Touchscreen device with grip sensor and control methods thereof

• US 9,377,893 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2013
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chun, Jae-Woong, Park, Jeong-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRITTINGHAM, NATHANIEL P
• Application Number:
  US14/071,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20140125612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-178
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for controlling operations of a touchscreen terminal having grip sensors are disclosed. A grip signal is detected when the terminal is gripped. A touch-inactive area is established in the touchscreen area based at least upon the grip signal. Touches occurring within the touch-inactive area are designated as non-executable gripping touches. Accordingly, unintentional touch executions due to an overlapping grip are prevented.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling operations of a terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a grip sensor unit configured to output a grip signal when the terminal is gripped;

a touchscreen unit that receives touch input commands; and

a controller configured to establish a touch-inactive area in the touchscreen unit upon detection of a touch signal while the grip signal is detected, and to determine that the touch signal generated in the touch-inactive area results from a gripping touch and that the touch signal not generated in the touch-inactive area results from the touch input commands,

wherein the controller, upon detection of the touch signal received from the touchscreen unit while detecting a plurality of grip signals received from the grip sensor unit, detects a grip area where each of the grip signals has been generated, determines a vertical length h of each grip area, establishes a variable horizontal length t according to the vertical length h, establishes a touch-inactive area having the vertical length h and the horizontal length t in the touchscreen unit, and determines that a touch signal results from the gripping touch when coordinates of the touch signal are contained in the touch-inactive area,

wherein when first and second grip signals are generated due to grip touches on spaced apart first and second grip areas on a common side of the terminal, first and second touch-inactive areas are generated adjacent to the first and second grip areas, respectively, the first and second touch-inactive areas each being of a rectangular shape and spaced apart from one another vertically, and each having a variable horizontal length determined according to a vertical length thereof.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the grip sensor unit provides the controller with the grip signal that includes information about a grip area when the terminal is gripped, the touch-inactive area being established adjacent to the grip area.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller, upon detection of the touch signal while detecting a plurality of grip signals, establishes a plurality of touch-inactive areas adjacent to respective grip areas in the touchscreen unit where the plurality of grip signals are generated.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller detects the grip area from information about the grip area, the information being included in the grip signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when coordinates of a touch signal are contained within an area other than the touch-inactive area, the touch signal is recognized as an executable touch input command.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller, upon detection of multi touch signals received from the touchscreen unit while detecting a grip signal received from the grip sensor unit, detects a grip area where the grip signal has been generated, determines a vertical length h of the grip area, establishes a variable horizontal length t according to the vertical length h, establishes a touch-inactive area having the vertical length h and the horizontal length t in the touchscreen unit, and when coordinates of the multi touch signals are contained in both the touch-inactive area and the area other than the touch-inactive area, determines that a touch signal having coordinates contained in the touch-inactive area results from the gripping touch.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller detects the grip area from information about the grip area, the information being included in the grip signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein when coordinates of one of the detected multi touch signals are contained within an area other than the touch-inactive area, the touch signal for the one multi touch signal is recognized as an executable touch signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein when coordinates of the detected multi touch signals are contained in the touch-inactive area, the touch signal is determined to result from a gripping touch, and when coordinates of the detected multi touch signals are contained in an area other than the touch-inactive area, the touch signal is recognized as an executable touch signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch-inactive area is first designated after a touch input is detected while the grip signal is present.

11. A method of controlling operations of a terminal including a grip sensor unit and a touchscreen unit that receives touch input commands, the method comprising:

detecting first and second grip signals when the terminal is gripped;

establishing first and second touch-inactive areas in the touchscreen area while the first and second grip signals are detected; and

determining that a touch signal generated in one of the touch-inactive areas results from a gripping touch and that a touch signal not generated in one of the touch-inactive areas results from the touch input commands,

wherein establishing first and second touch-inactive area comprises

detecting, upon detection of a touch signal received from the touchscreen unit while detecting the first and second grip signals received from the grip sensor unit, first and second grip areas where the first and second grip signals have been generated, respectively;

wherein when the first and second grip signals are generated due to the first and second grip touches on spaced apart first and second grip areas on a common side of the terminal, first and second touch-inactive areas are generated adjacent to the first and second grip areas, respectively, the first and second touch-inactive areas each being of a rectangular shape and spaced apart from one another vertically, and each having a variable horizontal length determined according to a vertical length thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the grip signal includes information about a grip area when the terminal is gripped, the touch-inactive area being designated adjacent to the grip area.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting a grip area comprises:

detecting the grip area from information about the grip area, the information being included in the grip signal.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein establishing a touch-inactive area comprises:

establishing, upon detection of the touch signal while a plurality of grip signals are detected, a plurality of touch-inactive areas adjacent to respective grip areas in the touchscreen unit where the plurality of grip signals are generated.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein designating comprises:

determining that a touch signal results from the gripping touch when coordinates of the touch signal are contained in the touch-inactive area; and

recognizing the touch input command as an executable touch, when coordinates of the touch are contained within an area other than the touch-inactive area.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein designating comprises:

determining that a touch signal having coordinates contained in the touch-inactive area results from the gripping touch, when coordinates of detected multi touch signals are contained in both the touch-inactive area and an area other than the touch-inactive area.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

recognizing a touch signal as an executable touch signal when coordinates of the touch signal among the multi touch signals are contained within the area other than the touch-inactive area.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining, when the detected multi touch signals have coordinates in the touch-inactive area, that the touch signal results from the gripping touch; and

recognizing, when the detected multi touch signals have coordinates in the area other than the touch-inactive area, the touch signal as an executable touch signal.