Tilt Angle Contact Discrimination for Touch-Sensitive Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch-sensitive computing devices struggle to distinguish between intentional and unintentional contacts, leading to unwanted input from hand contact or other unintentional sources, which can result in stray marks or inadvertent gestures on the screen.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a tilt sensor to detect the angle of the touch-sensitive surface, allowing the contact discriminating process to modify its parameters or algorithm steps based on the detected tilt angle, thereby differentiating between intentional and unintentional contacts and rejecting unwanted input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If contact discrimination is performed without considering tilt angle, then the contact discrimination process is simple, but the accuracy of distinguishing intentional from unintentional contact is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by incorporating tilt angle detection as an additional parameter in the contact discrimination process. The tilt angle of the touch-sensitive surface is detected and used to modify the discrimination algorithm, allowing the system to distinguish intentional from unintentional contacts more accurately by considering the orientation context of the contact event.
Solution Approach 2:
The tilt sensor acts as an intermediary element that provides additional contextual information about the surface orientation. This intermediary measurement helps bridge the gap between raw contact data and meaningful contact discrimination, enabling more accurate identification of intentional versus unintentional contacts without requiring complex analysis of the contact data itself.
2Reliability
If tilt angle detection is added to improve contact discrimination, then the accuracy of distinguishing intentional contact is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tilt sensor serves multiple functions within the system: it detects the orientation of the touch-sensitive surface, provides contextual information for contact discrimination, and helps distinguish between intentional and unintentional contacts. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing a single component that performs several useful roles in improving input reliability.
3Productivity
If the contact discriminating process is simplified, then the processing speed is fast, but the ability to reject unintentional contact is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting the tilt angle in advance of contact discrimination. This pre-detection of surface orientation allows the contact discrimination algorithm to be pre-configured with appropriate thresholds and parameters based on the tilt state, enabling faster processing during actual contact events without sacrificing discrimination accuracy.
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 approach effectively reduces false acceptance and rejection of contact data, improving the responsiveness and accuracy of touch interactions by adapting to the orientation of the touch-sensitive surface, thus enhancing the user experience by minimizing unintended inputs.
Implementation Method 1
A tilt sensor, such as, but not limited to, an accelerometer device is capable of detecting a tilt angle of the touch-sensitive surface
Data Source
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AI summary
A computing device receives electronic data generated by a touch-sensitive surface in response to a contact made with the touch-sensitive surface, and a tilt sensor detects a tilt angle of the touch-sensitive surface. The tilt angle is indicative of an angular displacement between a reference plane defined by the touch-sensitive surface in a reference position and a current plane defined by the touch-sensitive surface in a current position. A parameter or other aspect of an automated contact discriminating process is modified based at least in part on the detected tilt angle of the touch-sensitive surface. The contact discriminating process determines whether the contact made with the touch-sensitive surface is intentional or not intentional. In response to determining that the contact is intentional, the electronic data is accepted as valid input for further processing. In response to determining that the contact is not intentional, the electronic data is rejected for further processing.