The present invention relates to an electronic device, a touch user interface for an electronic device, especially an electronic device comprising the touch user interface, and a method for determining a temperature of an electronic device.
Touch screens are known in the art for controlling devices via a user interface. Touch-sensitive proximity sensing components may be arranged on top of a display forming a so-called touch screen. A touch screen provides a very intuitive way of operating the device. Information may be displayed on the display; in response to the information displayed on the display, the user may touch the display for initiating actions or operations. The touch screen may work by detecting a change of capacity when the user approaches or touches the surface of the touch screen. Such a so-called capacitive touch screen may also provide location information on a position where the user touches the touch screen. This may be used to provide a two-dimensional input means as the user interface. However, especially in connection with complex applications, a three-dimensional input means may be desirable. A third input dimension may be accomplished by measuring a force being applied by the user to the surface of the touch screen. A strain gauge may be used for force sensing. Using a strain gauge sensor may be very effective in measuring strain on for example a glass window created by a force applied by the user. However, strain gauge sensors are very sensitive to environmental effects such as temperature changes.
It is desirable to measure temperature changes and pure temperature on surfaces on for example an electronic device with for example a strain gauge if the caused strain is not influenced by any force.
There is a need to provide a simple, cheap, reliable and robust way of measuring a temperature change or pure temperature on electronic devices.
According to an aspect of the present invention, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device has at least one strain gauge which is arranged at the electronic device such that a strain of the at least one strain gauge is influenced by a change of a temperature of the electronic device. Further, the electronic device has a control assembly for evaluating an output signal of the at least one strain gauge to determine a temperature of the electronic device on the basis of the output signal and for controlling at least one function of the electronic device based on the determined temperature.
According to an embodiment, the at least one strain gauge is part of a force detection arrangement of the electronic device. The force detection arrangement is provided for detecting a force exerted on the electronic device. Further, the force detection arrangement may be adapted to detect a force exerted on a touch screen of the electronic device.
According to an embodiment, the at least one strain gauge may be arranged such that the strain of the at least one strain gauge is influenced by a change of a temperature of a display or a touch screen of the electronic device. The control assembly may be adapted to determine the temperature of the display or touch screen of the electronic device and to control the at least one function of the electronic device based on the determined temperature of the display or touch screen of the electronic device.
According to an embodiment, the at least one strain gauge comprises indium tin oxide. The indium tin oxide (ITO) may be coated on a glass surface in a thin layer for example in the form of a meander for realizing a strain gauge sensor configured to detect a strain on the glass window created by a force or created by a temperature on the glass window. As a thin layer of indium tin oxide has a high transparency, the constituted strain gauge sensor may be arranged on a top of a display for constituting a touch screen of a user interface. The layer of indium tin oxide may be overlaid onto the display such that the light output by the display process through the strain gauge sensor. If the material is coated outside the display area, there are several different materials to choose from.
According to an embodiment, the at least one strain gauge is arranged in a leg of a Wheatstone bridge circuit. The Wheatstone bridge may be adapted to determine a resistance and changes in a resistance very accurately, especially if the changes are very small. Thus the sensor value may be determined with high accuracy.
According to an embodiment, the at least one strain gauge is arranged at a surface region of the electronic device such that the strain of the at least one strain gauge is influenced by a change of a temperature at the surface region of the electronic device.
According to an embodiment, the at least one function of the electronic device is a function of a heat management system of the electronic device. The heat management system can arrange to clock down or even shut down the electronic device in order not to exceed internal temperature limits and temperature limits on the electronic device surface or charging of the electronic device can be stopped.
According to an embodiment, the electronic device is a mobile device selected from a group consisting of a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile music player, a mobile computer, a tablet computer, and a mobile navigation system.
According to another aspect of the invention, a touch sensitive user interface for an electronic device is provided which comprises a force detection arrangement and a control assembly. The force detection arrangement comprises at least one sensor for detecting a force exerted by a user on a surface of the touch sensitive user interface. The control assembly evaluates an output signal of the at least one sensor to determine a temperature of the touch sensitive user interface on the basis of the output signal and to generate a control signal to control at least one function of the electronic device.
An electronic device may be configured to comprise the touch user interface as described above.
According to an aspect, a method for determining a temperature of an electronic device is provided. According to the method, at least one strain gauge is arranged at the electronic device such that a strain of the at least one strain gauge is influenced by a change of a temperature of the electronic device. Then, an output signal of the at least one strain gauge is evaluated to determine a temperature of the electronic device on the basis of the output signal.
The method may be performed using the above-described electronic device of any aspect or embodiment.
According to an embodiment, the method for determining a temperature of a user interface of an electronic device comprises detecting an output signal of at least one sensor of a force detection arrangement of the touch sensitive user interface, wherein the at least one sensor of the force detection arrangement is provided for detecting a force exerted by a user on a surface of the touch sensitive user interface, and determining a temperature of the touch sensitive user interface on the basis of an evaluation of the output signal of the at least one sensor.
Although specific features described in the above summary and in the following detailed description are described in connection with specific embodiments and aspects, it is to be understood that the features of the embodiments and aspects may be combined with each other unless specifically noted otherwise.
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the following, exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail. It has to be understood that the following description is given only for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention and is not to be taken in a limiting sense. Rather, the scope of the invention is defined only by the appended claims and is not intended to be limited by the exemplary embodiments hereinafter.
It is to be understood that the features of the various exemplary embodiments described herein may be combined with each other unless specifically noted otherwise.
Furthermore, the touch screen 3 comprises at least one strain gauge sensor 4 arranged on a surface of the touch screen 3. The at least one strain gauge sensor 4 is part of a force detection arrangement of the electronic device 1. The force detection arrangement is provided for detecting a force exerted on the electronic device 1, especially a force exerted on a touch screen 2 of the electronic device 1. The strain gauge sensor 4 may comprise a layer of indium tin oxide. The strain gauge sensor 4 may be coated or laminated on the surface of the touch screen 3. The strain gauge sensor 4 may comprise an electric meander line as shown in
Operation of the control assembly 5 will be now described with reference to
The electronic device 1 may be a mobile device selected from a group consisting of a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile music player, a mobile computer, a tablet computer, and a mobile navigation system.
One function of the electronic device can be measuring a strain caused by a force. In
While exemplary embodiments have been described above, various modifications may be implemented in other embodiments. For example, the pattern and position of the strain gauge sensor 4 may have a shape other than the shape shown in
Finally, it is to be understood that various modifications of the embodiments described above are considered to be comprised by the present invention as it is defined by the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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12 001 308.1 | Feb 2012 | EP | regional |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61604045 | Feb 2012 | US |