Bendable Screen Orientation Detection via Touch Sensor Coupling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electronic devices with bendable flexible screens face challenges in automatically detecting orientation changes, leading to difficulties in adjusting the display direction and splitting the screen accordingly, which affects user experience across different usage scenarios.

Innovation Solution

The method involves using a touch array with at least two touch sensors to detect mutual coupling signals, determining the orientation based on electrical parameter distribution patterns, and distinguishing between detection data generated by sensor coupling and touch input, allowing for accurate orientation detection without additional sensors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If additional sensors are added to detect bending state, then detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveorientation detection accuracyVSAvoidsensor quantity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The touch sensors originally designed for touch input are made to serve dual purposes: detecting both user touch operations and mutual coupling signals generated during bending. By analyzing the distribution patterns of electrical parameters from these existing sensors, the system can determine device orientation without adding dedicated bending sensors, thus resolving the contradiction between detection accuracy and device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The touch sensor array serves itself by using its own electrical parameter changes to detect both touch operations and bending states. The mutual coupling signals generated between adjacent touch sensors during bending are detected and analyzed by the same sensor array, eliminating the need for separate detection systems and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining detection accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If additional sensors are added to detect bending state, then detection accuracy is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveorientation detection accuracyVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The touch sensors originally designed for touch input are made to serve dual purposes: detecting both user touch operations and mutual coupling signals generated during bending. By analyzing the distribution patterns of electrical parameters from these existing sensors, the system can determine device orientation without adding dedicated bending sensors, thus resolving the contradiction between detection accuracy and device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The touch sensor array serves itself by using its own electrical parameter changes to detect both touch operations and bending states. The mutual coupling signals generated between adjacent touch sensors during bending are detected and analyzed by the same sensor array, eliminating the need for separate detection systems and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining detection accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If touch sensors are used for both touch input and orientation detection, then device complexity is reduced, but detection reliability may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor quantityVSAvoiddetection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The detection process is segmented into distinct analysis paths: one for touch operations and another for mutual coupling signals. By segmenting the electrical parameter data based on distribution patterns and signal characteristics, the system can reliably distinguish between touch inputs and bending-induced coupling signals, maintaining detection reliability while using a single sensor array

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback mechanisms to distinguish between touch operations and mutual coupling signals. By analyzing the distribution patterns of electrical parameters and comparing them against expected patterns for each type of event, the system can reliably determine the nature of the detected signal, ensuring accurate detection even when using the same sensors for multiple purposes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enables automatic detection of orientation changes in electronic devices, adjusting the display settings dynamically and enhancing user experience without the need for extra sensors, thus saving space and cost while maintaining accurate orientation detection.

Implementation Method 1

a first type of detection data generated by mutual coupling between the at least two touch sensors is detected

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMutual coupling: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP3933545B1Method and apparatus for detecting a bending state of electronic device, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2023.11.22 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD
  • EP3933545B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3933545B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP3933545B1 patent drawingFigure 7

AI summary

A method for detecting an orientation of an electronic apparatus can be applied to an electronic apparatus (300) with a bendable flexible screen (310). The bendable flexible screen (310) includes a touch array. The touch array includes at least two touch sensors. The method includes: determining (SI01) whether a first type of detection data generated by mutual coupling between the at least two touch sensors is detected; and determining (SI02) a current orientation of the electronic apparatus (300) based on the first type of detection data. With solutions of the disclosure, there is no need to add additional components for the orientation detection.