IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,122,332
Granted Patent B2
US 9,122,332 · App. 13/843,346 · Granted Sep 1, 2015

Automatic detection for touch through glove

Inventors: Yuk Lun Li (Morganville, NJ); Xin Ren (Warren, NJ); John Chin (Upper Montclair, NJ)
Assignee: Cellco Partnership
G06F3/041
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,122,332
App. No.
13/843,346
Granted
Sep 1, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Aspects of the subject technology relate to a device including a touch-screen configured to detect user engagement with a surface of the touch-screen and output one or more signals corresponding with the user touch engagement. In certain aspects, the device further includes a touch sense controller coupled to the touch-screen, wherein the touch sense controller is configured to receive the one or more signals corresponding with the user engagement and to determine a mode of user engagement with the surface of the touch-screen based on the one or more signals. A method and touch sense controller are also provided.

Claims (42)

1. A device, comprising:

a touch-screen configured to detect user touch engagement with a surface of the touch-screen and output one or more signals corresponding with the user touch engagement; and

a touch sense controller coupled to the touch-screen, wherein the touch sense controller is configured to perform functions, including functions to:

receive the one or more signals corresponding with the user touch engagement,

determine a mode of user engagement with the surface of the touch-screen based on the one or more signals and acoustic touch-interaction information, wherein the acoustic touch-interaction information includes information used to distinguish sounds produced in a first mode of user engagement and a second mode of user engagement, and

select a sensitivity of the touch sense controller, from among a plurality of sensitivities of the touch sense controller, based on the determined mode of user engagement with the surface of the touch-screen.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the touch sense controller is further configured to select a high-sensitivity mode associated with the touch-screen, as the selected sensitivity, if the mode of user engagement corresponds with a gloved operation mode.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the touch sense controller is further configured to select a low-sensitivity mode associated with the touch-screen, as the selected sensitivity, if the mode of user engagement corresponds with an ungloved operation mode.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the function to determine the mode of user engagement with the surface of the touch-screen comprises:

comparing the one or more signals corresponding with the user engagement to a heuristic model of user interaction with the surface of the touch-screen.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the heuristic model is based on one or more of: capacitive change data, surface area contact data, or acoustic touch-interaction data.

6. The device of claim 4 , wherein the heuristic model is based on one or more of: a time, a location, or a motion profile associated with the device.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a manual override signal for toggling the touch-screen between a high-sensitivity mode and a low-sensitivity mode.

8. A method, comprising steps of:

receiving, at a touch sense controller, one or more signals associated with a user touch engagement with a touch-screen;

determining, based on acoustic touch-interaction information, a mode of user engagement with the touch-screen using the one or more signals, wherein the acoustic touch-interaction information includes information used to distinguish sounds produced in a first mode of user engagement and a second mode of user engagement; and

selecting either a high-sensitivity mode or a low-sensitivity mode based on the mode of user engagement with the touch-screen.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the high-sensitivity mode corresponds with a gloved operation mode.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the low-sensitivity mode corresponds with an ungloved operation mode.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the mode of user engagement with the touch-screen comprises:

comparing the one or more signals corresponding with the user engagement to a heuristic model.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the heuristic model is based on one or more of: capacitive change data, surface area contact data, or acoustic touch-interaction data.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the heuristic model is based on one or more of: a time, a location, or a motion profile associated with the touch sense controller.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving, at the touch sense controller, a manual toggle signal; and

selecting between the high-sensitivity mode and the low-sensitivity for the touch sense controller, in response to the manual toggle signal.

15. A touch sense controller, comprising:

a sense unit;

a storage device;

one or more processors coupled to the sense unit and the storage device, wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform operations comprising operations to:

receive one or more signals associated with a user engagement with a touch-screen;

determine, based on acoustic touch-interaction information, a mode of user engagement with the touch-screen using the one or more signals, wherein the acoustic touch-interaction information includes information used to distinguish sounds produced in a first mode of user engagement and a second mode of user engagement; and

select either a high-sensitivity mode or a low-sensitivity mode based on the mode of user engagement with the touch-screen.

16. The touch sense controller of claim 15 , wherein the high-sensitivity mode corresponds with a gloved operation mode.

17. The touch sense controller of claim 15 , wherein the low-sensitivity mode corresponds with an ungloved operation mode.

18. The touch sense controller of claim 15 , wherein determining the mode of user engagement with the touch-screen comprises:

comparing the one or more signals corresponding with the user engagement to a heuristic model.

19. The touch sense controller of claim 18 , wherein the heuristic model is based on one or more of: capacitive change data, surface area contact data, or acoustic touch-interaction data.

20. The touch sense controller of claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, at the touch sense controller, a manual toggle signal; and

selecting between the high-sensitivity mode and the low-sensitivity mode for the touch sense controller, in response to the manual toggle signal.

21. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first mode of user engagement comprises a gloved operation mode, and wherein the second mode of user engagement comprises an ungloved operation mode.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 15, 2013
From: LI, YUK LUN; REN, XIN; CHIN, JOHN
To: CELLCO PARTNERSHIP D/B/A VERIZON WIRELESS
Reel/Frame 030023/0211 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140267085A1 · Sep 18, 2014