TWI708171B - Touch panel device and signal attenuation determining and adjustment method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A touch panel device includes a touch sensing circuit, a plurality of first wires, and a control unit. The touch sensing circuit includes a plurality of first electrode strings, wherein each of the first electrode strings has a first end, a plurality of touch nodes and a second end. Each of the plurality of first wires is connected to the first end and the second end of the corresponding one of the first electrode strings. The control unit is electrically connected to the first wires for receiving voltage values of the touch nodes of each of the first electrode strings, wherein when the control unit determines that a signal attenuation event occurs on one wire of the first wires, the control unit correspondingly adjusts threshold values of the touch nodes of the first electrode string connected to the wire.

Description

Touch panel device and its signal attenuation judgment and adjustment method

The present invention relates to a panel device, and more particularly to a touch panel device and its signal attenuation judgment and adjustment method.

Touch panel devices have been widely used in electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers, and interactive display platforms. They have the advantages of simple, direct, natural, and space-saving operation, and become the main man-machine interface in the future.

The touch panel device mainly generates a sensing signal by touching, the sensing signal is transmitted to the control unit through the wire, and the coordinate position of the sensing signal is calculated through processing, and then a graphical interface is performed by the coordinate position Manipulation. In order to know whether the touch signal is a valid signal, it is necessary to check whether the touch sensing circuit is normal. When the touch sensing circuit is abnormal, the impedance of the signal transmission will increase, which will attenuate the energy intensity of the output signal, which will cause distortion or distortion of the signal and affect the judgment of the touch action.

As the size of the touch panel device increases, the impedance of the panel itself will increase, and the signal energy attenuation will become more serious. Therefore, in order to improve the situation of abnormal touch signals, it is necessary to propose a more effective solution.

The present invention relates to a touch panel device and its signal attenuation judgment and adjustment method. According to the signal energy attenuation, the threshold value of each measurement point on the touch sensing circuit can be adjusted correspondingly to improve the abnormal judgment of the touch position Situation.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a touch panel device is provided, including a touch sensing circuit, a plurality of first wires, and a control unit. The touch sensing circuit includes a plurality of first electrode strings, and each of the first electrode strings has a first end, a plurality of measurement points, and a second end. The plurality of first wires are connected to the first end and the second end of each corresponding first electrode string. The control unit is electrically connected to the first wires for receiving the voltage signals of the measuring points of the first electrode strings. When the control unit determines that a signal attenuation event occurs on one of the first wires, it corresponds to Adjust the reporting threshold of the measurement points of the first electrode string connected to the wire.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for determining and adjusting signal attenuation of a touch panel device is provided, which includes the following steps. Receive voltage signals from multiple measuring points. Calculate the signal attenuation rate of change at these measurement points to determine whether a signal attenuation event occurs. When there is a signal attenuation event, according to the signal energy of the corresponding measurement points, correspondingly adjust the reporting point thresholds of these measurement points.

In order to have a better understanding of the above and other aspects of the present invention, the following specific examples are given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings to describe in detail as follows:

100: Touch panel device

102: Touch sensing circuit

104: control unit

108: The first electrode string

108a: first end

108b: second end

110: second electrode string

110b: end

112: First wire

113: Abnormal Wire

114: Wire

115: normal wire

116: second wire

A1, B1: reporting threshold

T1, Ti, Ti-1: signal energy

Si, Si-1: threshold curve for reporting points

A: Breakpoint

△y/△x: Attenuation rate of change

R1 to Rm: measuring point

n, m: quantity

X, Y: direction

(R1,T1), (R1,Tn), (Rm,T1), (Rm,Tn): coordinate point

(T _i-1 x ₁ ,T _i-1 y ₁ ), (T _i x ₁ ,T _i y ₁ ), (T _i-1 x _m ,T _i-1 ym), (T _i xm,T _i ym): coordinate point

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a touch panel device according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the signal energy distribution of a normal wire according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram showing the signal energy distribution of determining whether there is an abnormal wire according to the signal attenuation change rate (such as the slope) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram of the signal energy distribution of a normal wire and an abnormal wire according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a method for determining and adjusting signal attenuation of a touch panel device according to an embodiment of the invention.

The following examples are provided for detailed description. The examples are only used as examples for description, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In the following description, the same/similar symbols represent the same/similar elements. The directional terms mentioned in the following embodiments, for example: up, down, left, right, front or back, etc., are only the directions with reference to the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are used to illustrate but not to limit the present invention.

Please refer to FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the touch panel device 100 may include a touch sensing circuit 102, a plurality of first wires 112, and a plurality of A second wire 116 and a control unit 104. The touch sensing circuit 102 includes a plurality of sensing element arrays formed by interweaving the first electrode strings 108 and the second electrode strings 110, which are used to generate touch signals.

The first electrode string 108 extends along the X direction and is arranged into a plurality of rows of electrode strings from row 1 to row n, where n is an integer, which represents the number of rows of the touch sensing circuit 102. Each first electrode string 108 has a first end 108a and a second end 108b, and each first electrode string 108 has a plurality of measurement points R1 to Rm disposed at the first end 108a and the second end 108b between. In addition, the first wire 112 is disposed on both sides of the touch sensing circuit 102, and is connected to the first end 108a and the second end 108b of each first electrode string 108, so that each first electrode string 108 and The corresponding first wires 112 form a closed loop, thereby effectively increasing the energy intensity of the touch signal, where T1 to Tn represent the measurement points measured by the control unit 104 via the first wires 112 at the measurement points R1 to Rm The signal energy (such as a voltage signal), n is an integer, which represents the number of rows of the touch sensing circuit 102.

The second electrode string 110 extends along the Y direction and is arranged in a plurality of rows of electrode strings from row 1 to row m, where m is an integer, which represents the number of rows of the touch sensing circuit 102. In addition, the second wire 116 may be disposed on one side (for example, the lower side), and one end 110 b of each second electrode string 110 is connected to the corresponding second wire 116 to be connected to the control unit 104. However, in another embodiment, the second wire 116 can also be disposed on both sides (for example, upper and lower sides) of the touch sensing circuit 102, and connected to the two ends of the corresponding second electrode strings 110 to form a closed Loop, the present invention does not impose restrictions on this. In an embodiment, X and Y may be perpendicular to each other.

The first electrode string 108 and the second electrode string 110 include a plurality of series-connected electrodes (not shown), which may be composed of a transparent material, and an example of the transparent material may be indium tin oxide. The touch panel device 100 may be a resistive touch panel device or a capacitive touch panel device, and the capacitive touch panel device is preferred.

Each first wire 112 is connected to the corresponding wire 114 to be connected to the control unit 104 so as to input signals to the control unit 104 or output signals from the control unit 104. The control unit 104 is used for controlling the touch sensing circuit 102 and calculating the position of the touch signal sensed by the touch sensing circuit 102, and provides input/output processing of a man-machine operation interface.

Please refer to Figures 1 and 2, the control unit 104 can receive the voltage signals (signal energy) of the measurement points of each first electrode string 108 to generate an energy test chart, where the X coordinates are the measurement points R1 to Rm The Y coordinate is the voltage signal on each measurement point R1 to Rm. The voltage signal on the measurement point R1 to Rm can be converted into the corresponding value or energy unit by equation to draw the signal energy of n curves . For example, in Figure 2, Ti represents the signal energy of the i-th curve. Under normal conditions, the signal energy Ti of each measurement point R1 to Rm decreases from the left and right sides to the center, that is, the measurement points on the opposite sides The signal energy of is higher than the signal energy of the central measuring point. The control unit 104 can pre-set a threshold curve Si for reporting point, and when the signal energy Ti measured after triggering a touch signal is lower than the threshold curve Si for reporting point, it is determined that a touch event occurs.

However, referring to Figures 1 and 3A, when the first wire 112 has a break (at point A as shown in the figure) and there is an abnormal wire 113, the abnormal wire 113 has only one side that can transmit signal energy, so The intensity of the signal energy received by the control unit 104 decreases. As shown in Figure 3A, the signal energy Ti of each measurement point on the i-th curve decreases from left to right along the X direction due to the signal attenuation, causing the signal energy Ti received by the control unit 104 to be lower than the reporting point threshold curve Si, so the control unit 104 cannot normally determine whether a touch event has occurred.

In this regard, this embodiment provides a method for determining and adjusting the signal attenuation of a touch panel device, which can adjust the threshold value of each measurement point according to the attenuation of the signal energy, so as to improve the situation of abnormally determining the touch position.

Please refer to Figures 1, 3A, and 4 together. The signal attenuation judgment and adjustment method in Figure 4 may include the following steps S11-S15. In step S11, the voltage signals of a plurality of measurement points R1 to Rm are received. In step S12, the rate of change of signal attenuation at these measurement points R1 to Rm is calculated. In step S13, it is determined whether a signal attenuation event occurs in one of the first wires 112. In step S14, when there is a signal attenuation event, the reporting point thresholds of these measuring points R1 to Rm are adjusted. In step S15, a touch sensing signal is received to determine a touch position.

In step S11, each signal energy Ti transmits a voltage signal to the touch sensing circuit 102 sequentially via the first wire 112 on the left side arranged in column 1 to column n, and then passes through each of rows 1 to m The measurement point is to the first wire 112 on the right, and the signal energy returned by the first wire 112 on the right is received to determine the signal energy Ti of each measurement point R1 to Rm.

In this embodiment, since each first wire 112 and the corresponding first electrode string 108 form a closed loop, the signal energy Ti of each measurement point R1 to Rm will decrease as the distance of signal transmission increases. In step S12, calculating the signal attenuation rate of change of the plurality of measurement points R1 to Rm further includes calculating the average value of the attenuation rate of change of n signal energy, where n is the number of the first wires 112 to obtain a reference value. The reference value can be adjusted according to the characteristics of the touch sensing circuit 102 to be greater than or equal to the average value of the signal attenuation change rate. For example, the reference value can be adjusted up or down according to the parameters and sensitivity of the touch sensing circuit 102 produced by various manufacturers to make It meets actual operating requirements. Please refer to Figure 3A, (0,1400) and (81,1390) are represented as the coordinates and signal energy of the first signal energy T1 at the measuring points R1 and Rm, (0,930) and (81,310) are represented as the i The coordinate and signal energy of the signal energy Ti at the measurement points R1 and Rm, first calculate the attenuation rate of change of n signal energy, namely the slope △y/△x, where the slope of n-1 signal energy is roughly △y/△x For example, (1390-1400)/(81-0)=-0.12, the average attenuation rate of change is about -0.12, and the slope of the other signal energy △y/△x is (310-930)/( 81-0)=-7.65, which is significantly greater than the average value of the attenuation rate of change of all signal energy, for example, greater than 2 times to 10 times the average value, which shows that the signal energy is abnormal. Therefore, in this embodiment, a reference value can be obtained by calculating the average value of the slopes of the n signal energies, for example. When the slope △y/△x is positive, it means the signal energy increases from R1 to Rm. When the slope △y/△x is negative, it means the signal energy decreases from R1 to Rm. When calculating the reference value or the average of all slopes, you can calculate the absolute value of each slope. In the subsequent step S13, the control unit 104 can according to the energy of each signal The relationship between the signal attenuation change rate (△y/△x) and the average value of the signal attenuation change rates of all signal energy is used to determine whether there is an abnormal wire 113 in the first wire 112.

In step S13, when the attenuation change rate of one of the signal energy Ti is greater than the reference value or the average value of all slopes, it indicates that an abnormal wire 113 exists in the first wire 112. Therefore, the control unit 104 determines whether a signal attenuation event (such as a unilateral disconnection event) occurs according to the attenuation change rate of the signal energy Ti. In another embodiment, the present invention does not limit the magnitude of the slope △y/△x to determine whether a single-sided disconnection event has occurred, and the voltage drop of this signal energy Ti can also be used to determine whether a single-sided disconnection occurs. Event, for example, when the voltage drop of one of the signal energy Ti is greater than a reference value, such as attenuation to 2/3 of the voltage value or other values, it can be determined whether a signal attenuation event has occurred.

In addition, when there is a signal attenuation event, the control unit 104 can also adjust the reporting threshold of each measurement point R1 to Rm by comparing the ratio between two adjacent signal energies Ti-1 and Ti.

Please refer to Figures 1 and 3B, Ti-1 represents the signal energy of the i-1th curve, and Ti represents the signal energy of the i-th curve. As shown in Figure 1, the first wire 112 includes a normal wire 115 and an abnormal wire 113 adjacent to each other, where Ti _-1 y ₁ is the normal wire 115 at its first measurement point R1 (T _i-1 x ₁₎ the signal energy, T _i y ₁ thereon a first lead 113 of abnormal measurement points R1 (T _i x ₁₎ of the signal energy. Calculate the ratio of the signal energy of the normal wire 115 and the abnormal wire 113 at the respective first measurement point R1, namely the ratio T _i y ₁ /T _i-1 y ₁ , and follow this ratio T _i y ₁ /T _i-1 y ₁ corresponds to the adjustment threshold value of the abnormal wire 113 at its first measurement point R1 (T _i x ₁ ), that is to say, the first measurement point R1 (T _i x ₁ ) and R1 (T _i-1 The reporting threshold (B1/A1) of x ₁ ) is proportional to the ratio T _i y ₁ /T _i-1 y ₁ . In the same way, it can be seen that the reporting threshold values of the normal wire 115 and the abnormal wire 113 at the remaining measurement points R2 to Rm are also adjusted according to the ratio of the signal energy at the corresponding measurement points R2 to Rm. Among them, Si represents the reporting threshold curve corresponding to the i-th signal energy, and Si-1 represents the reporting threshold curve corresponding to the i-1th signal energy.

In addition, T _i-1 y _m is the signal energy of the normal wire 115 at the m-th measurement point Rm (T _i-1 x _m ), and T _i y _m is the abnormal wire 113 at the m-th measurement point Rm (T _i x _m ) of the signal energy. Calculate the ratio of the signal energy of the normal wire 115 and the abnormal wire 113 at the m-th measurement point Rm, that is, the ratio T _i y _m /T _i-1 y _m , and follow this ratio T _i y _m /T _i-1 y _m corresponds to adjusting the threshold value of the reporting point of the abnormal wire 113 at the m-th measuring point Rm.

For example, the reporting threshold of the normal wire 115 at the first measurement point R1 is 1100 energy units. When there is no touch signal, the signal energy is 1200 energy units, and when there is a touch signal, the signal energy is 1050 energy units. The unit is less than the threshold value of the report point, so it can be known that a touch event has occurred.

When a signal attenuation event (such as a unilateral disconnection event) occurs, the ratio of the signal energy of the abnormal wire 113 to the normal wire 115 at the first measurement point R1 is 77.5%, and the abnormal wire 113 is adjusted accordingly in the first measurement The reporting threshold of point R1 is 1100 energy units x 77.5%, resulting in 852.5 energy units. At this time, when there is no touch signal on the abnormal wire 113, the signal energy is 930 energy units, and when there is a touch signal on the abnormal wire 113, the signal energy is 840 energy units, which is less than the threshold value of the report point. A touch event occurred. Otherwise, nothing.

In addition, if the ratio of the signal energy of the abnormal wire 113 to the normal wire 115 at the m-th measurement point Rm is 27%, the threshold value of the alarm point of the abnormal wire 113 at the m-th measurement point Rm is adjusted accordingly to 1100 energy units x 27%, get 297 energy units. At this time, when there is no touch signal on the abnormal wire 113, the signal energy is 315 energy units, and when there is a touch signal on the abnormal wire 113, the signal energy is 280 energy units, which is less than the alarm threshold, so a A touch event occurred. Otherwise, nothing.

In addition, this embodiment can also set the signal energy ratio not to be lower than a preset value. For example, when the ratio of the signal energy of the abnormal wire 113 to the normal wire 115 is lower than 10%, because the signal energy is too low, the alarm threshold value is not adjusted.

The touch panel device and its signal attenuation judgment and adjustment method disclosed in the above embodiments of the present invention can adjust the threshold value of each measurement point according to the signal energy attenuation, so as to improve the situation of abnormally judging the touch position. In addition, even if a unilateral disconnection event occurs, the touch panel device can still be used normally, so the service life can be increased.

In summary, although the present invention has been disclosed in the above embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Those who have ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to those defined by the attached patent application scope.

100: Touch panel device

102: Touch sensing circuit

104: control unit

108: The first electrode string

108a: first end

108b: second end

R1 to Rm: measuring point

T1 to Tn: signal energy

110: second electrode string

110b: end

112: First wire

113: Abnormal Wire

114: Wire

115: normal wire

116: second wire

A: Breakpoint

n, m: quantity

X, Y: direction

(R1,T1), (R1,Tn), (Rm,T1), (Rm,Tn): coordinate point

Claims (9)

A touch panel device includes: a touch sensing circuit, including a plurality of first electrode strings, wherein each of the first electrode strings has a first end, a plurality of measurement points, and a second end; The first wire is connected to the first end and the second end of each corresponding first electrode string; and a control unit is electrically connected to the first wires to receive each of the first The voltage signals of the measuring points of the electrode string, wherein the control unit determines that a signal attenuation event occurs in one of the first wires according to the voltage signals of the measuring points, and correspondingly adjusts the first wire connected to the wire. The threshold value of the reporting point of the measuring points of the electrode string. For the touch panel device described in claim 1, wherein the control unit calculates the signal attenuation rate of change at the measurement points to determine whether the signal attenuation event occurs. In the touch panel device described in item 2 of the scope of patent application, the signal attenuation rate of change is slope. The touch panel device described in item 2 of the scope of patent application, wherein the control unit further calculates the average value of the signal attenuation rate of change of n signal energy to obtain a reference value, where n is the number of the first wires , And determine whether the signal attenuation change rate of one of the signal energy is greater than the reference value or the average value to determine whether the signal attenuation event occurs. For the touch panel device described in claim 1, wherein the first wires include a normal wire and an abnormal wire that are adjacent to each other, and the control unit corresponds to the normal wire and the abnormal wire according to the The signal energy of the measuring point is calculated, a ratio is calculated, and the ratio of the reporting point threshold values of the measuring points on the normal wire and the abnormal wire is adjusted correspondingly according to the ratio. A method for judging and adjusting the signal attenuation of a touch panel device includes: receiving voltage signals of a plurality of measuring points; calculating the signal attenuation change rate of the measuring points, and judging whether a voltage signal of the measuring points has occurred. Signal attenuation event; and when there is the signal attenuation event, according to the signal energy of the corresponding measurement points, correspondingly adjust the reporting threshold values of the measurement points. The method described in item 6 of the scope of patent application, wherein the signal attenuation rate of change is slope. For example, the method described in item 6 of the scope of patent application, wherein calculating the signal attenuation change rate of the measurement points further includes calculating the average value of the attenuation change rate of n signal energy to obtain a reference value and determine one of the signals Whether the signal attenuation change rate of the energy is greater than the reference value or the average value is used to determine whether the signal attenuation event occurs. For the method described in item 6 of the scope of patent application, the adjustment of the threshold value of the measurement points includes calculating the signal energy of the adjacent normal wire and an abnormal wire at the corresponding measurement points. A ratio, and according to the ratio The ratio of the threshold values of the measuring points on the normal wire and the abnormal wire should be adjusted.

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