrix type touch panel, comprising:

a first step for setting a coordinate of a point of each region of a touch panel and a coordinate of a point of each region of a touch switch, applying a checking signal to the touch panel and detecting a detection signal with respect to the touched region;

a second step for recognizing a detection signal detected in the first step and detecting a touch switch contained in the touched region;

a third step for checking the number of touch switches detected in the second step;

a fourth step for computing a region of each touch switch contained in the touched region when more than two touch switches are contained in the region in the third step; and

a fifth step for comparing the results computed in the fourth step and judging the touched touch switch.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said fourth step includes a sub-step in which the horizontal and vertical lengths of the region of each touch region contained in the touched region are computed by using a coordinate of a point of each touch switch contained in the touched region and a coordinate of a point of the touched region, the thusly computed horizontal and vertical lengths are multiplied by each other, and the region of the touch switch is computed.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said fifth step includes a sub-step in which a touch switch having the widest area is judged to be a touched touch switch by comparing the regions of each touch switch contained in the touched region.