Back Surface Touch Sensor for One-Handed Electronic Device Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operating large electronic devices with one hand is challenging due to the inability to reach upper screen elements with the thumb, and phone call operations are inconvenient as they require removing the device from the ear to interact with the screen, often interrupting calls.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a touch sensor on the back surface of electronic devices, along with a controller that displays a cursor on the screen for selecting upper icons and executes corresponding actions upon front surface touch sensor input, allowing for one-handed operation and phone call management without interrupting the call.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the electronic device is made large to provide more display area, then the display area is increased, but the upper portion of the front surface cannot be reached with the thumb, making it difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a touch sensor on the back surface of the device, utilizing the third dimension (depth/back surface) to enable operation of upper screen elements. The back surface touch sensor allows the user to select upper icons without needing to reach the front surface with their thumb, thus maintaining one-handed operability while preserving large display area.
2Reliability
If the electronic device is held near the ear during phone calls, then the call quality is improved, but the user cannot view the display and operate the touch sensor, interrupting the call
Solution Approach 1:
The back surface touch sensor enables phone call operations to be performed on the back of the device, allowing users to interact with call functions (answering, ending, muting) without removing the device from their ear or viewing the front display, thus maintaining both call quality and operational convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The back surface touch sensor acts as an intermediary interface that mediates between the user's need to operate the device and the constraint of holding it near the ear. It provides a separate interaction surface that doesn't conflict with the primary calling function.
3Measurement precision
If multiple operations are required to display and operate icons on the display, then the processing accuracy is improved, but the operation time is increased, making it inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The back surface touch sensor allows users to pre-select icons and functions before needing to execute them. Users can navigate and select upper screen elements in advance using the back surface, then simply confirm the selection with a front surface touch, reducing the total number of operations required and decreasing operation time while maintaining accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
Operability is improved when operating an electronic device with one hand. An electronic device (1) includes a touch sensor on a front surface and a touch sensor on a back surface. A controller (14) causes a cursor for selecting an icon positioned at an upper portion of a display (11) to be displayed upon detecting an operation on the touch sensor (13) on the back surface and executes processing corresponding to an icon selected by the cursor upon detecting an operation on the touch sensor (12) on the front surface. The controller (14) also executes processing related to a phone call application upon detecting an operation on the touch sensor (13) on the back surface during a phone call.