Adaptive touch panel synchronization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9354744-B2
Application number	US-201414299173-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2014
Priority date	Jun 9, 2014
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium having instructions to receive a touch event originating from a touch panel; compare a timing of the touch event and a timing of a display refresh event; determine whether to adjust a time during which a next scan of the touch panel occurs based on a comparison of the timing of the touch event and the timing of the display refresh event; calculate a time value that indicates when the next scan occurs based on a determination to adjust the time; and adjust the time during which the next scan occurs based on the time value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a user device, a touch event originating from a touch panel;
comparing, by the user device, a timing of the touch event and a timing of a display refresh event;
determining, by the user device, whether to adjust a time during which a next scan of the touch panel occurs based on the comparing;
calculating, by the user device, a time value that indicates when the next scan occurs based on determining to adjust the time; and
adjusting, by the user device, the time during which the next scan occurs based on the time value,
wherein the determining comprises:
calculating a time difference between the timing of the touch event and the timing of the display refresh event;
comparing the time difference to a timing window that indicates a timing range;
determining whether the time difference falls outside of the timing window; and
adjusting the time during which the next scan occurs based on determining that the time difference falls outside of the timing window.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining display refresh events;
calculating a display refresh rate based on the obtaining; and
setting a scan rate for the touch panel based on the display rate.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining a type of application to which the touch event pertains; and
determining whether to increase the scan rate, decrease the scan rate, or maintain the scan rate based on the type of application.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
obtaining scan rate events pertaining to the touch panel;
calculating an estimated scan rate based on obtaining the scan rate events; and
setting the scan rate based on the display refresh rate and the estimated scan rate.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining a battery level of the user device; and
setting the scan rate based on the battery level.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing the time value in a register, wherein the time value is a time offset value or a timestamp value; and
using the time value to set the time during which the next scan occurs.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display refresh event varies stochastically.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time difference is based on at least an initial phase difference between the display refresh event and the touch event.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the time difference is additionally based on a load on a processor.

10. A user device comprising:
a memory, wherein the memory stores software; and
a processor, wherein the processor executes the software to:
receive a touch event originating from a touch panel;
compare a timing of the touch event and a timing of a display refresh event;
determine whether to adjust a time during which a next scan of the touch panel occurs based on a comparison of the timing of the touch event and the timing of the display refresh event;
calculate a time value that indicates when the next scan occurs based on a determination to adjust the time; and

adjust the time during which the next scan occurs based on the time value, wherein the processor further executes the software to:
calculate a time difference between the timing of the touch event and the timing of the display refresh event;
compare the time difference to a timing window that indicates a timing range;
determine whether the time difference falls outside of the timing window; and
adjust the time during which the next scan occurs based on a determination that the time difference falls outside of the timing window.

11. The user device of claim 10 , wherein the software includes an operating system of the user device.

12. The user device of claim 11 , wherein the operating system includes a choreographer.

13. The user device of claim 10 , wherein the processor further executes the software to:
obtain display refresh events;
calculate a display refresh rate based on the obtained display refresh events; and
set a scan rate for the touch panel based on the display rate, wherein the obtained display refresh events correspond to vertical synchronization signals.

14. The user device of claim 13 , wherein the processor further executes the software to:
determine a type of application to which the touch event pertains; and
determine whether to increase the scan rate, decrease the scan rate, or maintain the scan rate based on the type of application.

15. The user device of claim 10 , wherein the touch panel includes a panel with at least one of touch or touchless capabilities, and the user device further comprising:
the touch panel; and
a display.

16. The user device of claim 10 , wherein the user device is a mobile communicative device.

17. A non-transitory storage medium that stores instructions executable by a processor of a computational device, which when executed, cause the computational device to:
receive an input event originating from an input device;
compare a timing of the input event and a timing of a display refresh event;
determine whether to adjust a time during which a next scan or sampling of the input device occurs based on a comparison of the timing of the input event and the timing of the display refresh event;
calculate a time value that indicates when the next scan or sampling occurs based on a determination to adjust the time; and
adjust the time during which the next scan or sampling occurs based on the time value,
wherein the instructions comprise instructions to:
calculate a time difference between the timing of the input event and the timing of the display refresh event;
compare the time difference to a timing window;
determine whether the time difference falls outside of the timing window; and
adjust the time during which the next scan or sampling occurs based on a determination that the time difference falls outside of the timing window.

18. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions comprise instructions to:
obtain display refresh events pertaining to a display;
calculate a display refresh rate based on the obtained display refresh events; and
set a scan rate or a sampling rate for the input device based on the display refresh rate, wherein the obtained display refresh events correspond to vertical synchronization signals.

19. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions comprise instructions to:
determine a type of application to which the input event pertains; and
determine whether to increase the scan rate or the sampling rate, decrease the scan rate or the sampling rate, or maintain the scan rate or the sampling rate based on the type of application, wherein the input device is one of a touch panel, a mouse, a tracking ball, or a sensor.

20. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions comprise instructions to:
obtain scan rate events or sampling events pertaining to the input device;
calculate an estimated scan rate or an estimated sampling rate based on the scan rate events or the sampling events; and
set the scan rate or the sampling rate based on the display refresh rate and the estimated scan rate or the estimated sampling rate.

Assignees

• Sony Corp
• Sony Mobile Comm Inc

Inventors

• Johansson Magnus Ola
• Midholt Magnus
• Moliner Olivier Thierry Nicolas
• Hunt Alexander Leonard

Classifications

• G09G2310/08

  Details of timing specific for flat panels, other than clock recovery · CPC title

• G09G3/20

  for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix {no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters} · CPC title

• G06F3/0416 Primary

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• G06F3/04166 Primary

  Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving (Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184) · CPC title