Touchscreen False Input Filtering via Object Sensor Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Capacitive touchscreens often register false touch inputs due to contaminants like water or dirt, leading to undesired operations in electronic devices.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an object sensor system that detects the presence and location of objects on the touch input surface, allowing the processor to discard any touch inputs not corresponding to actual object locations, thereby distinguishing between true and false inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If capacitive touch sensor is used to detect touch inputs, then touch sensitivity is improved, but false touch inputs from contaminants like water or dirt increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an object sensor as an intermediary component that detects whether a real object is present at the touch location. This mediator validates touch inputs by cross-referencing touch sensor data with object sensor data, thereby filtering out false inputs from contaminants while preserving true touch sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using object sensor detection results to validate or reject touch sensor readings. When the object sensor does not detect a real object at the touch location, the system feeds back this information to discard the corresponding touch input, creating a closed-loop validation mechanism that reduces false inputs.
2Measurement precision
If object sensor is added to filter false touch inputs, then touch input accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The object sensor serves multiple functions: it detects the presence of real objects, validates touch input locations, and helps distinguish between genuine touches and false inputs from contaminants. This multi-functionality justifies the added component by providing comprehensive input validation without requiring separate systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric sensor placement where object sensors are positioned at specific locations (such as corners or edges) rather than uniformly across the entire touch surface. This asymmetric arrangement reduces the number of object sensors needed while maintaining effective validation coverage, thereby limiting the increase in device 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
This solution effectively filters out false touch inputs, ensuring that electronic devices only respond to intended user interactions, enhancing their functionality and accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
the or each object sensor is a light sensor
Data Source
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AI summary
An electronic device (100) comprises a touch input surface (200), a touch sensor arrangement, an object sensor (400), and a processor (101). The touch sensor arrangement detects a touch input on the touch input surface (200). The object sensor (400) obtains an indication of the location of an object (300) on the touch input surface (200) when a said object (300) is touching the touch input surface (200). The processor (101) is configured to discard any touch inputs to the touch input surface (200) that do not correspond to the location of an object (300) touching the touch input surface (200).