Curved Touch Sensor Voting for Accurate Input Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Curved touch-sensitive surfaces in gaming controllers face challenges in accurately detecting intended touches due to accidental contact with other parts of the surface, leading to confusion in processing input touch data.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a multi-channel touch sensor system that considers finger geometry and hand grip position, along with sensor voting, to accurately identify intended touches and provide haptic feedback, mimicking the functionality of a scroll wheel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a curved touch-sensitive surface is used to mimic scroll wheel operations, then the tactile feedback and user experience are improved, but the accuracy of touch detection deteriorates due to accidental contact with multiple portions of the curved surface
Solution Approach 1:
The curved surface is divided into multiple discrete touch-sensitive channels or zones. Each channel independently detects touch input at specific locations along the curve, allowing the system to segment the touch detection task into manageable parts that can be individually processed and voted upon to determine the intended touch point.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides haptic feedback through the curved surface to simulate scroll wheel tactile response. This feedback mechanism enhances user experience by providing force feedback that mimics the mechanical resistance of a physical scroll wheel, while the multi-channel sensing continues to accurately track finger position along the curve.
2Measurement precision
If multi-channel touch sensors are implemented to improve touch detection accuracy, then the system complexity increases due to the need for sensor voting and processing algorithms
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-channel sensor array performs self-validation through a voting mechanism where each sensor channel independently reports its detection state, and the system automatically determines the most likely intended touch point by analyzing the pattern of activated channels. This self-service approach to error correction reduces the need for complex external processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses more touch sensors than the minimum required for basic detection, placing sensors at multiple locations along the curved surface. This excessive sampling provides redundant information that simplifies the processing logic, as the voting algorithm can easily identify the intended touch point from the pattern of activated channels without requiring sophisticated analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of a new and innovative method for processing input touch data for a curved touch sensitive surface by converting input touch vectors to position states is disclosed. The method includes receiving an input touch vector based on one or more signals from a plurality of touch sensors; selecting a largest continuous segment of values in the input touch vector that are indicative of a touch sensor being active; and assigning the input touch vector to a position state of a plurality of position states based on one or more index values corresponding to the selected largest continuous segment of values. If there is more than one equally largest continuous segment of values, then the equally largest continuous segment of values is selected that corresponds to one or more sensors furthest from a second end of the curved touch sensitive surface.