Multi-touch Digitizer Palm Rejection via Temporal Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Multi-touch digitizer systems face challenges in distinguishing between intended and unintended input, particularly from larger body parts like palms, hands, and arms, leading to erratic and false identification of input regions.

Innovation Solution

A method that tracks previous locations of palm input and invalidates output from regions recently identified as palm input, using a list of stored locations with time stamps to differentiate between intended and unintended input, thereby reducing false negatives and improving the robustness of palm rejection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional palm rejection methods are used to classify input regions, then some unintended palm input can be rejected, but the output becomes erratic and false identification of input regions occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepalm rejection accuracyVSAvoidoutput stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary classification of each input region as palm input or non-palm input at each refresh cycle before final processing. This preliminary action creates a history record that is used to stabilize subsequent classifications, preventing erratic output by anticipating potential false identifications based on previous cycle results.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from previous refresh cycles to influence current classifications. By comparing current input region classifications with historical data from previous cycles, the system can identify and correct false identifications, thereby stabilizing the output while maintaining reliable palm rejection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If palm input regions are rejected based on current classification only, then processing is simple, but false negatives occur and intended input is incorrectly rejected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing complexityVSAvoidinput identification accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary classification of each input region as palm input or non-palm input at each refresh cycle before final processing. This preliminary action creates a history record that is used to stabilize subsequent classifications, preventing erratic output by anticipating potential false identifications based on previous cycle results.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from previous refresh cycles to influence current classifications. By comparing current input region classifications with historical data from previous cycles, the system can identify and correct false identifications, thereby stabilizing the output while maintaining reliable palm rejection.

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 enhances the stability of output by accurately invalidating unintended input from larger body parts, reducing erratic behavior and improving the accuracy of intended input detection, even when palm input is accompanied by intended fingertip input.

Implementation Method 1

a source of oscillating electrical energy at a predetermined frequency, and detection circuitry for detecting a capacitive influence on the sensing conductive line when the oscillating electrical energy is applied, the capacitive influence being interpreted as a touch

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP2676182B1Tracking input to a multi-touch digitizer system
Publication Date: 2018.03.28 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP2676182B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2676182B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2676182B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for identifying intended input to a digitizer sensor includes identifying a plurality of regions of input to a digitizer sensor over a plurality of refresh cycles, classifying each of the plurality regions as one of intended input and unintended input, the classifying performed for each of the plurality of refresh cycles, storing a list of locations of regions classified as unintended input regions, where each entry of the list stored for a pre-defined time period and then subsequently removed from storage and invalidating output obtained from a region classified as a region of intended input, responsive to the region overlapping a location listed in the list of locations classified as unintended input regions.