Touch Panel Nullification Region for Water Droplet Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrostatic capacitive touch panels incorrectly detect water droplets as user operations, especially when used in rainy conditions, due to water droplets collecting at the edge of the panel and being misinterpreted as touch inputs.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a nullification region along the side of the touch panel in a perpendicular direction, where water droplets are easily collected, and using a gravity sensor to adjust the position of this region based on the device's orientation, ensuring that water droplets are not mistakenly detected as user inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the electrostatic capacitive touch panel has high sensitivity for receiving hover operation, then the ability to detect finger operations (including glove-covered fingers) is improved, but the probability of incorrectly detecting water droplets as user operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The touch panel is divided into effective operation regions and nullification regions. The nullification regions are specifically positioned at areas where water droplets tend to collect (edges and corners), while the effective regions maintain full sensitivity for user operations. This segmentation allows the system to distinguish between legitimate touch inputs and water droplet interference.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the touch panel are assigned different functional properties. The nullification regions have reduced or zero sensitivity to prevent false detection of water droplets, while the effective operation regions maintain high sensitivity for accurate touch detection. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying appropriate sensitivity levels where needed.
2Reliability
If a nullification region is disposed along the side of the touch panel to prevent water droplet detection, then the reliability of touch input detection is improved, but the area available for user operation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The touch panel surface is segmented into effective operation regions and nullification regions. The nullification regions are strategically placed only at edges and corners where water droplets collect, while the central and majority areas remain fully operational. This minimizes the impact on usable area while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The nullification function is applied locally only where needed (at edges and corners prone to water accumulation) rather than across the entire panel. This localized approach preserves the operational area for user interactions while providing protection against false detection in specific high-risk zones.
3Device complexity
If the position of the nullification region is fixed, then the device structure is simplified, but the device cannot adapt to different orientations and the nullification effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The positions of the nullification regions are made dynamic rather than fixed. The system uses orientation detection (via gravity sensor or similar) to determine the current device orientation and automatically adjusts the nullification region positions accordingly. This allows the nullification regions to always be positioned at the appropriate edges and corners regardless of how the device is held or oriented.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback from orientation detection to continuously adjust the nullification region configuration. The orientation information feeds back to the control system, which then repositions the nullification regions to match the current device orientation, ensuring consistent effectiveness across all orientations.
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
Significantly reduces the likelihood of incorrectly detecting water droplets as user operations, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of touch input detection in various orientations and weather conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an electrostatic capacitive touch panel... determines a two-dimensional coordinate indicated by an instructing object which has some conductivity
Implementation Method 2
The gravity sensor enables detection of a perpendicular direction
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an electronic apparatus including a casing, a display unit, an electrostatic capacitive touch panel, a gravity sensor, and a step. The display unit is disposed in the casing, has a predetermined shape, and displays predetermined information. The electrostatic capacitive touch panel has a shape substantially the same as the predetermined shape and determines a two-dimensional coordinate indicated by an instructing object which has some conductivity and display of the display unit passes through the electrostatic capacitive touch panel. The gravity sensor enables detection of a perpendicular direction. The step is disposed along a side of the predetermined shape, is low on an inside of the predetermined shape and is high on an outside of the predetermined shape. A nullification region at which the two-dimensional coordinate is nullified is enabled to be disposed along the side and the nullification region is disposed along the side in a perpendicular direction.