Touch Panel Position Detection During Interrupt Failure

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pressed position detection devices for touch panels in vehicles fail to detect a pressed position when an interrupt does not occur normally, leading to user inconvenience and inability to perform subsequent processing, particularly for critical operation buttons under ISO26262 standards.

Innovation Solution

A position detection device that includes a touch panel with an interrupt signal outputter and a contact position specifier that periodically specifies contact positions, even in the absence of an interrupt, ensuring detection of contact positions on specific operation areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If interrupt-based contact position detection is used, then response speed is improved, but reliability deteriorates when interrupt fails to occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse speedVSAvoiddetection reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic action by having the contact position specifier continuously or periodically specify contact positions even when no interrupt occurs. This ensures that the system maintains detection capability through regular polling rather than relying solely on event-driven interrupts, thereby improving reliability while preserving response speed through efficient periodic checking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Productivity

If interrupt signal is used for contact detection, then processing efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to interrupt handling requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidinterrupt handling complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the contact position specifier to automatically specify contact positions at predetermined cycles without requiring complex interrupt handling logic. This preliminary setup simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining processing efficiency through the pre-established detection mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Use of energy by moving object

If contact position is specified only upon interrupt, then energy consumption is reduced, but reliability deteriorates in case of interrupt failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoiddetection reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic action by having the contact position specifier continuously or periodically specify contact positions even when no interrupt occurs. This ensures that the system maintains detection capability through regular polling rather than relying solely on event-driven interrupts, thereby improving reliability while preserving response speed through efficient periodic checking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS12504846B2Position detection device with notification of interrupt failure upon pressing abutton

Publication Date: 2025.12.23 ALPS ALPINE CO LTD

AI summary

A position detection device includes: a touch panel disposed on a display screen of a display device; an interrupt signal outputter configured to output an interrupt signal in response to a detection of a contact of an indicator with respect to the touch panel; and a contact position specifier. The contact position specifier specifies, in a case of no displaying of a specific operation area on the display screen, a contact position of the indicator using the touch panel in response to an output of the interrupt signal, or specifies, in a case of displaying of the specific operation area on the display screen, a contact position of the indicator using the touch panel at a predetermined cycle.