Edge Region Touch Contact Rejection for Gesture Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Touch sensor panels often recognize unintended gestures due to fingers or palms being in close proximity, especially when adjacent to other input devices or when fingers accidentally touch the edges of the panel, leading to unwanted operations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing selective rejection of touch contacts in the edge region of the touch sensor panel, where contacts in the edge band are ignored unless they move beyond a threshold distance or speed, and allowing exceptions for specific gestures or control inputs, such as drag lock or pinching, to maximize panel functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If all touch contacts on the panel are recognized, then the touch sensor panel can detect all user inputs including valid gestures, but unintended gestures from fingers or palms in close proximity are also recognized leading to unwanted operations
Solution Approach 1:
The touch sensor panel is divided into a center area and an edge band region. Contacts in the edge band are subject to different processing rules than contacts in the center area. This spatial segmentation allows the system to reject edge contacts that cause unintended gestures while preserving center area contacts that represent valid user input.
Solution Approach 2:
Different rejection criteria are applied to different regions of the panel. The edge band has stationary contact rejection enabled, while the center area allows all contacts. Additionally, the rejection behavior changes based on local conditions such as whether other contacts are present and whether the edge contact is stationary or moving.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If edge band contacts are always rejected, then unintended operations are minimized, but valid gestures that originate near the edge are also ignored reducing panel functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The rejection of edge band contacts is not static but dynamic, changing based on real-time conditions. Edge contacts are rejected when stationary, but accepted when they move beyond a threshold distance. The rejection behavior also dynamically adjusts based on the presence of other contacts and the type of gesture being formed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the rejection parameter based on the state of the contact. Stationary edge contacts are rejected, while moving edge contacts that exceed a distance threshold are accepted. The rejection criteria are modified based on parameters such as contact position, movement distance, and the presence of other contacts.
3Productivity
If the touch sensor panel is placed adjacent to other input devices, then device integration and space utilization are improved, but fingers accidentally touching the panel edges increase leading to false gestures
Solution Approach 1:
The system preemptively rejects contacts in the edge band region before they can trigger unintended gestures. By applying rejection criteria to edge contacts, the system prevents false gestures from occurring in the first place, allowing the panel to be safely placed adjacent to other input devices without causing usability issues.
Data Source
AI summary
The selective rejection of touch contacts in an edge region of a touch sensor panel is disclosed. In addition, by providing certain exceptions to the rejection of edge contacts, the functionality of the touch sensor panel can be maximized. Contacts in edge bands around the perimeter of a touch sensor panel can be ignored. However, if a contact in the edge band moves beyond a threshold distance or speed, it can be recognized as part of a gesture. To accommodate different finger sizes, the size of the edge band can be modified based on the identification of the finger or thumb. Furthermore, if contacts in the center region of a touch sensor panel track the movement of contacts in the edge band, the contacts in the edge band can be recognized as part of a gesture.