Abstract:
An electronic device includes a main display screen and a touch screen. The touch screen is used for being touched by users to define a touch track and generating an input signal corresponding to the attributes of the touch track. Programs may be activated and control functions performed in response to how a user touches the touch screen.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to electronic devices, particularly to an electronic device having a touch screen. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    A conventional electronic device, such as a notebook computer or an all-in-one desktop computer will include a single display. However, when the computer is off and a user wants to see selected information such as the date and/or weather conditions, they must first power up the computer to power up the display, which is an inconvenience. Additionally, to access and use any program when the computer is powered up, an input device such as a mouse or keypad must be used, which is also inconvenient, particularly when accessing frequently used programs. 
         [0005]    Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an isometric schematic view of an electronic device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , and the electronic device has a first control module and a second control module. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the second control module of  FIG. 2  according to a first exemplary embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the second control module of  FIG. 2  according to a second exemplary embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an isometric schematic view of an electronic device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an electronic device  10  includes a main screen  20 , a touch screen  22 , and a housing  24  for receiving the main screen  20  and the touch screen  22 . The touch screen  22  and the main screen  20  are disposed on the same side of the housing  24 . The main screen  20  is a conventional screen which can be applied in a notebook computer or a TV set. The touch screen  22  can function as a secondary display when the main screen  20  is off, and display selected information such as date, time, temperature etc. When the main screen  20  is on, the touch screen  22  is used to be touched by users to define a touch track thereon as a simple and convenient input device that can be programmed to open frequently used programs in response to simple touch track by users. Instead of or in addition to programs, certain control functions may be implemented in response to the touch track by users, such as volume control when a music program is operating. In the embodiment, the main screen  20  is a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, and the touch screen  22  is a capacitive touch screen. In other embodiments, the main screen  20  may be a light emitting diode (LED) display screen, and the touch screen  22  may be a resistive touch screen. 
         [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the electronic device  10  further includes a first control module  26  electrically connected to the main screen  20 , and a second control module  28  electrically connected to the touch screen  22  and the first control module  26 . The first control module  26  is used to control the main screen  20 . The second control module  28  is used for analyzing the touch track by users. 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , in one embodiment, the second control module  28  includes a judging sub-module  280 , a triggering sub-module  282 , and a processing sub-module  284 . 
         [0015]    The judging sub-module  280  is used to determine whether the touch track forms a sliding touch. If the touch track does not form a sliding touch, the input signal from the touch screen  22  is taken as a first input signal, in other words the user has touched only a point on the touch screen  22  without sliding in a direction from the initial point touched, and the judging sub-module  280  outputs a first judging signal. If the touch track forms a sliding touch, the judging sub-module  280  outputs a second judging signal indicating the touch track forms a sliding touch. Specifically, the first judging signal and the second judging signal may be respectively a high level signal recognized to be a logical “1” and a low level signal recognized as logical “0”. 
         [0016]    The triggering sub-module  282  is electrically connected to the judging sub-module  280 . The triggering sub-module  282  is used for triggering or closing an application, previously associated with the first judging signal. In the embodiment, the application is a word-processing program of the electronic device  10 . In other embodiments, the application may be other frequently used programs such as a music player or a calculator of the electronic device  10 . 
         [0017]    The processing sub-module  284  is electrically connected to the triggering sub-module  282 , the touch screen  22 , and the first control module  26 . The processing sub-module  284  is used to determine the direction of the touch track that has been determined to form a sliding touch after receiving the second judging signal. The processing sub-module  284  can perform a predetermined control function in response to the direction of the sliding touch, eg. adjusting a parameter of the main screen  20 . For example, if the direction of the sliding touch extends from left to right, the processing sub-module  284  could be configured to increase the brightness of the main screen  20 . If the direction of the sliding touch extends from right to left, the processing sub-module  284  could be configured to decrease the brightness of the main screen  20 . 
         [0018]    The processing sub-module  284  includes a track identifying unit  286  and an adjusting unit  288 . The track identifying unit  286  is electrically connected to the judging sub-module  280  and the touch screen  22 . In the embodiment, the track identifying unit  286  is triggered when receiving the second judging signal. The track identifying unit  286  determines the direction of the sliding touch to discern whether the input signal from the touch screen  22  corresponds to a second input signal or a third input signal. In detail, when users touch a point of the touch screen  22 , the capacitance corresponding to the point changes immediately, which causes the current corresponding to the first point to change immediately, therefore, the track identifying unit  286  can precisely capture the coordinates of all points contacted by a sliding touch corresponding to the changes in current. The track identifying unit  286  figures out the direction of the sliding touch by comparing the coordinates of the first point touched and the final point touched at the end of the sliding touch (the touch track). If the direction of the sliding touch is, for example, from left to right, the tracking identifying unit  286  associates the input signal with the second input signal and thus outputs a first direction signal. If direction of the sliding touch is, for example, from right to left, the track identifying unit  286  associates with the input signal with the third input signal and thus outputs a second direction signal. 
         [0019]    The adjusting unit  288  is electrically connected to the track identifying unit  286  and the first control module  26 . In this embodiment, the adjusting unit  288  responds to the first direction signal or the second direction signal by adjusting a predetermined parameter of the main screen  20  or an open program. In the embodiment, the parameter refers to the brightness of the main screen  20 . When receiving the first adjusting signal, the adjusting unit  288  increases the brightness of the main screen  20 , otherwise the adjusting unit  288  decreases the brightness of the main screen  20 . The adjusting unit  288  can adjust the brightness of the main screen  20  by adjusting the power of the back-lighting source of the main screen  20 . 
         [0020]    However, it should be understood that the parameter of the electronic device is not limited to this embodiment. In other alternative embodiments, the parameter can refer to the contrast of main screen  20 . For example, when the track identifying unit  286  determines that the direction of the sliding touch extends from left to right, the adjusting unit  288  increases contrast of the main screen  20 , otherwise the adjusting unit  288  decrease contrast of the main screen  20 . Also, the direction of the sliding touch is not limited to the embodiment too. Similarly, the direction of the sliding touch can extend from top to bottom or from bottom to top too. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , in other embodiments, a second control module  28 ′ can be used for capturing information and the touch screen  22  can be used for displaying that information. The information may refer to the ambient conditions. As shown in  FIG. 4 , in the embodiment, the information refers to ambient temperature. The second control module  28 ′ includes a temperature sensing unit  280 ′ and an analog-digital (A/D) conversion unit  282 ′. The temperature sensing unit  280 ′ is used for measuring ambient temperature as an analog signal. The A/D conversion unit  282 ′ is electrically connected to the temperature sensing unit  280 ′ and the touch screen  22  for digitally converting the analog signal so that the ambient temperature can be displayed on the touch screen  22 . Moreover, the second control module  28 ′ still can include a power supply unit for meeting power requirement of the touch screen  22 . Therefore, the touch screen  22  can still display the needed information even while the main screen  20  is off or in a standby mode. 
         [0022]    It should be understood that what is displayed on the touch screen  22  may duplicate what is displayed on the main screen  20 . For example, when the main screen  20  displays a picture, the touch screen displays the same picture. 
         [0023]    It should be understood that there is no limit to the number of the touch screens  22  applied. As shown in  FIG. 5 , an electronic device  10 ′ can include other touch screens such as a second touch screen  22 ′ and a third touch screen  22 ″. The plurality of touch screens can be used for triggering a plurality of applications, adjusting different parameters, or displaying different kinds of information. For example, the touch screen  22  can be used for triggering the word processing program, the first touch screen  22 ′ can be used for triggering the music playing program, and the second touch screen  22 ″ can be used for triggering a game program of the electronic device  10 . It is understood that the first touch screen  22 ′ and the second touch screen  22 ″ can receive input simultaneously for triggering other applications of the electronic device  10 ′. 
         [0024]    As described above, with the touch screen  22  disposed on the housing  24  of display  20 , and with the second control module  28 , users can trigger at least one application of the electronic device  10  by a simple touch to the touch screen  22 , which is more convenient than typical input devices, and adjust at least one parameter of the electronic device  10  by dragging their finger or a touch pen across the touch screen  22 . Moreover, since the touch screen  22  is disposed on the housing  24 , the touch screen  22  can display information without interfering with the displaying function of the main screen  20 . 
         [0025]    It is to be understood, however, that even though information and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the present embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only; and that changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.