Foldable Touch Screen Controller Open Close Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foldable touch screens in mobile devices face challenges in determining their open or closed position without using additional sensors, which consumes internal space and increases thickness, limiting screen size growth while maintaining pocket-friendly phone dimensions.
Innovation Solution
A touch screen controller utilizes the capacitive touch matrix to calculate strength values from different portions of the foldable screen, determining the open or closed position based on average strength values, eliminating the need for additional sensors by leveraging the existing touch screen hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If additional sensors (gyroscopes, hall effect sensors, optical sensors) are used to detect screen angle, then detection accuracy is improved, but device thickness increases and internal space is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The touch screen controller is designed to perform multiple functions: it detects both user touch inputs and screen angle position. By analyzing capacitance patterns from the existing touch matrix, the controller determines whether the screen is folded or unfolded, eliminating the need for dedicated angle detection sensors and reducing device thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch screen system detects its own state by analyzing its own capacitance characteristics. The controller monitors capacitance values from the touch matrix and uses these readings to determine screen position, allowing the system to self-diagnose its state without external sensors.
2Measurement precision
If additional sensors are used to detect screen angle, then detection accuracy is improved, but internal space is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The touch screen controller is designed to perform multiple functions: it detects both user touch inputs and screen angle position. By analyzing capacitance patterns from the existing touch matrix, the controller determines whether the screen is folded or unfolded, eliminating the need for dedicated angle detection sensors and reducing device thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch screen system detects its own state by analyzing its own capacitance characteristics. The controller monitors capacitance values from the touch matrix and uses these readings to determine screen position, allowing the system to self-diagnose its state without external sensors.
3Device complexity
If the touch screen controller analyzes capacitance patterns to detect screen position, then device complexity is reduced, but detection precision may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The touch matrix is divided into multiple regions (first region, second region, third region) with different capacitance characteristics. By analyzing the capacitance patterns from these segmented regions and comparing them against known patterns for folded and unfolded states, the system achieves accurate detection while maintaining simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller continuously monitors capacitance values from the touch matrix and uses this feedback to determine screen position. The system compares measured capacitance patterns against expected patterns for different screen states, enabling accurate and adaptive detection.
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 method allows for accurate detection of the screen's open or closed state using the touch screen itself, optimizing internal space and enabling larger screen sizes without increasing phone thickness, while also supporting multi-touch operations and low power modes.
Implementation Method 1
the first value corresponds to a first capacitance related to a proximity of the first conductive object to a first portion of the foldable touch screen, and the second value corresponds to a second capacitance related to a proximity of the second conductive object to a second portion of the foldable touch screen
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device includes a foldable touch screen having first and second portions and a bendable intermediate portion connecting the first portion to the second portion. The foldable touch screen has a capacitive touch matrix therein. A touch screen controller acquires touch data from the capacitive touch matrix, calculates strength values of nodes of the capacitive touch matrix based upon the acquired touch data, calculates a first value, the first value being an average strength of nodes of the capacitive touch matrix located in the first portion of the foldable touch screen, calculates a second value, the second value being an average strength of nodes of the capacitive touch matrix located in the second portion of the foldable touch screen, and determines that the foldable touch screen is in a closed position based upon the first value and the second value both being greater than a first given strength value.