Always-On Display Touch Sensor Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electronic devices with always-on display (AOD) screens face issues where unintended touches are processed due to the touch sensor remaining active, leading to unnecessary operations when the user merely holds the device, requiring users to manually turn on the display to check information like time or battery level.

Innovation Solution

The electronic device determines whether to process a gesture or touch input on the AOD screen by setting events such as pressure thresholds or user attention detection, allowing it to turn on only the necessary touch sensors for specific interactions, thereby optimizing the utilization of the AOD screen.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the touch sensor is kept on to enable touch input on the AOD screen, then user interaction capability is improved, but unintended touches are processed leading to unnecessary operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch input capabilityVSAvoidunintended touch processing
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The touch sensor's operational state is dynamically adjusted based on detected events. The sensor transitions between active and inactive states according to whether specific events (such as pressure threshold exceedances or attention-detecting conditions) are detected, allowing the system to adapt touch sensitivity to current usage contexts and reduce false activations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the touch sensor is turned off to prevent unintended touches, then false operations are reduced, but users cannot directly interact with AOD screen objects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefalse operation preventionVSAvoiddirect touch interaction
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of specific events (such as pressure threshold exceedances or user attention states) before activating the touch sensor. This preliminary action ensures that the touch sensor is only activated when there is a high probability of intentional user input, thereby preventing false operations while enabling direct interaction when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the entire display is turned on to allow touch interaction, then user convenience is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay interaction convenienceVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of turning on the entire display for touch interaction, the system selectively activates only the necessary portions of the display and touch sensor corresponding to the detected event location. This localized activation maintains user convenience for interacting with AOD screen objects while significantly reducing power consumption compared to full display activation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3441864B1Electronic device for displaying picture and control method therefor
Publication Date: 2022.07.20 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3441864B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3441864B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3441864B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electronic device according to various examples of the present invention comprises: a display; a touch sensor for sensing a touch on at least one point of the display device; and a processor, wherein the processor can be configured to: display an always on display picture on a first region of the display; control the remaining region of the display, except for the first region, in an off-state; control the entire region of the display, in the on-state, when the touch on the first region is sensed; and display, on at least a partial region of the display, the picture related to an object corresponding to the location of the touch.