Portable electronic device including touch-sensitive display and method of determining when to turn off the touch sensitive display

• US 8,717,311 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Crugnale, Thomas James, Mak-Fan, David James, Kuhl, Lawrence Edward, Phipps, Darcy, Shenfield, Alon
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Alexander S
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZHENG, CHARLES H
• Application Number:
  US12/817,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20100321321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/02 for preventing acoustic reaction , i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/453
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method of controlling a portable electronic device includes detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display, adjusting a first threshold based on detected conditions during the touch, comparing a value related to the touch on the touch-sensitive display to the first threshold, and when the value related to touch meets the first threshold, turning off the display.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display of a portable electronic device;

maintaining a first threshold size value for comparing to a contact area value for the touch on the touch-sensitive display;

in response to detecting the touch;

adjusting the first threshold size value based on a time during which touch contact is maintained on the touch-sensitive display, an audio level detected at a microphone of the electronic device, a level of audible noise detected at an active leak microphone of the electronic device, and a light level detected at a light sensor of the electronic device;

comparing the contact area value for the touch to the first threshold size value; and

when the contact area value for the touch meets the first threshold size value, turning off the touch-sensitive display.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting comprises determining that the touch is a face touch when the value meets the first threshold size value.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising accepting input when the contact area value does not meet a second threshold, prior to adjusting the first threshold size value.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the second threshold is lower than the first threshold size value.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the first threshold is carried out in response to determining that the contact area value for the touch meets a second threshold prior to adjusting the first threshold size value.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising accepting the touch as a touch input when the contact area value for the touch does not meet a low threshold, prior to adjusting the first threshold size value.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising turning off a display wake-up that is responsive to touches detected on the touch-sensitive display in response to determining that the contact area value for the touch meets the first threshold.

8. The method according claim 1, comprising entering an active phone call prior to detecting the touch on the touch-sensitive display.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the first threshold size value comprises adjusting the first threshold size value based on an accuracy level of the touch-sensitive display when the touch is detected.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first threshold size value is decreased when the accuracy level is approximate.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first threshold size value is increased when the accuracy level is accurate.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the first threshold size value comprises lowering the first threshold size value when the time during which touch contact is maintained meets a time threshold.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the first threshold size value comprises lowering the first threshold size value when the audio level meets an audio level threshold.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the first threshold size value comprises increasing the first threshold size value when the level of noise detected at the active leak microphone meets a threshold level.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the first threshold size value comprises decreasing the first threshold size value when the level of noise detected at the active leak microphone does not meet a threshold level.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the first threshold size value comprises decreasing the first threshold size value when the light level does not meet a light level threshold.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the first threshold size value comprises increasing the first threshold when the light level meets a light level threshold.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein, the computer-readable code executable by a processor of the portable electronic device to perform the method according to claim 1.

19. An electronic device comprising the touch-sensitive display and a processor operably coupled to the touch-sensitive display and configured to perform the method of claim 1.

20. A method comprising:

detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display of a portable electronic device;

maintaining a first threshold for comparing to an area of contact of the touch;

adjusting the first threshold based on detected conditions during the touch, including touch contact time, an audio level at a microphone, an input from an accelerometer, a noise level detected at an active leak microphone, input from a light sensor of the portable electronic device, and input from a proximity sensor of the portable electronic device;

comparing the area of contact of the touch to the first threshold;

when the area of contact of the touch meets the first threshold, turning off the touch-sensitive display.