Touch Panel Data Processing via MCU Intermediary for Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing touch panel systems consume excessive power due to the application processor (AP) being unable to enter a deep sleep state, as it constantly processes touch data, leading to increased load and power consumption, even when there are no tasks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a microcontroller unit (MCU) to pre-process and filter touch data from the touch panel, allowing the AP to enter a sleep state while the MCU processes touch data, and using a dedicated touch data channel for efficient transmission, enabling the MCU to recognize effective touch events and filter out ineffective ones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the AP directly processes touch data from the touch panel, then the touch response is timely, but the AP cannot enter a deep sleep state, increasing power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an MCU as an intermediary component between the touch panel and the AP. The MCU collects and pre-processes touch data, filtering out invalid data before transmitting to the AP. This mediator allows the AP to enter deep sleep state while still maintaining reliable touch response processing, as the MCU handles initial data collection and filtering independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the MCU perform pre-processing of touch data before it reaches the AP. The MCU collects raw touch data, filters invalid data, and prepares processed data in advance. This preliminary processing ensures that when the AP wakes up, it receives ready-to-use valid touch data, maintaining response reliability while enabling power savings during sleep state.
2Productivity
If the AP processes all touch data without filtering, then no touch events are missed, but the AP load increases, preventing deep sleep state
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by having the MCU extract and filter out invalid touch data before transmitting to the AP. The MCU examines raw touch data, identifies and removes invalid data points, and only transmits valid touch events to the AP. This extraction of unnecessary data reduces the processing burden on the AP, improving processing efficiency and enabling the AP to enter deep sleep state when no valid touch events are present.
Solution Approach 2:
The MCU performs preliminary filtering and validation of touch data before it reaches the AP. By pre-processing the data and removing invalid entries in advance, the system reduces the amount of data the AP needs to process, thereby improving overall processing efficiency and reducing power consumption during active states.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the AP enters a deep sleep state to save power, then power consumption decreases, but the AP cannot process touch data timely, affecting user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The MCU serves as an intermediary that maintains touch data processing functionality even when the AP is in deep sleep state. The MCU independently collects and pre-processes touch data, so when the AP wakes up, it can immediately process valid touch events without delay. This intermediary approach allows the system to achieve both low power consumption during sleep and timely processing when active.
Solution Approach 2:
The MCU performs preliminary data collection and filtering in advance, preparing processed touch data before the AP needs to wake up for processing. This preliminary action ensures that when the AP becomes active, it can immediately process ready-to-use valid touch events, maintaining processing speed while allowing the AP to remain in low-power state longer.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for processing data collected by a touch panel, and a terminal device, so that power consumption of a device can be reduced. In the embodiments of the present invention, a touch panel communicates with an application processor by establishing a dedicated channel by using an MCU, instead of directly communicating with the application processor. The method in the embodiments of the present invention includes: obtaining, by the MCU, touch data from the touch panel; and pre-processing the touch data, and sending the pre-processed touch data to the application processor. The MCU pre-processes the touch data of the touch panel to filter ineffective touch data, and then sends effective touch data to the application processor. Therefore, the MCU can process the touch data of the touch panel anytime when the application processor enters a sleep state, and can filter the touch data, so that the application processor is not wakened up by an ineffective touch event when the application processor enters a sleep state, thereby reducing load of the application processor, and reducing power consumption of a device.