JP2013073624A - Overlay, touch type display device, and method for driving touch type display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an overlay to be used with a touch type display device configured such that an area identifiable visually and/or with a touch is formed with the appearance and feeling of an actual button or actuator.SOLUTION: An overlay is installed on a display device or a flat display screen, and the appearance and/or feeling is made identifiable so that user operability as a touch type display device can be improved. The overlay includes one or more pattern-shaped areas identifiable visually and/or with a touch, and the overlay is placed on the display device such that the identifiable area is aligned with the active area (touch sensitive area) of the display device. Thus, it is possible for a user to easily identify the active area of the display device on the basis of the area placed on the top of the active area so as to be identifiable visually and/or with a touch.

Description

Explanation of related applications

  This application claims priority from US Provisional Application No. 61 / 539,326, filed September 26, 2011, under 35 USC 119 (e).

  Embodiments of the present invention relate to an overlay that is used with a touch-type display device to form an area that can be identified by touch, and a method for manufacturing and using the overlay.

  Embodiments of the present invention relate to an overlay that is used with a touch-type display device, and includes an overlay including a plurality of areas that can be identified by touch, and a method for manufacturing and using the overlay. The invention also relates to a touch screen overlay that forms a button or other visually or tactilely identifiable region.

  Touch display devices are rapidly becoming the standard for many types of electronic devices. The touch-type display device generally includes a display screen and a transparent or translucent touch panel disposed on the display screen.

JP 2006-293945 A

  One problem with these devices is that the surface of the device is generally flat and has no discernable differences between the various portions of the surface. When the surface of the display device is related to a system that executes an interactive software program such as a game program, the active area (touch reaction area) of the touch panel is visually different on the display screen via the touch panel. However, the surface of the display device has the same flatness and the same feel.

The present invention
An overlay of a touch display device comprising at least one active area,
An overlay of a touch-type display device, comprising an area identifiable by at least one of vision and touch, wherein the identifiable region is formed corresponding to the active region of the touch-type display device Provide an overlay of

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the system of the present invention including a display screen, a touch panel, and control elements associated with an overlay. A display screen for displaying a pattern-like active area; a touch panel superimposed on the display screen; and an overlay having a visually and / or touch-identifiable area superimposed on the touch panel. It is a figure which shows embodiment of the system of this invention arrange | positioned in a line form. A display screen for displaying an active area composed of four patterns, a touch panel superimposed on the display screen, and four overlays corresponding to the touch panel and having a pattern-like area that can be visually and / or identified by touch. FIG. 6 is a diagram of yet another embodiment of the system of the present invention that includes four patterns each in a row. A display screen displaying an active area composed of three different patterns, a touch panel overlaid on the display screen, and three overlays having different pattern-like areas that correspond to the touch panel and are visually and / or distinguishable by touch FIG. 3 is a diagram of one embodiment of the system of the present invention in which three patterns are different. FIG. 5A is a diagram of an embodiment of an overlay that includes a plurality of raised square regions, FIG. 5B is a diagram of an embodiment of an overlay that includes a plurality of raised circular regions, and FIG. FIG. 5D is an illustration of an embodiment of an overlay that includes a recessed square area, and FIG. 5D is an illustration of an overlay embodiment that includes a plurality of square areas having a composite configuration that includes a raised contour portion having an inner recessed portion. FIG. 2 is an uncompressed and compressed state view of an embodiment of the system of the present invention that includes an overlay made of a compressible material and including a plurality of raised square regions. FIG. 6 is an unbent and unbent view of another embodiment of the system of the present invention including an overlay including a raised region having a flexible top material and a hollow interior. It is a figure of other embodiment of the display system of this invention. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating one exemplary usage process for an overlay of the present invention. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating another exemplary usage process for an overlay of the present invention. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating another exemplary usage process for an overlay of the present invention.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, an overlay is provided that can identify the appearance and / or feel of a surface of a touch-sensitive display device or one or more portions of the display device.

  Embodiments of the present invention provide an overlay for a touch-sensitive display device that includes a plurality of areas that can be identified by touch.

  An embodiment of the present invention is a touch display device including an overlay superimposed on a touch display device, and the overlay includes at least a plurality of areas that can be identified by touch, and the touch display device includes an overlay. The present invention provides a touch-type display device provided with active areas corresponding to a plurality of areas that can be identified by touch.

  Embodiments of the present invention are systems that include a digital processing device and a touch display device coupled to the digital processing device, the display device having a single, multiple, or patterned active region. The system which can display is provided. The system also includes an overlay that is superimposed over one or more portions or the entire surface of the display device, the overlay being a single area, visually and / or visually identifiable by touch. Or a plurality of regions identifiable by touch, or a patterned region visually and / or identifiable by touch, the region corresponding to one, more than one, or patterned active region of the display device, or Align.

  An embodiment of the present invention is a method of manufacturing an overlay for a touch-type display device, wherein the overlay is visually and / or touch-identifiable as one region, visually and / or touch-sensitive. Provided is a method for manufacturing an overlay for a touch-type display device that includes an area or a pattern-like area that can be visually and / or identified by touch, and that is manufactured from a colorless, transparent, transparent, or translucent material. It is. Manufacturing steps include compression molding, blow molding, molding and subsequent etching, molding and subsequent pattern placement, molding and subsequent pattern placement and etching, or any other that produces rigid, semi-rigid or flexible materials Methods may be included.

  Embodiments of the present invention include a method for driving a touch display device, the display device including one or more portions, or an overlay overlaid on the entire surface, wherein the overlay is visually and / or touched. One identifiable region, a plurality of regions visually and / or identifiable by touch, or a patterned region identifiable visually and / or by touch, the region being one of the display devices The present invention also provides a method for driving a touch-type display device that corresponds to or is aligned with a plurality of or patterned active regions. This method generates an image having one, a plurality of or patterned active areas on a display device. The method further includes detecting a touch on an area of the overlay corresponding to the active area of the display device and issuing a signal indicating that the active area has been activated.

  An embodiment of the present invention is a method of driving a system including a digital processing device and a touch-type display device coupled to the digital processing device, the display device having one, a plurality, or a patterned active region A system driving method capable of displaying a computer-generated image is provided. The system also includes an overlay that is superimposed over one or more portions or the entire surface of the display device, the overlay being a single area, visually and / or visually identifiable by touch. Or a plurality of regions identifiable by touch, or a patterned region visually and / or identifiable by touch, the region corresponding to one, more than one, or patterned active region of the display device, or Align. The method includes executing a software program of a digital processing device that generates an image including one, multiple, or patterned active areas on a display device. The method further includes detecting a touch on an area of the overlay corresponding to the active area of the display device and issuing a signal indicating that the active area has been activated. The method may further include executing a program step or routine corresponding to the signal issued to indicate that the active region has been activated. The method may further include generating a response image on the display device corresponding to the signal generated to indicate that the active region has been activated.

  Embodiments of the present invention provide a multi-touch detection system having a display device capable of detecting a multi-touch operation on a display screen. The multi-touch detection system includes a display device that includes a display screen and a multi-touch detection sensor that has transparency and is superimposed on the display screen. The multi-touch detection system further includes an overlay having a button configuration and overlaid on the multi-touch detection sensor, the button configuration corresponding or aligned with at least some active areas of the multi-touch detection sensor. The multi-touch detection system further determines that a touch detected in an active area corresponding or consistent with the button configuration is an appropriate touch while detecting a touch detected in other active areas not corresponding or consistent with the button configuration. A touch detection determination device configured to determine an inappropriate touch is included. It is obvious that the touch detection determination device is not applied only to the multi-touch detection system.

  The invention may be better understood with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements have been given the same reference numerals.

  According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the transparent overlay can be composed of a colorless transparent material, the overlay being one or more raised areas, depressed areas, or a combination or combination thereof. The raised or recessed area has the appearance and feel of a button or activator. Overlays are touch-related to computer, game consoles, vending machines, or other system user interfaces including digital processing devices that can drive or interact with touch-sensitive display devices. It is designed to be superimposed on a part or the entire surface of the display device. The raised area and / or depressed area of the overlay is configured in a pattern that matches the patterned active area displayed on the touch-type display device, and when the user touches any raised area or depressed area, The active area of the touch display device is activated, which in turn causes the associated user interface and system to execute the command protocol associated with the activated area. For example, when a user interacts (touches) with these raised or depressed areas, the system coupled to the display device may include one or more of a portion of the display device or the entire surface, including the portion associated with the activated region. The display attribute may be changed. The system may be a haptic feedback system that is well known in the art.

  The region of interest in the overlay of the touch display device can be visually and / or tactilely identifiable from the surrounding portion of the overlay. For example, this identifiable area may have a different appearance and / or feel compared to a depressed area, a raised area, a textured area (eg, wrinkles, spots, lines, stripes, shading, sharp signs, etc.) and the surrounding area of the overlay. It may be any region having other types of structures that it has, or a combined region or a mixed region. This identifiable area may be configured to bend slightly when touched. This flexure can be formed by a flexible material in which the identifiable region is formed by a compressible material or throughout the hollow interior chamber.

  These overlays may be optimal for gaming devices, where each identifiable area corresponds to an active area of a touch display device. Note that the active region means a region where one or more visual attributes of the display device are changed by a game device connected to the display device by touch. The active area of the display device and the corresponding identifiable area of the overlay are: square, rectangle, triangle, quadrilateral, polygon, polyhedron, circle, ellipse, other standard closed geometric shapes, non-standard May be any closed geometry, or any desired shape, such as a blend or combination of these.

  Embodiments of the invention relate to overlays. Another embodiment of the invention relates to a touch-sensitive display device that includes one or more overlays. Another embodiment of the invention relates to a system that includes a digital processing device and a touch display device that includes one or more overlays. Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes a method of manufacturing an overlay, a method of driving a touch display device including one or more overlays, and a digital processing device and a touch display device including one or more overlays. The present invention relates to a system driving method. Another embodiment of the invention relates to a multi-touch detection system having a display device that includes one or more overlays.

(Components and materials suitable for use in the present invention)
Suitable display devices or display screens include, but are not limited to, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), plasma displays, light emitting diode (LED) display devices, organic light emitting diode (OLED) display devices, or other film type display devices. It is not done.

  Suitable touch panels include, but are not limited to, electromagnetic induction touch panels, capacitive touch panels, resistively coupled touch panels, or some other touch panel. Touching can be performed with a finger or pen-shaped indicator.

  Digital processing devices used in the system include, but are not limited to, digital processing devices manufactured by various companies.

  Colorless and transparent materials suitable for use in forming the overlay include glass, sapphire, diamond, ruby, polycarbonate, polyolefin, MYLAR® and other polyesters, other transparent or translucent films, or these This includes, but is not limited to, a mixture or a combination.

(Detailed description with reference to the drawings)
Referring now to FIG. 1, a structural diagram of an on-screen input image display system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. As shown in FIG. 1, the system 100 includes a display screen 102 and a touch panel 104 that is attached to be overlapped with the display screen 102 and constitutes the on-screen input image display device 101. In some embodiments, the display screen 102 is mounted on the touch screen 104, while in other embodiments, the touch panel 104 is mounted on the display screen 102, in which case the touch panel 104 is transparent or It is made of a translucent material so that the user can see the display screen 102 through the touch panel 104. In FIG. 1, the touch panel 104 is shown attached on the display screen 102.

  The display screen 102 is configured by a liquid crystal display panel, an organic light emitting diode panel, or the like. The touch panel 104 is a capacitively coupled touch panel, an electromagnetic induction coupled touch panel, a resistively coupled touch panel, or some other touch panel. In the illustrated embodiment, the touch panel 104 is a capacitively coupled touch panel.

  The display device 101 (or the touch panel 104 of the display device 101 in the illustrated embodiment) has an overlay 106 that is either detachable or non-detachable. Although the overlay 106 is shown here as covering approximately the same range as the display device 101, the overlay 106 may accompany only a portion of the display device 101, or the overlay 106 may be on a different portion of the display device 101. It may include multiple separate sub-overlays associated with it. When the user's finger or the like touches the overlay 106 or the touch panel 104 (when there is no overlay), the detection circuit 108 detects a change in capacitance at the touch position. The detection circuit 108 outputs a detection output signal CMP to an analog-digital converter (ADC) 110 based on the detection result of the change in capacitance, and the ADC 110 outputs an analog-digital conversion signal CNT. The touch panel control circuit 112 receives the analog-digital conversion signal CNT and determines the touch position or touch point coordinates (X coordinate and Y coordinate) on the display device 101. The touch panel control circuit 112 uses the determined touch coordinate data POS as a main control circuit (that is, a microprocessor, a digital processing unit (DPU), and a central processing unit (CPU)) that performs overall control of the on-screen input image display device 100. System control circuit 114).

  The main control circuit 114 determines the occurrence of the touch by the user and the coordinates thereof from the touch coordinate data POS, and supplies the display control circuit 116 with a display signal SIG corresponding to this determination. Next, the display control circuit 116 supplies the display control signal ASIG to the display screen 102, so that the touch coordinate data POS and / or the result is reflected on the display screen 102. The detection circuit 108 and the ADC 110 are controlled by the touch panel control circuit 112 via the control signal CTL. For other disclosures relating to touch panels, see US Application Publication No. 2009 / 0102813A1, which is incorporated herein by reference.

  Referring now to FIG. 2, an embodiment of the display system of the present invention, indicated at 200, generally includes a touch display device 202 having a display screen 204 and a touch panel 206 disposed on the display screen 204. It is shown. Here, the display screen 204 displays a screen pattern 208 of the active region 210. In the illustrated embodiment, the screen pattern 208 includes four rows of six square active areas 210 outlined by dashed lines. The display system 200 further includes an overlay 212 having an overlay pattern 214 of areas 216 that are visually and / or touch-identifiable, outlined by a solid line. The visually and / or touch identifiable area 216 is superimposed on the active area 210 and is shown here slightly larger than the active area 210, but the actual area of the identifiable area 216 relative to the active area 210 is shown. Size is a matter of design and aesthetic considerations. Thus, the identifiable region 216 matches or corresponds to the active region 210, but does not have to be in the same range. Of course, the screen pattern 208 and the overlay pattern 214 may be any pattern of standard or non-standard geometric shapes. Although display screen 204, touch panel 206, and overlay 212 are shown here as not spanning the same range, these three components may of course span the same range.

  Referring now to FIG. 3, the display system embodiment of the present invention, generally indicated at 230, includes a touch display device 232 having a display screen 234 and a touch panel 236 disposed on the display screen 234. It is shown. Here, the display screen 234 displays four identical patterns 238a to 238d composed of active regions 240a to 240d that are outlined by broken lines. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the four patterns 238a-238d includes six square active areas 240a-240d in a row. The display system 230 further includes four overlays 242a-242d that include identical overlay patterns 244a-d consisting of visually and / or touch identifiable regions 246a-246d that are outlined by solid lines. The visually and / or touch identifiable area 246 is superimposed on the active area 240 and is shown here slightly larger than the active area 240, but the actual size of the identifiable area 246 relative to the active area 240. This is a design and aesthetic consideration. Regardless of relative size, the identifiable region 246 matches or corresponds to the active region 240. Of course, the screen patterns 238a-238d may be the same or different from each other and each may be any pattern of standard or non-standard geometric shapes. Similarly, overlay patterns 244a-244d may be the same or different from each other, and each may be any pattern of standard or non-standard geometric shapes. Although the display screen 234 and the touch panel 236 are shown here as not spanning the same range, these components may of course span the same range.

  Referring now to FIG. 4, the embodiment of the display system of the present invention, indicated at 270, generally includes a touch display 272 having a display screen 274 and a touch panel 276 disposed on the display screen 274. It is shown. The display screen 274 is shown here with three different screen patterns 278a-278c comprising active regions 280a-280c displayed. In the illustrated embodiment, the first screen pattern 278a includes a row of four square active areas 280a (outlined by dashed lines); the second screen pattern 278b is arranged in a triangle 3 The third screen pattern 278c includes six differently shaped active regions 280c1-6 (outlined by dashed lines) arranged in an arcuate shape. The system 270 further includes three overlays 282a-282c that include three distinct overlay patterns 284a-284c that include visually and / or touch identifiable areas 286a-286c outlined by solid lines. The regions 286a to 286c that can be visually and / or identified by touch overlap the active regions 280a to 280c of the touch panel 276. Similar to the third screen pattern 278c, the third overlay pattern 284c has a non-standard shape imitating a smiling face or bow.

  In FIG. 4, some identifiable areas 286 are shown slightly larger than the corresponding active areas 280 (eg, identifiable areas 286a of the first overlay 282a and identifiable areas 286c2 of the third overlay 282c). And 286c6) while other identifiable areas 286 are shown slightly smaller than the corresponding active areas 280 (eg, identifiable areas 286b of the second overlay 282b and identifiable areas of the third overlay 282c). 286c1, 286c3, 286c4 and 286c5). However, the actual size of the identifiable regions 286a-286c relative to the active regions 280a-280c is a matter of design and aesthetic considerations, for example, these regions may span the same range. Again, the identifiable regions 286a-286c align or correspond to the active regions 280a-280c, respectively, regardless of the relative size. Needless to say, each of the screen patterns 278a to 278c and the overlay patterns 284a to 284c may be any pattern having a standard or non-standard geometric shape. In fact, the third screen pattern 278c includes six active regions 280c1 to 280c6 of different geometries and / or sizes, while the third overlay pattern 284c also has different geometries and / or sizes of 6 Two identifiable regions 286c1 to 286c6 are included. Further, some identifiable regions 286c have a shape similar to the corresponding active region 280c (eg, identifiable regions 286c1, 286c2, 286c3 and 286c6) while other identifiable regions 286c correspond to the corresponding active regions It has a shape that is not very similar to region 280c (eg, identifiable regions 286c4 and 286c5). Although the display screen 274 and the touch panel 276 are shown here as not extending over the same range, these components may naturally cover the same range.

  Referring now to FIG. 5A, generally, an embodiment of the touch display device of the present invention, indicated at 300, is a display screen such as an LCD display (not shown in this figure, see FIG. 1 or 2). It is shown including an overlay 302 disposed on a touch panel 304 provided thereon. Overlay 302 includes a plurality of raised square areas 306 that overlap the active area (not shown) that spans the same area as touch panel 304 or is smaller or larger. The multiple (four) raised square regions 306 are arranged in a square pattern in the illustrated embodiment. Although the overlay 302 may cover the entire touch panel 304, the overlay 302 may similarly include a plurality of separate overlays that are designed to be superimposed on one or more portions of the touch panel 304. Furthermore, the overlay 302 may cover only one part or a plurality of parts of the touch panel 304. Of course, the raised region 306 may be any polygon having a straight edge.

  Referring now to FIG. 5B, another embodiment of the touch display device of the present invention, generally indicated at 320, is a display such as an LCD display (not shown in this figure, see FIG. 1 or 2). It is shown including an overlay 322 disposed on a touch panel 324 provided on the screen. Overlay 322 includes a plurality of raised circular areas 326 that overlap the active area (not shown) that spans the same area of touch panel 324 or is smaller or larger. The multiple (four) raised circular regions 326 are arranged in a square pattern in the illustrated embodiment. Although the overlay 322 may cover the entire touch panel 324, the overlay 322 may include a plurality of separate overlays that are designed to overlap one or more portions of the touch panel 324. Furthermore, the overlay 322 may cover only a portion or portions of the touch panel 324. Of course, the raised region 326 may be any shape having a curved edge.

  Referring now to FIG. 5C, another embodiment of the touch display device of the present invention, generally indicated at 340, is a display such as an LCD display (not shown in this figure, see FIG. 1 or 2). It is shown including an overlay 342 disposed on a touch panel 344 provided on the screen. Overlay 342 includes a plurality of recessed square areas 346 that overlap the active area (not shown) that spans the same area as touch panel 344 or is smaller or larger. The plurality (four) of depressed square regions 346 are arranged in a square pattern in the illustrated embodiment. Although the overlay 342 may cover the entire touch panel 344, the overlay 342 may include a plurality of separate overlays that are designed to be superimposed on one or more portions of the touch panel 344. Furthermore, the overlay 342 may cover only a portion or portions of the touch panel 344. Needless to say, the recessed area 346 is a polygon, polyhedron, circle, ellipse and other standard closed geometric shapes, non-standard closed geometric shapes, or a mixture or combination thereof. Any other geometric shape may be included.

  Referring now to FIG. 5D, generally, another embodiment of the touch display device of the present invention, indicated at 360, is disposed on a touch panel 364 provided on a display screen 366 such as an LCD display. The overlay 362 is shown. Overlay 362 includes a plurality of composite square areas 368 that overlap the active area (not shown) that spans the same area as touch panel 364 or is smaller or larger. Each of these composite square regions 368 includes a raised portion 370 having an inner recessed portion 372 or a raised contour 370 of the square region 368. Although the overlay 362 may cover the entire touch panel 364, the overlay 362 may include a plurality of separate overlays that are designed to be superimposed on one or more portions of the touch panel 364. Furthermore, overlay 362 may cover only a portion or portions of touch panel 364. Needless to say, the raised portions (bump contours) 370 and the recessed portions 372 may be polygons, polyhedra, circles, ellipses and other standard closed geometric shapes, non-standard closed geometric shapes, or Any geometric shape other than the shape shown in the drawings, including a shape obtained by mixing or combining them, may be used. Further, the shape / size of the raised portion (bump contour) 370 and the shape / size of the recessed portion 372 may be the same, similar or different from each other, which is a design and aesthetic consideration. It is a target issue.

  Referring now to FIGS. 6A and 6B, generally, another embodiment of the touch display device of the present invention shown at 400 includes a display screen 402 and a touch panel 404 and touch panel 404 provided thereon. And an overlay 406 disposed on the surface. The overlay 406 includes a region 408 that is visually and / or identifiable by touch. The identifiable region 408 is made of an elastic material (for example, polyolefin and polyester). When the user touches the identifiable region 408, the identifiable region 408 is compressed and deformed as shown in FIG. 6B, and the pressure is once removed. As shown in FIG. 6A, the original shape is restored. As with all previous embodiments, the identifiable region 408 may be any geometric shape / size and is designed to match or correspond to the active region of the touch panel 404.

  Referring now to FIGS. 7A and 7B, generally, another embodiment of the touch display device of the present invention, indicated at 500, includes a display screen 502, a touch panel 504 provided thereon, and a touch panel 504. And an overlay 506 disposed on the screen. Overlay 506 includes a region 508 that is visually and / or identifiable by touch. The discriminable region 508 includes a flexible upper member 510 and a hollow interior (chamber) 512. When the user touches the flexible upper member 510, the flexible upper member 510 bends downward, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the hollow interior 512 is compressed and deformed. Once the pressure is removed, the flexible upper member 510 returns to its original shape as shown in FIG. As with all previous embodiments, the identifiable region 508 can be any geometric shape / size and is designed to match or correspond to the active region of the touch panel 504.

  Referring now to FIG. 8, a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the on-screen input image display system of the present invention, indicated generally at 600, is shown including a stack assembly 602. The stack assembly 602 includes an upper bezel 604. The stack assembly 602 further includes an optional optical film layer 606, a touch panel sensor glass film layer 608, and a cover glass film layer 610 bonded to the sensor glass layer 608 by a bonding film layer 612. The stack assembly 602 further includes a controller 614 that is attached to the mount 616, which is electrically coupled to the sensor glass layer 608 by an electrical conduit, wire or cable 618. The stack assembly 602 may also include an ink mask 620.

The apparatus 600 further includes an overlay 622. The overlay 622 includes raised areas 624 and depressed areas 626 that are either visually identifiable and / or touch identifiable areas on the overlay 622 that are associated with certain software / hardware operations. Table 1 below lists exemplary thicknesses and other descriptions of the predetermined elements shown in FIG. The contents of the table are shown only to illustrate one example configuration of the embodiment 600, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiment 600 or this particular configuration. Please be careful.

  The overlays of the various embodiments described above may be fixedly or semi-fixedly attached to a corresponding touch display device, or removably attached or coupled to a corresponding touch device.

  FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary operational process of a touch display device configured in accordance with the various exemplary embodiments of the invention described above. This process is used for display devices that include one or more portions of the display device or an overlay that overlays the entire surface. An overlay is a region that is visually and / or identifiable by touch, a plurality of regions that are visually and / or identifiable by touch, or a patterned region that is visually and / or identifiable by touch. And the identifiable area corresponds to or aligns with one, multiple or patterned active areas of the display device.

  This method generally includes three steps. First, in step 701, an image including one, a plurality of or patterned active regions is generated on a display device. In step 702, it is detected that the user has touched an identifiable area of the overlay that corresponds or matches the active area of the display device. In step 703, a signal is generated indicating that the active region corresponding to the touched discernable region has been activated. In addition, referring to FIG. 1 described above, for example, in step 701, an image is generated on the display device 101 on which the overlay 106 is provided. In step 702, the detection circuit 108 detects that the user has touched an identifiable area of the overlay 106 corresponding to the active area of the display device 101. In step 703, a signal (for example, signals CMP, CNT, and POS in FIG. 1) indicating that the active region corresponding to the touched identifiable region has been activated is generated.

  FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary operational process of a system including a digital processing device and a touch display device coupled to the digital processing device. In addition, referring to FIG. 1, for example, the process includes a digital processing device (eg, a touch panel control circuit 112 including one or more microprocessors, a main control circuit 114, a display control circuit 116, etc.) and the digital processing. The present invention can be applied to the processing of the system 100 including the touch display device 101 combined with the device. The touch display device 101 is configured according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention described above and can display a computer-generated image having one, multiple, or patterned active areas. The system 100 further includes an overlay 106 that overlays one or more portions or surfaces of the display device 101. The overlay 106 may be a single area visually and / or touch identifiable, a plurality of areas visually and / or touch identifiable, or a pattern that is visually and / or touch identifiable. Including an area, which corresponds to or aligns with one, multiple or patterned active areas of the display device 101.

  This method generally includes four steps. First, in step 801, a software program is executed on the digital processing device to generate an image on the display device 101 that includes one, a plurality, or a pattern of active areas. In step 802, a touch is detected in an identifiable area of overlay 106 that corresponds or matches the active area of display device 101. In step 803, a signal (eg, signals CMP, CNT and POS in FIG. 1) indicating that the active region corresponding to the identifiable region touched has been activated is generated. In step 804, a program step or routine of the software program corresponding to the signal generated to indicate that the active region has been activated is executed in the digital processing device. For example, if the software program is a game program, a program step or routine of the game program that is activated when the user touches a certain identifiable area is executed to provide tactile feedback for the user's touch; For example, audio feedback or visual feedback is provided. Alternatively or additionally, in step 804, a response image corresponding to the signal generated to indicate that the active region has been activated is generated on the display device 101. For example, in response to the signal, the digital processing device changes one or more display attributes of a portion of the display device 101 or the entire surface, including portions associated with the activated area. Also in this case, taking a game program as an example, in response to a signal indicating that a certain active area has been activated based on a user touching a corresponding identifiable area, a digital processing device Changes one or more display attributes of one or a plurality of images generated on the display device 101, and the game scene, display character attributes, and the like change.

  Referring to FIG. 1, according to another embodiment of the present invention, a multi-touch detection system 100 including a display device 101 on which a multi-touch operation can be detected is obtained. Various types of multi-touch detection systems that can detect multiple touches simultaneously are well known in the art and are applicable to the implementation of this embodiment of the invention. The multi-touch detection system 100 of this embodiment includes a display device 101 having a display screen 102 and a multi-touch detection sensor 104 that is transparent and is superimposed on the display screen 102. The multi-touch detection system 100 further includes an overlay 106 having button configurations such as regions 306, 326, 346 and 368 shown in FIGS. 5 (A)-(D), for example. Overlay 106 is overlaid on multi-touch detection sensor 104, and the button configuration corresponds or aligns with at least a portion of the active area of multi-touch detection sensor 104.

  The multi-touch detection system 100 further includes a touch detection determination device (for example, a detection circuit 108 including one or more microprocessors, an ADC 110, a touch panel control circuit 112, a main control circuit 114, etc.). The touch detection determination device is configured to determine that the detected touch is appropriate if the detected touch is based on an active region that corresponds to or matches one of the button configurations. On the other hand, the touch detection determination device is configured to determine that the detected touch is inappropriate if the detected touch is based on an active region that does not correspond to or match one of the button configurations. This embodiment is advantageous for adaptively adjusting the responsiveness or sensitivity of the display device 101 based on one or more specific overlays thereon. For example, providing an overlay 106 that includes various button configurations that cover only half of the surface of the display device 101 detects touches only in response to touches on the half of the surface, while remaining half of the surface. The touch at is not detected and ignored.

  FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary process for determining whether a touch is appropriate or inappropriate according to one embodiment of the present invention. In step 901, the match between the button configuration of overlay 106 and the active area of display device 101 is stored in a manner accessible to the touch detection determination device. This can be accomplished automatically, semi-automatically or manually in conjunction with the placement of the overlay 106 on the display device 101. In step 902, each time a touch related to the active region of the display device 101 is detected, the touch detection determination device refers to the alignment information stored in step 901 and determines that the active region is one of the button configurations. Determine whether they are consistent. If it is determined in step 903 that the active areas are aligned, the detected touch is determined to be an appropriate touch and thus a program step or routine activated by the appropriate touch is executed. In addition or as an alternative, a response image corresponding to an appropriate touch may be generated on the display device 101. On the other hand, if it is determined in step 904 that the active areas do not match, the detected touch is determined to be inappropriate and any program step or routine activated by the appropriate touch is not executed.

  Although the present invention has been disclosed with reference to preferred embodiments, upon reading this specification, those skilled in the art may implement the invention without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the foregoing description and the following claims. Changes and modifications will be understood.

Claims (11)

An overlay of a touch display device comprising at least one active area,
An area that can be identified by at least one of vision and touch is provided, and the area that can be identified by at least one of vision and touch is formed corresponding to the active area of the touch-type display device. Touch-type display device overlay.   The overlay according to claim 1, wherein the region identifiable by at least one of visual and touch includes a visually elevated region, a depressed region, or a composite region including both a raised portion and a depressed portion.   2. The overlay according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of regions identifiable by at least one of the visual sense and the touch are formed, and at least two of the plurality of formed regions have different shapes. . A touch-type display device,
At least one active area activated by touch and an overlay is superimposed, the overlay being identified by at least one of vision and touch corresponding to the active area activated by the touch A touch-type display device comprising a possible area.   The touch-type display device according to claim 4, wherein a predetermined image is displayed corresponding to the active region.   The touch-type display device according to claim 4, wherein the overlay has transparency and is superimposed on a display screen of the touch-type display device.   The touch-type display device according to claim 4, wherein a region identifiable by at least one of vision and touch provided in the overlay has a button shape.   The touch display device includes a multi-touch detection sensor and a plurality of active regions, and the overlay can be identified by at least one of a visual sense and a touch corresponding to each of the plurality of active regions. The multi-touch for a plurality of areas which can be identified by at least one of the vision and touch provided in the overlay is configured to be detectable. Touch display device.   It is configured to detect that a region other than the region identifiable by at least one of the visual and touch provided in the overlay corresponding to the active region activated by the touch is touched. The touch-type display device according to claim 4. A method for driving a touch-type display device, comprising: an overlay superimposed on the display device, wherein the overlay comprises at least one region identifiable by at least one of vision and touch, and at least one of the vision and touch The region identifiable by corresponds to the active region of the display device,
Generating an image corresponding to the active area on the display device;
Detecting a touch on an area identifiable by at least one of the visual and touch of the overlay provided corresponding to the active area of the display device;
Generating a signal indicating detection of a touch on a region identifiable by at least one of the visual sense and touch of the overlay.   The method for driving a touch-type display device according to claim 10, further comprising a step of detecting a touch to an area other than an area that can be identified by at least one of the visual sense and the touch of the overlay.

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