Touch Screen Wake-Up Mechanism for Portable Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional portable electronic devices require a physical key to wake up the central processor from sleep mode, which complicates touch screen usage and hinders the achievement of small size and large screen size designs due to the need for dedicated hardware space.

Innovation Solution

A portable electronic device design where the central processor can be woken up directly through a touch screen by sensing touches on specific areas of the touch screen, utilizing electrodes and a micro processing unit to generate a wake-up signal, eliminating the need for a physical key.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a physical key is used to wake up the central processor from sleep mode, then the processor can be reliably woken up, but the device size increases and screen size is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewake-up reliabilityVSAvoidscreen area

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the wake-up function with the touch screen by making the touch screen itself capable of generating wake-up signals. The touch screen is divided into functional areas including a first area for normal operation and a second area specifically for waking up the processor. This eliminates the need for separate physical keys while maintaining reliable wake-up functionality through the integrated touch interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The touch screen is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both the display interface and the wake-up mechanism. By configuring specific areas of the touch screen to generate wake-up signals, the device achieves multi-functionality without requiring additional hardware components, thereby maximizing screen area while ensuring reliable processor wake-up.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If a physical key is used to wake up the central processor, then the wake-up function is simple and reliable, but the device complexity increases due to additional hardware

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewake-up functionVSAvoidhardware complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the wake-up function from the traditional physical key hardware and relocates it to the touch screen software/firmware layer. By configuring specific touch screen areas to generate wake-up signals, the invention eliminates the need for separate physical key hardware while maintaining the reliability of the wake-up function through software-controlled touch detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the mechanical physical key system with an electronic touch-based system. Instead of using mechanical switches or buttons, the touch screen uses electrical signals generated by touch detection in specific areas to trigger processor wake-up, thereby reducing mechanical hardware complexity while maintaining functional reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Area of stationary object

If the touch screen is used to wake up the processor directly, then the device size can be reduced and screen area increased, but the touch screen usage complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescreen areaVSAvoidtouch screen operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the touch screen into distinct functional areas: a first area for normal touch operations and a second area specifically for wake-up functionality. This segmentation allows users to intuitively understand that touching different areas serves different purposes, simplifying operation despite the multi-functional nature of the touch screen. The clear spatial differentiation maintains ease of use while maximizing screen area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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

Enables power-saving wake-up of the central processor through the touch screen, simplifying usage and allowing for miniaturization and expansion of screen size without physical keys, thus enhancing user interaction and device design.

Implementation Method 1

the touch screen includes a first touch area overlaid on the display area of the display, a second touch area extending to outside of the display area, and at least one electrode

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitive sensing: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentUS9075474B2Portable electronic device and method for waking up the same from sleep mode through touch screen

Publication Date: 2015.07.07 HTC CORP

AI summary

A portable electronic device including a touch screen, a micro processing unit, a central processor and a display is provided. The central processor can operate in a normal operation mode or a sleep mode. The touch screen overlays the display, and includes a first touch area, a second touch area and at least one electrode. When the central processor operates in the sleep mode and one of the first and second touch areas senses a touch, the at least one electrode generates a touch signal. The micro processing unit determines whether the touch is sensed by the first or the second touch area according to the touch signal. If the touch is sensed by the second touch area, the micro processing unit outputs a wake-up signal to the central processing unit, so as to switch the central processor from the sleep mode to the normal operation mode.