Dynamic Hover Sensitivity in Dual Display Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dual-display information handling systems face challenges in optimizing touch-screen sensitivity and gesture detection across multiple screens, particularly in dynamically changing environments and usage modes, leading to inefficiencies in power consumption and accuracy.

Innovation Solution

The integration of a sensor module and power management system that uses a combination of orientation sensors, cameras, and touch controllers to dynamically adjust touch-screen sensitivity and power modes based on the relative orientation of the screens and active software applications, enabling adaptive power management and precise gesture detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If touch-screen sensitivity is increased to improve gesture detection accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegesture detection accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts touch-screen sensitivity based on the active application and device orientation. The power management system changes the sense state between high-power/high-precision and low-power/low-precision modes, making the sensitivity adaptive rather than static. This resolves the contradiction by applying high measurement precision only when necessary for the current usage context.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the sensitivity parameter of the touch-screen based on external conditions (application type, orientation). By adjusting the sense state parameter dynamically, the system achieves high gesture detection accuracy when needed while consuming less power during normal operation, thus resolving the trade-off between precision and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If high sensitivity mode is used continuously to maintain accurate touch and hover detection, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch detection accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system periodically evaluates the current usage context (active application, device orientation) and adjusts the touch-screen sensitivity accordingly. Instead of maintaining high sensitivity continuously, the system switches between high-power and low-power modes based on periodic context assessment, reducing energy loss while maintaining accuracy when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The power management system receives feedback about the current application and orientation state, then adjusts the touch-screen sensitivity in response. This feedback loop ensures that high measurement precision is maintained only when the context requires it, preventing unnecessary energy consumption during normal usage scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If the system dynamically adjusts sensitivity based on application context, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveusage mode adaptationVSAvoidpower management system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The power management system serves multiple functions: it manages overall device power, monitors application context, detects orientation, and controls touch-screen sensitivity. By making the power management system universal and multi-functional, the patent achieves high adaptability without adding separate dedicated components for each function, thus limiting the increase in device complexity.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3069219B1Dynamic hover sensitivity in a dual display system
Publication Date: 2020.03.25 DELL PROD LP
  • EP3069219B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3069219B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3069219B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A dual display information handling system includes processor and a housing. The housing includes a display operable to detect a touch device hovering above the display. The information handling system is operable to detect an orientation of the housing, detect an application running on the information handling system, and set a hover sensitivity for the display to a power level selected from a plurality of power levels based upon the operating mode and the application.