KR20080063954A - Method of preventing a wrong operation of touch sensors in mobile communication terminals and the mobile communication terminals thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for preventing an incorrect operation of touch sensors in a mobile terminal and the mobile terminal thereof are provided to prevent the incorrect operation of the touch sensors when mechanical movement between the touch sensors and a signal line connected to the touch sensors is generated by external shock. A plurality of signal lines(200) are respectively connected to a plurality of touch sensors(60a-60c). A touch IC(70) includes input ports(port1-port3) formed by corresponding to the signal lines, generates a capacitance value formed in respective touch sensors and a plurality of oscillation frequency values corresponding to the capacitance values formed in respective signal lines, and measures the oscillation frequency values. A controller determines a real touch of the touch sensors based on a difference between the measured oscillation frequency values with the oscillation frequency values received from a frequency counter. The signal lines are an FPCB, and the touch IC includes an oscillator(72) and the frequency counter(74).

Description

Method of preventing a wrong operation of touch sensors in mobile communication terminals and the mobile communication terminals

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a view illustrating in more detail the relationship between the touch sensor and the controller of FIG. 1;

3 is a cross-sectional view of a touch sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a cross-sectional view of the signal line of FIG. 2, and

5 is a flowchart provided to explain a touch sensor malfunction prevention method of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Brief description of the main parts of the drawing

20: control unit 30: memory unit

60: touch sensor unit 70: touch IC

100: mobile communication terminal 200: signal line

The present invention relates to a method for preventing a touch sensor malfunction of a mobile communication terminal and a mobile communication terminal thereof.

In general, a touch sensor is an input device that detects an input signal in response to a human contact. As a method of implementing such a touch sensor, a resistive method and a capacitive method are mainly used.

The resistive method forms a checkered resistive line on the surface of the touch sensor pad, and these lines are implemented to have a characteristic in which resistance values change with minute pressure. The controller recognizes keystrokes by scanning each resistive line to see the change in resistance.

The resistive method is often used for the implementation of a touch screen because the touch sensor pad surface must be deformed under a certain pressure, but its application is limited.

In the capacitive method, when the pad surface of the touch sensor contacts the human body, when the capacitance of the touch sensor pad and the capacitance of the human body are connected in parallel and the total capacitance changes, the oscillator having the changed capacitance value as the capacitance value of the resonance circuit The resonant frequency is changed, and the control unit detects this to recognize the input of the signal.

However, in the case of the capacitive method, the capacitance changes even when a flow occurs in the signal line connecting the touch pad and the touch IC due to an external shock, and the touch IC recognizes this as a touch sensor input and the user touches the touch sensor. Signal processing was performed in the same manner as in one case.

That is, even when the capacitance is changed due to an external shock caused by the flow of the signal line, the touch sensor is recognized as being touched, thereby causing the touch sensor to malfunction.

On the other hand, the signal line is implemented by using a rigid PCB form or by bonding the FPCB so that the signal line is not affected by external shock, but in this case, the thickness and manufacturing of the touch sensor module are implemented. There was a problem that caused an increase in cost.

Accordingly, a technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is a method of preventing a malfunction of a touch sensor of a mobile communication terminal and a method for preventing a malfunction of the touch sensor when a mechanical flow occurs in a signal line connected to the touch sensor. It is to provide.

Technical problems to be achieved by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems, and other technical problems not mentioned above may be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. There will be.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of preventing a malfunction of a touch sensor of a mobile communication terminal, wherein a plurality of capacitance values provided from a plurality of touch sensor modules are connected to correspond to the plurality of touch sensor modules. Calculating a plurality of resonance frequency values received through a port and respectively generated in response to the plurality of capacitance values; Calculating a difference value between the largest resonance frequency value and the second largest resonance frequency value among the plurality of resonance frequency values; And comparing the value obtained by dividing the difference value by the largest resonance frequency value with a predetermined threshold value and determining that there is no touch sensor input by the user when the divided value is smaller than the predetermined threshold value. Include.

When the divided value is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, the user recognizes that the plurality of touch sensors have touched, and executes a function corresponding to any one of the plurality of touch sensors having the highest priority among the plurality of touch sensors. And controlling.

The plurality of touch sensor modules include a plurality of touch sensors, a plurality of signal lines connecting the plurality of touch sensors and the respective ports corresponding thereto, and the divided value is a predetermined threshold value. If smaller, the flow may occur in the plurality of signal lines due to an external impact.

The plurality of signal lines may be embodied as a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).

Mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention a plurality of touch sensors; A plurality of signal lines connected corresponding to each of the plurality of touch sensors; An input port provided corresponding to the plurality of signal lines, and generating a plurality of resonance frequency values corresponding to capacitance values formed on each of the plurality of touch sensors or capacitance values formed on each of the plurality of signal lines, A touch IC measuring a plurality of generated resonant frequency values; And a controller configured to determine whether the plurality of touch sensors are actually touched based on the difference between the plurality of resonance frequency values provided by the frequency counter unit.

The plurality of signal lines may be embodied as a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).

The touch IC may include an oscillator configured to generate a plurality of resonance frequency values corresponding to capacitance values formed in each of the plurality of touch sensors or capacitance values formed in each of the plurality of signal lines, and measure the plurality of resonance frequency values. It may include a; frequency counter.

The oscillator may include a plurality of resonant circuits in which intrinsic capacitance values are determined according to capacitance values formed in each of the plurality of touch sensors or capacitance values formed in each of the plurality of signal lines.

The control unit may calculate a difference value between a largest resonance frequency value and a second largest resonance frequency value among the plurality of resonance frequency values, divide the difference value by the largest resonance frequency value, and a predetermined predetermined threshold value. In comparison, when the divided value is smaller than a predetermined threshold, it may be determined that the plurality of touch sensors are not actually touched.

The controller recognizes that the plurality of touch sensors are touched by the user when the divided value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, and selects one of the plurality of touch sensors having the highest priority. The corresponding function can be controlled to be executed.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating the present invention.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the mobile communication terminal 100 may include a wireless transceiver 10, a controller 20, a memory 30, an input 40, a display 50, a touch sensor 60, And a touch IC 70 and an audio processor 80.

The wireless transceiver 10 performs a communication function of the mobile communication terminal 100. The wireless transceiver 10 includes an RF transmitter for upconverting and amplifying a frequency of a transmitted signal, and an RF receiver for low noise amplifying and downconverting a received signal.

The controller 20 performs overall control of the mobile communication terminal 100. In an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 20 determines whether a plurality of touch sensors constituting the touch sensor unit 60 are actually touched by a user using an algorithm for preventing a touch sensor malfunction according to the present embodiment. do.

The memory unit 30 includes a program memory and data memories. The program memory stores a program for controlling a general operation of the mobile communication terminal 100. In addition, the memory unit 30 stores software in which an algorithm for preventing a touch sensor malfunction according to the present embodiment is recorded.

The input unit 40 includes various buttons for inputting numeric and character information and function buttons for setting various functions. The input unit 40 may be implemented as a keypad including a direction key, a jog dial, a touch screen, a joystick, and the like.

The display unit 50 outputs various display information, various menu screens, etc. output from the mobile communication terminal 100, and includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light emitting diode (OLED). In addition, the display unit 50 may include two or more display devices, including an external display unit and an internal display unit.

The touch sensor unit 60 includes a plurality of touch sensors. The touch sensor is an input device that receives a touch of a human body as an input. In the embodiment of the present invention, the touch sensor is implemented using a capacitive method.

The touch IC 70 receives a capacitance value generated by the touch sensor unit 60 as an input, generates an input signal corresponding to the capacitance value, and provides the same to the controller 20. The touch IC 70 and the touch sensor unit 60 are connected by a signal line such as a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). In the embodiment of the present invention, the touch IC 70 includes an oscillator and a frequency counter.

The audio processor 80 plays a function of reproducing the audio signal decoded by the controller 20 through the speaker SPK or transmitting the audio signal generated from the microphone MIC to the controller 20.

FIG. 2 illustrates a relationship between the touch sensor unit and the touch IC of FIG. 1 in more detail. Referring to FIG. 2, the touch sensor unit 60 includes three touch sensors, that is, first to third touch sensors 60a to 60c, and the touch IC 70 includes an oscillator 72 and a frequency counter unit ( 74).

The first to third touch sensors 60a to 60c are connected to the oscillator 72 of the touch IC 70 through the signal line 200 connected to the first to third touch sensors 60a to 60c and the first to third ports port1 to port3, respectively. In this embodiment, the signal line uses FPCB.

More specifically, when a capacitance change occurs due to human body contact with the first to third touch sensors 60a to 60c or a change in capacitance occurs in the signal line 200 due to mechanical flow, the capacitance change value is The oscillator 72 of the touch IC 70 is applied to the oscillator 72 through the first to third ports port1 to port3, respectively, thereby changing the resonance frequency of the oscillator 72.

In general, when mechanical flow occurs, the capacitance of any one of the signal lines 200 rarely changes, and the capacitance value of each signal line 200 changes.

The oscillator 72 has a resonant circuit therein, which includes at least one inductor and a capacitor. The capacitance value of a specific capacitor included in each of the resonant circuits is changed according to the capacitance change value applied through each of the first to third ports port1 to port3 provided in the touch IC 70. 72) to change the resonant frequency.

The frequency counter 74 detects a change in the resonance frequency of the oscillator 72 and provides the control unit 20 with the detected change in the resonance frequency of the oscillator 72.

That is, a capacitance change occurs in at least two or more ports among the three ports shown in FIG. 2, whereby at least two or more resonant frequency change values corresponding to each port are changed from the frequency counter unit 74 to the control unit 20. When provided to, the control unit 20 checks whether a key input is generated by the touch sensor contact of the user using a predetermined algorithm for preventing a touch sensor malfunction according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the above-described embodiment, each signal line 200 connected to the three touch sensors 60a to 60c has been described as being connected to the oscillator 72 through each of the ports port1 to port3. It is not limited to this. That is, a plurality of oscillators may be implemented so that each oscillator corresponding to each port is connected.

3 is a cross-sectional view of a touch sensor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, a lower dielectric layer 310b is formed on the lower ground layer 300c, and an intermediate ground layer 300b is formed between the lower dielectric layer 310b and the upper dielectric layer 310a. In addition, an upper ground layer 300a and first to third touch sensors 60a to 60c are formed on the upper dielectric layer 310a.

Capacitance is formed for each touch sensor 60a to 60c in the touch sensor unit 60 having such a structure. In this embodiment, the capacitance value formed by each touch sensor 60a to 60c is defined as Cpad. do.

4 is a cross-sectional view of the signal line shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 4, ground layers 400, which are conductive materials, are formed on upper and lower portions of the signal line 200, respectively. The reason for forming the ground layer 400 may be due to contact of the signal lines 200 from the outside. This is to make the signal line 200 less affected. In addition, a dielectric material 410 is formed between the ground layer 400 and the signal line 200.

At this time, two capacitance values, that is, a first capacitance and a second capacitance, are formed between the signal line 200 and the ground layer 400. In the present embodiment, the first capacitance formed between the first ground layer 400a and the signal line 200 is defined as Cs1, and the second capacitance formed between the second ground layer 400b and the signal line 200 is defined. The capacitance is defined as Cs2. Since Cs1 and Cs2 are connected in parallel, the capacitance Cs generated in the signal line 200 may be defined as follows.

Cs = Cs1 + Cs2

In addition, if the body capacitance generated when the user touches the touch sensors 60a to 60c is Cbody, the total capacitance C1 total 1 generated when the user touches the touch sensors 60a to 60c is as follows. same.

Ctotal 1 = Cpad + Cs + Cbody

On the other hand, ideally, the first ground layer 400a, the signal line 200, and the second ground layer 400b are completely fixed mechanically so that Cs1 and Cs2 should have no change in their values. However, in general, there is a tolerance in the apparatus, and this tolerance does not completely fix the signal line 200, causing a change in capacitance due to an external impact. In the present embodiment, the change value of the capacitance generated in the signal line 200 due to mechanical flow caused by an external impact is defined as Cs'.

As described above, the total capacitance C2 when the capacitance change occurs in the signal line 200 due to external shock is as follows.

Ctotal 2 = Cpad + Cs + Cs'

In Equation 2, the total capacitance changes in both cases by the human body capacitance, and in Equation 3 by the capacitance change value generated in the signal line 200 by the external shock.

However, the capacitance generated by the touch sensor unit 60 changes in capacitance in proportion to the area of each touch sensor in contact with the human body. For example, when the user touches the first touch sensor 60a and the user's finger partially touches the second touch sensor 60b adjacent to the first touch sensor 60a, the first touch sensor 60a The contact area of the human body and the contact area of the second touch sensor has a large difference.

Therefore, the difference between the change in capacitance generated in the first touch sensor 60a that the user wants to touch and the change in capacitance generated in the adjacent second touch sensor 60b increases.

The change in capacitance value to the first touch sensor 60a is input to the first port port1 to change the first resonant frequency of the oscillator, and likewise, the change in capacitance value of the second touch sensor 60b to the second port ) To change the second resonant frequency of the oscillator, wherein the difference between the first resonant frequency change value and the second resonant frequency change value increases.

In contrast, when mechanical flow generally occurs, the likelihood of capacitance changes only for one signal line is significantly lower, for each signal line a change in capacitance occurs, and all signal lines have almost the same effect. The difference in capacitance change between each signal line is not so large. Accordingly, the resonance frequency change value of the oscillator 72 is not significantly different for each signal line.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the touch sensor is prevented from malfunctioning due to a change in capacitance generated by mechanical flow. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 5. do.

5 is a flowchart provided to explain a touch sensor malfunction prevention method of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, when a change in capacitance of the signal line 200 due to mechanical flow or a change in capacitance occurs by a user's touch sensor input, such change in capacitance constitutes a resonance circuit (not shown) of the oscillator 72. This leads to a change in the capacitance value of the capacitor, which in turn results in a change in the resonant frequency of the oscillator 72.

The frequency counter 74 measures the resonant frequency value of the oscillator 72 for each port and provides the same to the controller 20, and the controller 20 controls the resonant frequency of the oscillator 72 provided by the frequency counter 74. A change in the resonance frequency is detected for each port by using the measured value (S510).

When the resonance frequency change of the oscillator 72 occurs in a plurality of ports (S520: Y), the controller 20 checks the resonance frequency change value for each port and stores it in the memory unit 30 (S530).

The controller 20 calculates a difference value f1-f2 between the largest resonant frequency change value f1 and the second largest resonant frequency change value f2 among the resonant frequency change values for each port (S540). ,

The controller 20 divides the calculated difference value by the largest resonance frequency change value f1 and compares the divided value (f1-f2) / f1 with a preset threshold Th1 (S550).

As a result of the comparison, when the divided value (f1-f2) / f1 is smaller than the preset threshold Th1 (S560: Y), the control unit 20 generates a change in capacitance of the signal line due to mechanical flow caused by an external impact. Thus, it is determined that the resonant frequency value of the oscillator 72 has changed accordingly, and it is ignored (S570).

On the contrary, when (f1-f2) / f1, which is a value obtained by dividing the difference value f1-f2 by the largest resonance frequency change value f1, is greater than or equal to the preset threshold Th1 (S560: N), the controller 20 The controller determines that the plurality of touch sensors are touched by the user's touch sensor operation (S580), and processes the touch sensor input according to a predetermined priority principle (S590).

Here, the processing of the touch sensor input according to a predetermined priority principle means that when a plurality of touch sensors are input at the same time, it is determined that there is an input of a touch sensor having a high priority and corresponding to the touch sensor. This means controlling the function to run. In order to prioritize, a method of giving priority to a key with a high frequency of use is generally used.

In this manner, it is possible to clearly distinguish between the change in the oscillator's resonant frequency and the change in the oscillator's resonant frequency by the user's touch sensor. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the touch sensor from malfunctioning due to the change in the resonance frequency of the oscillator due to mechanical flow.

In the above description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the above-described specific embodiment, it is common in the art to which the invention belongs without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed in the claims. Various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and such changes are within the scope of the claims.

As described above, according to one embodiment of the present invention, there is an advantage that the touch sensor can be prevented from malfunctioning due to mechanical flow caused by an external impact.

Claims (10)

A plurality of resonance frequencies received from a plurality of capacitance values provided from a plurality of touch sensor modules through respective ports connected to correspond to the plurality of touch sensor modules, and respectively generated in response to the plurality of input capacitance values. Calculating a value; Calculating a difference value between the largest resonance frequency value and the second largest resonance frequency value among the plurality of resonance frequency values; And Comparing the value obtained by dividing the difference value with the largest resonance frequency value and a predetermined threshold value, and determining that there is no touch sensor input by the user when the divided value is smaller than the predetermined threshold value. How to prevent malfunction of the touch sensor of the mobile communication terminal. The method of claim 1, When the divided value is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, the user recognizes that the plurality of touch sensors have touched, and executes a function corresponding to any one of the plurality of touch sensors having the highest priority among the plurality of touch sensors. And controlling the touch sensor malfunction of the mobile communication terminal. The method of claim 1, The plurality of touch sensor modules, A plurality of touch sensors and a plurality of signal lines connecting the plurality of touch sensors and the respective ports corresponding thereto; If the divided value is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the touch sensor malfunction prevention method of the mobile communication terminal, characterized in that the flow occurs in the plurality of signal lines by an external impact. The method of claim 3, The plurality of signal lines, Method for preventing a touch sensor malfunction of a mobile communication terminal, characterized in that the FPCB (Flexible Printed Circuit Board). A plurality of touch sensors; A plurality of signal lines connected corresponding to each of the plurality of touch sensors; An input port provided corresponding to the plurality of signal lines, and generating a plurality of resonance frequency values corresponding to capacitance values formed on each of the plurality of touch sensors or capacitance values formed on each of the plurality of signal lines, A touch IC measuring a plurality of generated resonant frequency values; And a controller configured to determine whether the plurality of touch sensors are actually touched based on the difference between the plurality of resonance frequency values provided by the frequency counter unit. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of signal lines, Mobile communication terminal, characterized in that the FPCB (Flexible Printed Circuit Board). The method of claim 5, wherein the touch IC, An oscillator for generating a plurality of resonance frequency values corresponding to capacitance values formed in each of the plurality of touch sensors or capacitance values formed in each of the plurality of signal lines; And a frequency counter unit for measuring the plurality of resonant frequency values. The method of claim 7, wherein The oscillator, And a resonance circuit having a unique capacitance value determined according to capacitance values formed in each of the plurality of touch sensors or capacitance values formed in each of the plurality of signal lines. The method of claim 5, wherein the control unit, Calculating a difference value between the largest resonance frequency value and the second largest resonance frequency value among the plurality of resonance frequency values, comparing the value obtained by dividing the difference value by the largest resonance frequency value with a predetermined predetermined threshold value, And when the divided value is smaller than a predetermined threshold, determining that the plurality of touch sensors are not actually touched. The method of claim 5, wherein the control unit, When the divided value is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, the plurality of touch sensors are recognized as being touched by the user, and a function corresponding to any one of the plurality of touch sensors having the highest priority is set. A mobile communication terminal, characterized in that the control to run.

Images