Touch Input Processing via Intensity and Duration Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for processing touch inputs on electronic devices with touch-sensitive surfaces are cumbersome and inefficient, leading to increased energy consumption and battery drain in battery-operated devices.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of methods and interfaces that detect intensity and duration of touch inputs to differentiate between various gestures, such as long press, pan, and tap, allowing for customized processing and reducing unnecessary inputs, thereby optimizing processing power and conserving battery life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If conventional touch input processing methods are used, then all touch inputs are processed uniformly, but this leads to increased energy consumption and battery drain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidtouch input processing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of touch input processing by detecting and responding to different touch characteristics (intensity, duration, location) rather than treating all touches uniformly. This allows the system to adjust processing depth and energy consumption based on the specific touch parameters detected, resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and operational effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by selectively processing only the necessary portion of touch inputs based on their characteristics. For example, light accidental touches receive minimal processing while deliberate firm presses receive full processing, thereby reducing overall energy consumption without compromising user experience for valid inputs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Productivity

If all touch inputs are processed uniformly, then simple operations work correctly, but complex operations require excessive inputs and time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation efficiencyVSAvoidtime for completing operations

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic touch input processing where the system adapts its response based on real-time detection of touch characteristics. The processing behavior changes dynamically according to touch intensity, duration, and location, allowing complex operations to be completed more efficiently without requiring multiple uniform processing steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary detection and classification of touch inputs before full processing. By预先 identifying deliberate versus accidental touches and determining the intended operation type, the system can prepare and execute appropriate responses more quickly, reducing the time needed to complete operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If intensive processing is applied to all touch inputs, then accuracy is maintained, but processing power and memory are wasted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinput detection accuracyVSAvoidprocessing power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating processing intensity based on the specific characteristics of each touch input. Deliberate touches with specific intensity and duration patterns receive full accurate processing, while accidental or ambiguous touches receive reduced processing or are filtered out, thereby maintaining reliability for valid inputs while reducing overall processing power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Ease of operation

If the system responds to every touch input, then user interactions are acknowledged, but battery life is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interface responsivenessVSAvoidbattery life

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and filters out accidental or unnecessary touch inputs from the stream of user interactions. By detecting characteristic patterns of deliberate touches versus accidental contacts, the system selectively responds only to valid user intentions, maintaining interface responsiveness for genuine user actions while eliminating unnecessary processing that would drain battery life.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11182017B2Devices and methods for processing touch inputs based on their intensities

Publication Date: 2021.11.23 APPLE INC

AI summary

An electronic device with a display, a touch-sensitive surface, and one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface displays a first user interface of a first software application, detects an input on the touch-sensitive surface while displaying the first user interface, and, in response to detecting the input while displaying the first user interface, performs a first operation in accordance with a determination that the input satisfies intensity input criteria including that the input satisfies a first intensity threshold and the input remains on the touch-sensitive surface for a first predefined time period, and performs a second operation in accordance with a determination that the input satisfies tap criteria including that the input ceases to remain on the touch-sensitive surface during the first predefined time period.