Edge Sensor Touch Disable for Portable Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional portable electronic devices lack effective methods to disable touch functions on a touch display screen using edge sensors for specific user actions, leading to potential misinterpretation of gestures and inefficient user interaction.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating edge sensors adjacent to the body of a portable electronic device, which are electrically coupled to a processor, allowing for the disabling of touch functions based on sensed actions such as squeezing, sliding, or flipping, enabling customizable and precise user interactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If edge sensor is used to sense user actions, then user interaction precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegesture recognition precisionVSAvoidsensor system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The touch display screen is divided into multiple regions, with the edge region equipped with edge sensors and the central region using conventional touch sensing. This segmentation allows precise gesture recognition at the edges while maintaining simple conventional touch functionality in the center, resolving the contradiction between precision and complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sensing mechanisms are applied to different locations: edge sensors with high precision are placed at the edges for precise gesture recognition, while the central area uses standard touch sensing. This local differentiation optimizes precision where needed without unnecessarily increasing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If touch function is disabled based on edge sensor input, then user interaction efficiency is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser interaction efficiencyVSAvoidtouch screen operability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The touch function dynamically switches between enabled and disabled states based on edge sensor detection. When a specific edge gesture is detected, the touch function is temporarily disabled to prevent misinterpretation, then re-enabled afterward. This dynamic adjustment improves interaction efficiency while maintaining ease of operation through automatic state management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback by detecting edge gestures and automatically adjusting the touch function state accordingly. This feedback mechanism prevents gesture misinterpretation and improves interaction efficiency while requiring minimal user effort, as the system autonomously manages the touch function based on detected actions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If edge sensor is added to the device, then functionality is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegesture control versatilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Edge sensors are integrated only in the edge regions of the touch display screen rather than across the entire surface. This segmented approach provides enhanced gesture control versatility at the edges while minimizing the number of sensors required, thereby controlling manufacturing costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The edge sensor system is designed to recognize multiple types of gestures (sliding, squeezing, flipping) using a unified sensing mechanism. This multi-functionality approach enhances gesture control versatility without requiring separate specialized sensors for each gesture type, thus reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3579095B1Portable electronic device, operating method for the same, and non-transitory computer readable recording medium
Publication Date: 2021.05.26 HTC CORP
  • EP3579095B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3579095B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4B
  • EP3579095B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A portable electronic device, an operating method for the same, and a non-transitory computer readable recording medium are provided. The portable electronic device includes a body, a touch display screen and an edge sensor. The touch display screen is disposed on the body. The edge sensor is disposed adjacent to an edge of the body. The operating method includes the following step. When an event is generated according to a first action sensed by the edge sensor, a touch function of a region of the touch display screen or the whole touch display screen is disabled.