Touch Sensing Device for Wearables
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wearable devices face challenges with mechanical switches, including bulkiness, electrical safety concerns, and difficulty in achieving waterproof and dustproof designs, as well as issues with recognizing continuous slide touch patterns.
Innovation Solution
A touch sensing device with a housing featuring multiple touch members, a touch sensing unit, an oscillation circuit unit, and a signal processor that generates and processes capacitive and inductive sensing signals to recognize slide touch patterns, enabling efficient operation of camera and game functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If mechanical switches are used in wearable devices, then switch functions can be implemented, but the device becomes bulky and cannot achieve sleek or integrated designs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical switches with electronic touch sensing devices that use capacitive or resistive sensing elements. These sensing elements are integrated directly into the display or housing, eliminating the need for mechanical components and enabling sleek, integrated designs while maintaining switch functionality through software-based input recognition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the sensing function from mechanical components and implements it through separate sensing layers or elements that can be integrated into the display structure. This allows the switching function to be achieved without mechanical parts, enabling thinner and more elegant device designs.
2Reliability
If mechanical switches are used, then touch input function is available, but electrical shock risk increases due to direct contact with electrically connected components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary sensing layer that detects touch inputs without requiring direct electrical contact between the user and the circuitry. The capacitive or resistive sensing elements detect touch through changes in electrical properties caused by the user's proximity or contact, eliminating direct exposure to high-voltage components and reducing electrical shock risk.
3Reliability
If mechanical switches are used, then switch functionality is achieved, but waterproof and dustproof construction becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical switches with electronic touch sensing elements that have no moving parts or openings. The sensing layers are sealed within the device structure, allowing the entire surface to be made waterproof and dustproof without compromising switch functionality, as the sensing mechanism works through capacitive or resistive changes detectable even through sealed surfaces.
4Adaptability or versatility
If conventional electronic touch sensing devices are used, then basic touch input is achieved, but slide touch patterns cannot be recognized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous sampling and tracking of touch sensor outputs during a touch event. The system monitors the touch signal over time and across multiple sensing elements, maintaining continuous detection of touch position and pressure changes. This enables the recognition of slide patterns by tracking the continuous movement of the touch across the sensing surface, rather than treating each touch as a discrete event.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback from the touch sensing system to dynamically adjust detection parameters and recognize patterns. By analyzing the sequence, duration, and trajectory of touch signals across multiple sensing elements, the system can identify specific slide patterns and trigger corresponding functions, enabling versatile gesture recognition with conventional sensing hardware.
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
The solution allows for sleek and elegant wearable device designs, enhances user interface functionality by accurately recognizing slide touch patterns, and ensures safety and water/dust resistance.
Implementation Method 1
The touch sensing unit may be further configured to perform capacitive sensing and inductive sensing based on the touch applied to the plurality of touch members
Implementation Method 2
The touch sensing unit may be further configured to perform capacitive sensing and inductive sensing based on the touch applied to the plurality of touch members
Implementation Method 3
The oscillation circuit unit may be further configured to generate a plurality of contact sensing signals based on the capacitive sensing, and a plurality of force sensing signals based on the inductive sensing
Implementation Method 4
The oscillation circuit unit may be further configured to generate a plurality of contact sensing signals based on the capacitive sensing, and a plurality of force sensing signals based on the inductive sensing
Data Source
AI summary
A touch sensing device employed in an electronic device having a housing including a plurality of touch members, includes a touch sensing unit disposed in the housing and including a plurality of touch sensors configured to perform touch sensing based on a touch applied to any one or any two or more of the plurality of touch members; an oscillation circuit unit configured to generate a plurality of touch sensing signals based on the touch sensing; and a signal processor configured to perform a slide mode, when any one of the plurality of touch sensing signals is a slide mode start touch, to determine whether a slide touch pattern input based on the plurality of touch sensing signals is a preset slide touch pattern.