Touch Screen Input Confirmation via Capacitive and Force Sensor Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current touch screen systems, particularly in vehicles, face challenges in confirming user inputs effectively, leading to potential misinterpretation of inputs due to lack of robust confirmation mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The integration of capacitive sensors and force sensors in a touch screen system, with a processor that utilizes both types of sensing data to confirm inputs by determining the proximity of input locations and center of gravity, ensuring accurate implementation of user inputs for vehicle functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If only capacitive sensors are used for touch screen input detection, then the system is simpler and less costly, but input confirmation accuracy deteriorates due to inability to distinguish false inputs from valid inputs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines capacitive sensors and force sensors into a unified touch detection system. The capacitive sensors detect touch location while force sensors detect pressure magnitude, and their data are merged through coordinate transformation and correlation analysis to achieve accurate input confirmation that distinguishes valid inputs from false positives.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces coordinate transformation and correlation analysis as intermediary processes between the sensor data and input confirmation. The capacitive coordinates are transformed into force sensor coordinate systems, and correlation analysis serves as a mediator to determine whether detected inputs are valid, thereby improving accuracy without requiring direct complex sensor integration.
2Reliability
If multiple force sensors are added to confirm inputs, then input accuracy improves through better validation, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the force detection function across multiple sensors positioned at different locations (corners and edges of the display). Each force sensor independently measures pressure at its location, and the system correlates these segmented measurements with capacitive touch data to validate inputs, improving reliability while maintaining manageable complexity through modular sensor placement.
3Measurement precision
If force sensing is used to confirm capacitive inputs, then false positives are reduced, but the system requires additional sensors and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using force sensor measurements to validate and confirm capacitive touch inputs. The force detection provides feedback on whether a detected capacitive input is genuine or a false positive, with the correlation analysis comparing expected force patterns against actual measurements to confirm valid inputs and reject false positives.
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
This solution enhances the accuracy of input confirmation, reducing false positives and negatives, and ensures that only valid user inputs are implemented, improving the reliability of touch screen systems in vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
one or more capacitive sensors coupled to the display screen and configured to generate capacitive sensing data pertaining to possible inputs from a user of the touch screen system
Implementation Method 2
one or more force sensors configured to generate force sensing data pertaining to the possible inputs for use in confirming the possible inputs from the capacitive sensing data
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a touch screen system is provided that includes a housing, a display screen, one or more capacitive sensors, and one or more force sensors. The display screen is mounted on the housing. The one or more capacitive sensors are coupled to the display screen, and are configured to generate capacitive sensing data pertaining to possible inputs from a user of the touch screen system. The one or more force sensors are configured to generate force sensing data pertaining to the possible inputs for use in confirming the possible inputs from the capacitive sensing data.