CN102902392A - Hierarchical induction method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a hierarchical sensing method for a touch panel. The touch panel has a dot matrix for sensing a single touch or multiple touches. The method comprises dividing all the dots of the touch panel into a plurality of blocks; sensing first data from each block; determining which block or blocks are touched according to the first data; sensing second data from each point of the touched block; and determining which point or points are touched according to the second data. By utilizing the method of the present invention, high sensing speed and high sensing accuracy can be achieved.

Description

Hierarchical Sensing Method

technical field

The present invention relates to a touch-sensing technology, and in particular to a method for sensing a single touch or multiple touches on a touch-sensing device.

Background technique

Nowadays, touch sensing devices are widely used in various applications, and touch screens including touch panels are very popular.

In the performance of a touch panel, sensing speed plays an important role. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a touch panel 10 scanned by a conventional method. The touch panel 10 includes a matrix of dots 101 . Each point 101 is used to sense touch. The structure of the touch panel 10 is a common skill in the art. In addition, the structure of the touch panel 10 is not the focus of the present invention, so it will not be repeated here.

As shown in FIG. 1 , a dotted circle 50 represents a touch area. Points 105 filled with oblique lines are points related to the touch area 50 . That is, the point 105 is the touched point. In the existing sensing method, all the points 101 of the touch panel 10 are scanned and sensed to check whether each point is touched to identify the touched point 105 . However, a lot of time is wasted scanning unnecessary points, causing the response speed of the touch panel 10 to be insufficient.

Therefore, there is a need for a solution that can more quickly identify the location of a touch on a device such as a touch panel.

Contents of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a layered sensing method, which can increase the sensing speed with high precision.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a touch panel has a point matrix for sensing single-point or multi-point touch, and the hierarchical sensing method for the touch panel includes: dividing all points of the touch panel into multiple block, each block contains a plurality of points; sense the first data from each block; determine which or which block is the touched block according to the first data; sense the second from each point of the touched block data; and determining which point or points are touched points according to the second data.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the touch panel has a dot matrix for sensing single-point or multi-point touch. In terms of one round, the hierarchical sensing method for the touch panel includes: determining the block offset Shift, the offset defines how the block of the current round is shifted relative to the block of the previous round; divide the point into multiple blocks according to the block offset, and each block contains multiple points; determine which or Which blocks are touched blocks; and determine which point or points in the touched blocks are touched points.

Description of drawings

Accompanying drawing 1 is a schematic diagram showing scanning of a touch panel by a method in the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing scanning of the touch panel in the first stage of the layered sensing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing scanning of the touch panel in the second stage of the layered sensing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a touch panel scanned by a layered sensing method according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Accompanying drawing 5 is a schematic diagram showing the initial count value of each point of the relevant block.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the update count value of each point of the relevant block.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a hierarchical sensing method according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a hierarchical sensing method according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed ways

The invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In order to speed up the sensing speed, the inventors of the present invention propose a hierarchical sensing method here. In the present invention, the hierarchical sensing method is divided into two stages, which will be described in detail later. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing scanning of the touch panel 10 in the first stage of the layered sensing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown, all the points 101 of the touch panel 10 are grouped into a plurality of blocks 12 . Each block 12 is composed of several points 101 . In this embodiment, each block 12 includes 3×3 dots 101 (that is, nine dots 101 ). In the first stage of the hierarchical sensing method, the touch panel 10 is scanned block by block. The sensing value of each block 12 is provided to determine which block or blocks are touched. In order to distinguish it from the untouched block 12 , the touched block is denoted by another reference symbol 15 for ease of description. In practice, the sensing values (such as capacitance values) of all the points 101 of a block 12 can be provided to the sensing circuit (not shown) at one time. The sensing value of a single point 101 may be referred to as a "point sensing value". The total value of point sensing values of all points 101 in a block 12 may be referred to as "block sensing value". The sensing circuit checks the block sensing value of each block 12 to determine which block or blocks are touched. As shown in FIG. 2 , there are four blocks related to the touch area 50 . That is, the four blocks are touched. The four touched blocks 15 can be referred to as related blocks. The first phase may be referred to as the "block scan phase".

Since multiple points 101 of each block 12 are sensed at one time, the block scanning stage (i.e. the first stage) in this layered sensing method has a longer required sensing time than the point-by-point sensing method in the prior art. Only 1/N, where each block contains N points. In this embodiment, each block 12 includes nine points 101 , so the sensing time required for the first stage of the layered sensing method is 1/9 of the sensing time required for the prior art point-by-point sensing method.

After the relevant blocks 15 are determined in the first stage, all points 101 of the respective relevant blocks 15 are scanned point by point in the second stage to identify the touched point 105 . FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing scanning of the touch panel 10 in the second stage of the layered sensing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In this example, four blocks 15 (ie, relevant blocks 15 ) are related to the touch area 50 , so there are 36 points 101 to be scanned and sensed in total. The second phase of the method may be referred to as the "spot scanning phase".

By first performing a block scan to determine the relevant block 15 and then performing a point scan only on the point 101 of the relevant block 15 , the sensing time used to identify the touched point 105 can be significantly reduced. However, when an object touches the edge of a specific relevant block 15, that is to say, when the touch area 50 only covers a relatively small area of the relevant block 15, misjudgment easily occurs because such a block The total sensing value of 15 (that is, the block sensing value) is too low.

In order to avoid the above misjudgment, the second embodiment of the present invention adds an improved method. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing scanning of the touch panel 10 by the layered sensing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the block 12 defined in the first round is different from the block 22 defined in the second round. And, there is a "block offset" between block 12 and block 22. The block offset is smaller than the size of a block. Here, the so-called "one round" refers to scanning the sensing touch panel 10 with the whole layered sensing method of the present invention, that is, performing both the block scanning phase and the dot scanning phase once. The block offset preferably includes a vertical offset and a horizontal offset. In the example shown in FIG. 4 , the block to be scanned in the first round is represented by a solid line block 12 , and the block to be scanned in the second round is represented by a dotted line block 22 . The second round of blocks 22 is shifted relative to the first round of blocks 12 . That is, in this embodiment, a first-round block 12a and the corresponding second-round block 22a share some points, but also have different points. For example, block 12a and block 22a each include nine points, wherein block 12a and block 22a have four points in total, and block 12a has five points in addition to the above four points owned by block 22a. There are five other points in common, as shown in the figure. That is to say, the block 22 has a block offset of one row of dots and one column of dots relative to the block 12 . Other block offsets are also possible. Block offsets can have only vertical or horizontal offsets. It should be noted that the block defined in the current round (eg block 22) should partially overlap the block defined in the previous round (eg block 12). When an object touches the edge of a specific block in the first round of blocks 12 , the same object is likely to touch the center or a part close to the center of the corresponding block in the second round of blocks 22 . Therefore, the probability of misjudgment can be reduced.

In order to avoid missing any point, in the third embodiment of the present invention, the touched point 105 determined in the first round of point scanning stage will be sensed again in the second round of point scanning stage. Prior to point scanning, individual points 101 of the relevant block 15 may be marked. In the third embodiment of the present invention, each point 101 of a relevant block 15 is initially set with a flag. When a specific point 101 is scanned and sensed, the point flag is removed unless the point is determined as a touched point 105 . That is, after checking a point, if the point is a touched point 105, then maintain its flag, if not, the point is a non-touch point, then remove its flag. In addition to the points of the relevant block in the current round, points that remain flagged after the end of the previous round are also checked.

The touched points 105 identified in one round can be repeatedly checked in more subsequent rounds. In the fourth embodiment of the present invention, a count value is used. Figure 5 shows that the initial count value assigned to each point of all relevant blocks is 4. It should be noted that each point 101 of the non-touch block 12 is given an initial count value of zero. After scanning through the points 101 of the relevant block 15 , it is possible to identify which points are touched. That is, find out the points related to the touch area 50 . Then, the count values of those points determined as non-touched points become zero, and the count values of those points determined as touched points 105 are decremented by one. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the update count value of each point in the relevant block. As shown, the count value of each untouched point 101 is "0", and the count value of each touched point 105 must be "3" (4−1=3). In a new round of the point scanning phase, all points with a non-zero count value (eg, 4, 3, 2, or 1) are checked. Therefore, once a point is determined as the touched point 105, in this example, this point will be scanned and sensed at least four times. Other count values can also be used as needed, and other feasible ways to achieve repeated checks to improve sensing accuracy can be used.

In order to clarify the implementation of the present invention, the third and fourth embodiments will be further described in detail. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a hierarchical sensing method according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The process starts at step S700. In step S702, block offsets are determined as described above. A fixed block offset may be determined for all rounds. However, for the first round, the block offset is zero. In step S704 , the data of all the blocks 12 of the touch panel 10 (ie block sensing values) are sensed. In step S706, it is determined whether each block 12 is touched according to the data obtained in step S704. If a block is determined to be the relevant block 15 (that is, the touched block), all points 101 of the relevant block 15 are flagged in step S708. In step S710, it is checked whether all blocks have been sensed. Step S702 to step S710 belong to the block scanning stage.

In step S720, it is checked whether each point 101 of the relevant block 15 has a flag. If a point 101 has a flag, then in step S722 sense the data of the point (ie point sensing value). In step S724, it is checked whether the flagged point is touched. If the flagged point is not touched, the point is unflagged in step S726. In step S728, it is determined whether all points have been checked. Step S720 to step S728 belong to the point scanning stage. After all the points have been checked, position data is retrieved from the touched point 105 at step S730. The flow ends in step S750.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a hierarchical sensing method according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The process starts at step S800. In step S802, the block offset is determined as described above. A fixed block offset may be determined for all rounds. In step S804 , the data of all the blocks 12 of the touch panel 10 (ie block sensing values) are sensed. In step S806, it is determined whether each block 12 is touched according to the data obtained in step S804. If a block is determined as the relevant block 15 (ie, the touched block), all points 101 of the relevant block 15 are given an initial count value (for example, 4) in step S808. In step S810, it is checked whether all blocks have been sensed. Step S802 to step S810 belong to the block scanning stage.

In step S820, it is checked whether the count value of each point 101 of the relevant block 15 is zero. If the count value of a point 101 is not zero, the data of the point (ie point sensed value) is sensed in step S822. In step S824, it is checked whether a point with a non-zero count value is touched. It should be noted that any point outside the relevant block 15 but having a non-zero count value will also be sensed. If the point is not touched, the count value of the point is cleared (ie reset to zero) in step S826. In step S828, it is determined whether all points have been checked. Step S820 to step S828 belong to the point scanning stage. After all the points have been checked, position data is retrieved from the touched points at step S830. The flow ends in step S850.

In summary, although the present invention has been disclosed as above with preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field of the present invention can, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, Various changes and modifications are made, so the protection scope of the present invention should be defined by the claims.

Claims (17)

1. hierarchical inducing method that is used for contact panel, described contact panel comprises the matrix for detection of the point of single touching or a plurality of touchings, it is characterized in that, and described method comprises:

Point on described a plurality of contact panels is divided into a plurality of the first blocks, and each first block comprises a plurality of points;

Respond to the first data from each block;

Judge that according to the first data which or which block is touched;

Respond to the second data from the each point of touched block; And

Judge that according to the second data which or which point is touched point in the touched block.

2. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 1 is characterized in that, the first data of one of them block are total influence value that described block is had a few.

3. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 2 is characterized in that, the total capacitance value of the first data of one of them block for sensing a little from described block.

4. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 1 is characterized in that, the second data of one of them point are the influence value of described point.

5. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 4 is characterized in that, the capacitance of the second data of one of them point for sensing from described point.

6. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 1 is characterized in that, further comprises the steps:

Point on described a plurality of contact panels is divided into a plurality of the second blocks, and each second block comprises a plurality of points, and partly overlaps with corresponding the first block; And

Return induction the first data.

7. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 1 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Specify flag to give the each point of touched block; And

When judging that a point is not touched point, described some flag removed.

8. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 1 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Specify a count value to give the each point of touched block; And

When judging that a point is not touched point, the count value of described point is removed, and when judging a point as touched, the count value of described point is reduced.

9. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 8 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Check the count value of a point,

Wherein in the step of induction the second data further induction beyond touched block but have the second data of the point of non-zero count.

10. hierarchical inducing method that is used for contact panel, described contact panel comprises the matrix for detection of the point of single touching or a plurality of touchings, it is characterized in that, and described method comprises:

Determine block skew, how described block skew is shifted when the block of the previous round block with respect to first previous round in order to definition;

The point that is offset described a plurality of contact panels according to described block is divided into a plurality of blocks, and each block comprises a plurality of points;

Judge which or which block is touched block;

Respond to the second data from the each point of touched block; And

Judge which or which point is touched point in the touched block.

11. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 10 is characterized in that, described block skew is less than the size of a block.

12. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 10 is characterized in that, described block skew comprises vertical shift and horizontal-shift.

13. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 10 is characterized in that, the block skew of carrying out the first round of described method is zero.

14. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 10 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Specify flag to give the each point of touched block; And

When judging that a point is not touched point, described some flag removed.

15. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 10 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Specify a count value to give the each point of touched block; And

When judging that a point is not touched point, the count value of described point is removed, and when judging a point as touched, the count value of described point is reduced.

16. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 15 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Check the count value of a point; And

Whether a point judging beyond the touched block but have a non-zero count is touched point.

17. the hierarchical inducing method for contact panel according to claim 16 is characterized in that, beyond the touched block but the some system with non-zero count whether be determined with the point of touched block be touched point.

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