Actuator Fault Detection in Touch-Sensitive Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices with touch-sensitive displays face challenges in detecting and identifying missing or faulty actuators, which can affect tactile feedback and are difficult to detect due to limited space and size constraints.
Innovation Solution
A method involving determining initial and subsequent force values applied by actuators to a touch-sensitive input device, controlling the actuators to change these forces, and comparing these values to detect faults, with results reported visually on the display to identify faulty components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the device size is decreased to improve portability, then the device becomes more portable, but the space for user input and output is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces force sensing capability to the touch-sensitive display, adding a new dimension of interaction beyond traditional 2D touch input. This allows users to interact with the limited display surface through multi-dimensional input (touch position + applied force), effectively compensating for the reduced spatial area available for user interaction.
2Reliability
If force sensors are included to complement the touch-sensitive display, then tactile feedback functionality is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the force sensing functionality directly into the touch-sensitive display structure itself, rather than adding separate force sensor modules. This integration approach combines multiple functions (touch detection and force sensing) within a single component system, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining enhanced tactile feedback capabilities.
3Ease of operation
If actuators are used to provide tactile feedback, then user interaction is improved, but missing or faulty actuators become harder to detect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the touch-sensitive display monitors the force applied by actuators during tactile feedback operations. By continuously measuring the force values and comparing them against expected ranges, the system can detect and report missing or faulty actuators, enabling self-diagnosis of actuator functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes determining first respective values representative of forces applied by a plurality of actuators to a touch-sensitive input device of an electronic device, controlling the actuators to cause the actuators to change the forces applied to the touch-sensitive input device, determining second respective values representative of the forces applied by the actuators to the touch-sensitive input device, and determining when there is a fault based on a change from the first respective values to the second respective values.