Touch Screen Selectivity via Body Signal Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current touch screen technologies face challenges in distinguishing between intentional user touches and unintentional touches, such as water droplets, leading to potential misclassification and inappropriate device responses.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating additional drive electrodes that apply a signal to the user's body, allowing the touch screen to classify touches based on the characteristics of the signal detected, thereby differentiating between intentional and unintentional inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If additional drive electrodes are added to apply signals for touch classification, then touch classification accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The additional drive electrodes are integrated into the existing touch screen structure, allowing the same electrode structure to serve both as touch sensing elements and as signal application elements for classification. This multi-functionality approach improves touch classification accuracy without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the touch sensing function and the signal application function into a unified electrode system. The drive electrodes are merged with the touch screen structure, enabling simultaneous touch detection and user body signal application for classification purposes.
2Reliability
If drive electrodes apply signals to differentiate user touches from unintentional contacts, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode structure is segmented into distinct drive electrodes and sense electrodes, with each segment having a specific function. The drive electrodes are positioned and configured separately to apply signals, while sense electrodes detect touches, enabling reliable classification without overly complicating the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes electrical parameter changes (signal frequency, amplitude, phase) applied by the drive electrodes to differentiate between user touches and unintentional contacts. By modifying electrical parameters rather than physical structure, the system achieves improved reliability with manageable manufacturing complexity.
3Measurement precision
If signal characteristics are used to classify touches, then measurement precision is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the signal characteristics from the drive electrodes and adjusting the classification process accordingly. The detected signal characteristics (frequency response, phase shift, amplitude modulation) are fed back to the classification algorithm, improving touch detection precision through iterative refinement.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive electrodes apply periodic signals at specific frequencies, and the system analyzes the periodic response characteristics to classify touches. By using periodic action, the system can distinguish user touches from unintentional contacts based on the rhythmic signal patterns, improving precision with manageable processing complexity.
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
Effectively improves the accuracy of touch classification, ensuring that only intentional user inputs trigger device operations while ignoring unintentional contacts like water droplets, enhancing user experience and device reliability in various environments.
Implementation Method 1
additional drive electrodes separate from the touch screen. The additional drive electrodes can apply a signal to the body of the user
Implementation Method 2
In some capacitive-type touch sensing systems, fringing electrical fields used to detect touch can extend beyond the surface of the display
Data Source
AI summary
In some examples, an electronic device can classify patches of touch data obtained by a touch screen as corresponding to intentional user inputs or not corresponding to intentional user inputs. The device can include a touch screen on a first side of housing of the device and a drive electrode on a second side of the housing of the device in some examples. In some examples, the drive electrode on the second side of the housing of the device can apply a signal to the body of the user and the device can classify patches of touch data including characteristics of this signal as corresponding to intentional touches provided by the user. The device can perform subsequent operations in response to intentional touches provided by the user and forgo performing operations in response to patches of touch data that do not correspond to intentional touches provided by the user.