Passive Touch Interface for Swipe Code Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing touch sensor technologies face challenges in efficiently distinguishing between static and swiping touches, particularly in identifying multi-digit codes generated by groups of touch sensitive elements, which affects the accuracy and reliability of user input in various interface applications.

Innovation Solution

The system employs touch sensitive elements arranged in groups to generate electronic waveforms in response to swiping touches, with a transponder transmitting these waveforms to a reader for signal processing, allowing for the extraction of multi-digit codes and generation of appropriate outputs, and includes capacitive, pressure, optical, or other types of sensors to differentiate between touch types.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If touch sensitive elements are arranged in groups to generate multi-digit codes, then the information input capability is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring the touch type increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation input capabilityVSAvoiddifficulty of distinguishing touch types

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The touch sensitive surface is divided into multiple groups of touch sensitive elements, where each group can independently generate multi-digit codes. This segmentation allows the system to process complex information by breaking it down into manageable groups, improving information input capability while maintaining detectability through localized processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs periodic sampling of touch signals from each group of touch sensitive elements. By periodically detecting and analyzing the waveform patterns generated by each group, the system can distinguish between static and swiping touches through temporal pattern recognition, reducing the difficulty of detection despite increased information complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Measurement precision

If multiple touch sensitive elements are used to generate electronic waveforms, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetouch detection precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple touch sensitive elements within each group are electrically connected and functionally merged to collectively generate electronic waveforms. This merging approach allows the group to operate as a unified sensing unit, improving measurement precision through combined signal detection while reducing device complexity by sharing common processing resources and control circuitry across the group.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Each group of touch sensitive elements is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting static touches, detecting swiping touches, and generating multi-digit codes. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby improving measurement precision across different touch types while minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If the system distinguishes between static and swiping touches, then the reliability of user input is improved, but the processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of user inputVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary classification of touch signals by analyzing waveform characteristics immediately upon detection. By preliminarily identifying whether a touch is static or swiping based on initial waveform patterns, the system can route different touch types to appropriate processing paths, improving reliability of user input recognition while minimizing additional processing time through early decision-making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 solution enhances the accuracy and reliability of user input by effectively distinguishing between static and swiping touches, enabling precise identification of touch-sensitive elements and generating appropriate outputs, thus improving user interface interactions.

Implementation Method 1

The reader includes a generator configured to generate a signal that wirelessly powers the touch sensitive elements

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWireless power transfer: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

one or more groups of two or more touch sensitive elements arranged to generate electronic waveforms upon sensing a swiping touch

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitive sensing: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentUS11107153B2Interface including passive touch sensitive input device

Publication Date: 2021.08.31 GENESEE VALLEY INNOVATIONS LLC

AI summary

An input device includes one or more groups of two or more touch sensitive elements. Each group of two or more touch sensitive elements is arranged to generate a sequence of electronic waveforms corresponding to a multi-digit code that identifies the group in response to a swiping touch across the two or more touch sensitive elements.