Touch input processing method that adjusts touch sensitivity based on the state of a touch object and electronic device for supporting the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9904409-B2
Application number	US-201615095413-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2016
Priority date	Apr 15, 2015
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A method and electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a first touch sensor and a processor. The processor implements the method, which includes detecting, via a first touch sensor of the electronic device, sensor information from a touch object, determining, via a processor of the electronic device, a state of the touch object based on analysis of the detected sensor information, and adjusting a touch sensitivity for the electronic device according to the determined state of the object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a touch screen;
a first touch sensor disposed on the electronic device separately from the touch screen; and
a processor configured to:
detect contact between the first touch sensor and a touch object generating sensor information,
determine a state of the touch object based on analysis of the generated sensor information, and
adjust a touch sensitivity for the touch screen according to the determined state of the touch object from the contact to the first touch sensor.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first touch sensor comprises at least one of a fingerprint recognition sensor, a tactile sensor, a pH concentration sensor, and a touch sensor.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the touch screen to display a visual guide for indicating an area outside an edge of the touch screen corresponding to the first touch sensor disposed separately from the touch screen, and
wherein determining the state of the touch object further comprises:
comparing the generated sensor information to normal state information for the touch object to detect whether a foreign material is present between the touch object and the first touch sensor,
wherein pattern information of the foreign material includes at least one of pH concentration corresponding to the foreign material, surface state information corresponding to the foreign material, electrical conductivity information of the foreign material, and frequency spectrum information of the foreign material, and
wherein the pattern information is detected via the first touch sensor and included in the generated sensor information.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a display, wherein the processor is further configured to adjust a touch area of display objects outputted to the display according to the determined state of the touch object.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to change at least one of a size and position of the display objects to correspond to the touch area.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a display, wherein the processor is further configured to:
control the display to display a touch function selection object including at least one item corresponding to a configurable state of the touch object,
in response to detecting selection of at last one item from the touch function selection object, set a touch sensitivity of the touch screen according to the configurable state of the touch object corresponding to the selected item.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the processor controls the display to display the touch function selection object in response to detecting at least one of:
activation of the display from a deactivated state,
activation of touch input processing function from a deactivated state,
selection of a specific physical button of the electronic device,
execution of a specific application program of the electronic device is executed,
detection of a request generated by the specific application program,
detection of an input to a predetermined area of the display generated by the touch object,
detecting of movement of the touch object in one of a predetermined direction and a predetermined distance within a predetermined time, and
detection of one of movement and rotation of the electronic device at a predetermined interval in a predetermined direction for a predetermined number of times.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
in response to detecting lapse of a pre-specified time period, update the determined state of the touch object by detecting additional sensor information via the first touch sensor and adjust the touch sensitivity according to the updated determined state,
wherein the pre-specified time period indicates a time interval for re-determining the state of the touch object.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a display wherein the processor is further configured to control the display to display an icon indicating the determined state of the touch object in a predetermined area of the display,
wherein at least one of a form, color, and size of the icon changes corresponding to a change in the determined state of the touch object.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein in response to detecting a change to the determined state of the touch object, the processor is further configured to execute at least one of:
controlling a display of the electronic device to display an object including at least one of a text, an image, or an icon indicating the change to the determined state of the touch object, and
controlling a voice output device of the electronic device to audibly produce voice information indicating the change to the determined state of the touch object.

11. A method in an electronic device, comprising:
detecting contact between a first touch sensor of the electronic device and a touch object the first touch sensor disposed separately from a touch screen of the electronic device,
generating sensor information by the first touch sensor from the contact of the touch object;
determining, via a processor of the electronic device, a state of the touch object based on analysis of the generated sensor information; and
adjusting a touch sensitivity of the touch screen according to the determined state of the object.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor information is detected in response to an approach or contact of the touch object to the first touch sensor which comprises at least one of a fingerprint recognition sensor, a tactile sensor, a pH concentration sensor, and a touch sensor.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising controlling the touch screen to display a visual guide indicating an area outside an edge of the touch screen corresponding to the first touch sensor disposed separately from the touch screen; and
wherein determining the state of the touch object further comprises:
comparing the generated sensor information to normal state information for the touch object to detect whether a foreign material is present between the touch object and the first touch sensor;
wherein pattern information of the foreign material includes at least one of pH concentration corresponding to the foreign material, surface state information corresponding to the foreign material, electrical conductivity information of the foreign material, and frequency spectrum information of the foreign material; and
wherein the pattern information is detected via the first touch sensor and included in the generated sensor information.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the state of the touch object further comprises:
displaying a touch function selection object including at least one item corresponding to a configurable state of the touch object; and
in response to detecting selection of the at least one item from the touch function selection object, setting the touch sensitivity of the touch screen according to the configurable state of the touch object corresponding to the selected at least one item.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the touch function selection object is displayed in response to at least one of:
activation of the display from a deactivated state,
activation of touch input processing function from a deactivated state,
selection of a specific physical button of the electronic device,
execution of a specific application program of the electronic device is execut

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Sung Jun
• Kim Min Jung
• Huh Won

Classifications

• G06F3/0488 Primary

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title

• G06F3/0416 Primary

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F2203/0338

  Fingerprint track pad, i.e. fingerprint sensor used as pointing device tracking the fingertip image · CPC title

• G06F3/0412

  Digitisers structurally integrated in a display · CPC title