Curved Display Touch Disambiguation via Segmented Sensitivity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current touch-sensitive displays in portable devices face challenges in distinguishing between intended and unintended touch inputs, especially when the device is held and curved, leading to potential misoperations and compromised user experience.

Innovation Solution

A display apparatus with a curved side portion and a display controller that manages touch sensitivity and input recognition by disabling or reducing touch input on the curved areas based on duration, orientation, and multiple touch locations, thereby preventing misoperations and enhancing user interaction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If the display is made curved to improve aesthetics and ergonomics, then the device form factor is improved, but touch input accuracy deteriorates due to inability to distinguish intended vs unintended touches

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay curvatureVSAvoidtouch input accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The display is divided into distinct functional zones: a first region that accepts touch inputs for device control and a second region (curved side portion) where touch inputs are ignored. This segmentation allows the curved display to maintain its aesthetic and ergonomic benefits while preventing misoperations by spatially separating functional and non-functional touch areas

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the display are assigned different touch sensitivity characteristics. The first region maintains full touch sensitivity for intentional user interactions, while the second curved region has touch input disabled or reduced. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying appropriate touch response properties to specific display areas based on their functional requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If touch sensitivity is reduced on curved portions to prevent misoperations, then touch input accuracy is improved, but user interaction capability deteriorates in those areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch input accuracyVSAvoiduser interaction capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The display surface is segmented into a first region with full touch interaction capability and a second curved region where touch inputs are ignored. This ensures that user interaction capabilities are fully preserved in the functional first region while the second region's touch limitation prevents misoperations rather than hindering intended use

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The curved side portion's inherent tendency to generate unintended touch inputs is converted into a benefit by designating it as a non-interactive decorative or structural element. The potential harm of accidental touches in curved areas is transformed into a design feature where the curved region serves aesthetic or ergonomic purposes without requiring touch functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the entire display accepts touch inputs to maximize functionality, then user interaction options are increased, but misoperations increase due to curved geometry

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoidoperation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The display is segmented into a first region that accepts touch inputs to maintain functionality and a second curved region where touch inputs are ignored to prevent misoperations. This segmentation strategy preserves the adaptability and versatility of the display in the functional first region while ensuring operational reliability by excluding the curved second region from touch interaction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the display are assigned different operational characteristics: the first region maintains full touch functionality for versatile user interaction, while the second curved region has touch input disabled to ensure operational accuracy. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between functionality and reliability by optimizing each region for its specific purpose

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3570096B1An apparatus comprising a display and a method and computer program
Publication Date: 2021.06.30 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP3570096B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2B
  • EP3570096B1 patent drawingFigure 3~8
  • EP3570096B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

An apparatus including: a touch sensitive display comprising a central portion and a curved side portion and a memory storing computer program code configured to disambiguate between holding and touch input at the curved side portion.