Touch Controller Segmentation for Always-On Display Interaction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices in an inactive or sleep state cannot receive touch inputs on GUI objects displayed on the touchscreen, as the touch sensor is inoperative, requiring the device to be activated to select these objects.
Innovation Solution
A method to recognize effective touches on a touchscreen display when the device is in an inactive state by defining a touch recognition area and using a touch controller to detect and process touch inputs, allowing selection of GUI objects without activating the device fully.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the touch sensor is activated to enable touch input recognition, then the user can interact with GUI objects, but the power consumption increases and the device cannot remain in low-power state
Solution Approach 1:
The display area is divided into a first area for always-on display content and a second area for touch interaction. The touch sensor is segmented to operate independently in the second area while remaining inactive in the first area, allowing touch recognition without full activation of the touch sensor system.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the display have different functional properties. The first area maintains always-on visual display capability with inactive touch sensing, while the second area enables touch input recognition. This local differentiation allows touch interaction in specific regions without activating the entire touch sensor system.
2Ease of operation
If the device is activated to allow touch sensor operation, then touch inputs can be received, but the always-on display functionality is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The operational state of the touch sensor is segmented into active and inactive regions corresponding to the second and first display areas. This segmentation allows the always-on display to maintain continuous operation in the first area while the touch sensor operates only in the second area when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch sensor in the second area is activated periodically or on-demand rather than continuously. The controller enables touch sensor operation in the second area only when touch input is detected or needed, while maintaining always-on display in the first area, thus balancing continuous display functionality with periodic touch interaction capability.
3Measurement precision
If a specific area for touch recognition is defined, then touch input accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is configured to recognize touch inputs only in the second area, which is a specific segment of the display. This spatial segmentation simplifies the control logic by limiting touch recognition to a defined region, reducing the complexity of processing touches across the entire display area.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller applies different operational characteristics to different areas: the first area has always-on display with no touch recognition, while the second area has touch input recognition enabled. This local quality differentiation simplifies the overall control system by creating clear, distinct operational zones rather than requiring complex global control logic.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electronic device includes a processor, a touch sensor, and a touch controller including a register. The processor writes, into the register, data associated with a partial area of the touch sensor specified to sense an effective touch. When the effective touch is sensed in the partial area of the touch sensor, the touch controller writes data associated with the effective touch into the register, and the processor reads the data associated with the effective touch from the register when the data associated with the effective touch is written in the register.