Warning system indicating excessive force on a touch screen or display

• US 8,106,787 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nurmi, Juha Harri-Pekka
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Application Number:
  US12/291,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20100123592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/665, 345/173
• US Class Current: 340/665
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

Disclosed herein are apparatus, method, and computer program whereby a signal generated by a touch screen device is received in response to a tactile input from a user on an input surface of the touch screen panel. In response, presenting information to a user, the information comprising a warning that the user is exerting an excessive amount of force on a surface of the touch screen panel.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first signal generated by a touch screen device in response to a tactile input from a user on an input surface of the touch screen device;

receiving a second signal generated by the touch screen device in response to the tactile input from a user on the input surface of the touch screen device;

and

in response to the second signal, presenting information to a user, the information comprising a warning that the user is exerting an excessive amount of force on a surface of the touch screen device,

wherein the first signal is configured to be generated by coupling a plurality of first conductive parts to provide a touch screen function and the second signal is configured to be generated by coupling a plurality of second conductive parts with a bottom layer to provide a warning function.

2. The method as in claim 1, where the information is presented by at least one of mechanical, visual, or audible output.

3. The method as in claim 1, where the the plurality of first conductive parts are formed on a first layer and a second layer in the touch screen device.

4. The method as in claim 3, where the conductive parts are of varying lengths within an area between the first layer and the second layer.

5. The method as in claim 4 where the conductive parts are implemented in a display integrated touch screen panel with conductive switch matrix.

6. The method as in claim 3 where the conductive parts are implemented in an optical sensor based touch screen panel.

7. The method as in claim 3 where the conductive parts are implemented in a capacitive based touch screen panel.

8. The method as in claim 1 where the surface of the touch screen device comprises a stacked touch screen.

9. The method as in claim 4, where the lengths of the conductive parts are greatest around a periphery of the area.

28. The method as in claim 1, where the plurality of first and second conductive parts have one common part.

10. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program executable by a processor to perform actions comprising:

receiving a first signal generated by a touch screen device in response to a tactile input from a user on an input surface of the touch screen device;

receiving a second signal generated by the touch screen device in response to the tactile input from a user on the input surface of the touch screen device;

and

in response to the second signal, presenting information to a user, the information comprising a warning that the user is exerting an excessive amount of force on a surface of the touch screen device,

wherein the first signal is configured to be generated by coupling a plurality of first conductive parts to provide a touch screen function and the second signal is configured to be generated by coupling a plurality of second conductive parts with a bottom layer to provide a warning function.

11. The computer readable medium encoded with a computer program of claim 10, where the information is presented by at least one of mechanical, visual, or audible output.

12. The computer readable medium encoded with a computer program of claim 10, where the plurality of first conductive parts formed on a first layer and a second layer in the touch screen device.

13. The computer readable medium encoded with a computer program of claim 12, where the conductive parts are of varying lengths within an area between the first layer and the second layer.

14. The computer readable medium encoded with a computer program of claim 13, where the conductive parts are implemented in a display integrated touch screen panel with conductive switch matrix.

15. The computer readable medium encoded with a computer program of claim 12, where the conductive parts are implemented in an optical sensor based touch screen panel.

16. The computer readable medium encoded with a computer program of claim 12, where the conductive parts are implemented in a capacitive based touch screen panel.

17. The computer readable medium encoded with a computer program of claim 10, where the surface of the touch screen device comprises a stacked touch screen.

18. The computer readable medium encoded with a computer program of claim 13, where the lengths of the conductive parts are greatest around a periphery of the area.

29. The computer readable medium encoded with a computer program of claim 10, where the plurality of first and second conductive parts have one common part.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

an input surface configured to generate a first signal in response to tactile input from a user, said input surface further configured to generate a second signal in response to tactile input from a user;

an output configured to provide a warning in response to the second signal to indicate that the user is exerting an excessive amount of force on the input surface,

wherein the first signal is configured to be generated by coupling a plurality of first conductive parts to provide a touch screen function and the second signal is configured to be generated by coupling a plurality of second conductive parts with a bottom layer to provide a warning function.

20. The apparatus as in claim 19, where the input surface comprises a touch screen panel and where the touch screen panel is integrated into a display panel.

21. The apparatus as in claim 20, where the tactile input comprises conductive parts.

22. The apparatus as in claim 21, where the conductive parts are of varying lengths within an area of the input surface.

23. The apparatus as in claim 19 implemented as a display integrated touch screen panel with conductive switch matrix.

24. The apparatus as in claim 19 implemented as an optical sensor based touch screen panel.

25. The apparatus as in claim 19 implemented as a capacitive based touch screen panel.

26. The apparatus as in claim 19 implemented as a stacked touch screen.

27. The apparatus as in claim 22 where the lengths of the conductive parts are greatest around a periphery of the area.

30. The apparatus as in claim 19, where the plurality of first and second conductive parts have one common part.