Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention are capable of lowering touch scan rates in a manner that conserves power resources without compromising performance or user experience thereby promoting battery life. Embodiments of the present invention perform touch scan operations using a touch sensitive panel at a first scan rate. In response to certain events automatically detected within the mobile device (e.g., when a full-screen video is being displayed), embodiments of the present invention may then perform touch scan operations at a second scan rate that is slower than the first scan rate that also consumes less power compared to the first scan rate. As such, for events or use cases in which limited user interaction with the touch sensitive panel is typical, embodiments of the present invention may lower touch scan rates in a manner that still enables users to interact with applications (e.g., interaction with playback controls during video playback) and promotes efficient power usage and extends battery life.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to the field of touch sensitive devices capable of capturing touch input. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional computer-implemented devices offer users a variety of different ways to interact with applications executed on these devices, such as through touchscreen panels. Touchscreen panels used by conventional mobile devices consume power partly based on how frequently the panel is “scanned” for touches. As such, faster touch scan rates are generally used by conventional mobile devices to improve the accuracy, smoothness, and latency of touch input received, which are all considered to be important performance metrics for electronic device including modern mobile devices. 
     However, setting touch scan rates at such high frequencies may also unnecessarily consume power on these mobile devices compared to scanning at lower frequencies for applications requiring minimal user interaction. Accordingly, the inefficiencies associated with conventional mobile devices may result in wasted power resources and may ultimately lead to reduced batter life. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     What is needed is a solution that is capable of lowering touch scan rates for applications and/or system events that require minimal user interaction. Embodiments of the present invention are capable of lowering touch scan rates in a manner that conserves power resources without compromising performance or user experience thereby promoting battery life. Embodiments of the present invention perform touch scan operations using a touch sensitive panel at a first scan rate. In response to certain events automatically detected within the mobile device (e.g., when a full-screen video is being displayed), embodiments of the present invention may then perform touch scan operations at a second scan rate that is slower than the first scan rate that also consumes less power compared to the first scan rate. As such, for events or use cases in which limited user interaction with the touch sensitive panel is typical, embodiments of the present invention may lower touch scan rates in a manner that still enables users to interact with applications (e.g., interaction with playback controls during video playback) and promotes efficient power usage and extends battery life. 
     More specifically, in one embodiment, the present invention is implemented as a method of activating a touch sensitive panel of a computing device. The method includes scanning the touch sensitive panel at a first rate to detect a first-type user interaction therewith. Also, the method includes detecting an event within the computing device. In one embodiment, the event is an identification of a surface type made when compositing layers of surface data associated with a plurality of applications into a final image for display, where the compositing includes, using a compositing module, receiving the layers of surface data from the plurality of applications and extracting surface type information from the surface data. In one embodiment, the surface type is a video surface. In one embodiment, the surface type is a camera surface. In one embodiment, the event is a telephonic event. In one embodiment, the event is a soft keyboard display event. In one embodiment, the event is a full-screen video display event. 
     Furthermore, the method includes, responsive to the event, scanning the touch sensitive panel at a second rate to detect a second-type user interaction therewith, the second rate being slower than the first rate in which less power is consumed at the second rate versus the first rate and wherein further the event indicates a presence of a use case of the computing device in which limited user interaction of the touch sensitive panel is typical. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention is implemented as a system for activating a touch sensitive panel of a computing device. The system includes a touch sensor operable to perform scanning operations at a first rate to detect a first-type user interaction therewith, in which the touch sensor is operable to perform the scanning operations at a second rate to detect a second-type user interaction therewith, the second rate being slower than the first rate where less power is consumed at the second rate versus the first rate. 
     The system also includes a monitoring module operable to prescribe the second rate for the touch sensor via control signals sent thereto responsive to a detection of an event within the computing device, in which the event indicates a presence of a use case of the computing device in which limited user interaction of the touch sensor is typical. In one embodiment, the event is an identification of a surface type made by a compositing module, in which the compositing module is operable to composite layers of surface data associated with a plurality of applications into a final image for display, in which the compositing module is further operable to receive the layers of surface data from the plurality of applications and abstract a surface type information from the layers of surface data. In one embodiment, the surface type is a video surface. In one embodiment, the surface type is a camera surface. In one embodiment, the event is a telephonic event. In one embodiment, the event is a soft keyboard display event. In one embodiment, the event is a full-screen video display event. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention is implemented as a method of activating a touch sensitive panel of a computing device. The method includes scanning the touch sensitive panel at a first rate to detect a first-type user interaction therewith, in which the first rate is a default scan rate. Also, the method includes detecting an event within the computing device. In one embodiment, the event is an identification of a surface type made when compositing layers of surface data associated with a plurality of applications into a final image for display, where the compositing includes, using a compositing module, receiving the layers of surface data from the plurality of applications and extracting surface type information from the surface data. In one embodiment, the surface type is a video surface. In one embodiment, the surface type is a camera surface. In one embodiment, the event is a telephonic event. In one embodiment, the event is a soft keyboard display event. In one embodiment, the event is a full-screen video display event. 
     Additionally, the method includes, responsive to the event, scanning the touch sensitive panel at a second rate to detect a second-type user interaction therewith, the second rate being slower than the first rate in which less power is consumed at the second rate versus the first rate and where further the event indicates a presence of a use case of the computing device in which limited user interaction of the touch sensitive panel is typical. Furthermore, the method includes, responsive to detecting a termination of the event, scanning the touch sensitive panel at the default rate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block-level diagram depicting an exemplary touch scan adjustment system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is a flowchart that depicts an exemplary computer-implemented surface compositing process in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is a block-level diagram depicting an exemplary touch scan adjustment process responsive to identified surfaces in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2C  is a block-level diagram depicting an exemplary touch scan adjustment process responsive to detected system events in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart that depicts an exemplary computer-implemented touch scan adjustment process responsive to identified surfaces in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart that depicts an exemplary computer-implemented touch scan adjustment process responsive to detected system events in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the various embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While described in conjunction with these embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the disclosure to these embodiments. On the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of the present disclosure, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood that the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present disclosure. 
     Portions of the detailed description that follow are presented and discussed in terms of a process. Although operations and sequencing thereof are disclosed in a figure herein (e.g.,  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) describing the operations of this process, such operations and sequencing are exemplary. Embodiments are well suited to performing various other operations or variations of the operations recited in the flowchart of the figure herein, and in a sequence other than that depicted and described herein. 
     As used in this application the terms controller, module, system, and the like are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, specifically, either hardware, firmware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a module can be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, an integrated circuit, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a computing device and the computing device can be a module. One or more modules can reside within a process and/or thread of execution, and a component can be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers. In addition, these modules can be executed from various computer readable media having various data structures stored thereon. 
       FIG. 1  is a block-level diagram of an exemplary capacitive touch device (e.g., system  100 ) capable of adjusting its touch scan rate in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. According to one embodiment of the present invention, system  100  may include hardware level circuits  101 , kernel level  201  and user space  301 . Hardware level  101  may comprise touch sensor  120 , display device  111 , frame memory buffer  116 , graphics processor  125 , processor  110 , as well as main memory  115 . Kernel level  201  may comprise touch input driver  130 , display controller driver  136  and graphics driver  135 . Furthermore, user space  301  may comprise applications  155 -N, surface rendering module  140  as well as compositor module  141 . 
     Exemplary Hardware Level in Accordance with Embodiments of the Present Invention 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, touch sensor  120  may include the functionality to detect the occurrence of touch events performed coincidental to the performance of touch scan operations. Touch sensor  120  may be a capacitive touch-sensing device that includes a plurality of plates that may be charged during a powered state (e.g., using power resources coupled to system  100 ). The plurality of interconnection points may be spatially arranged in a manner such that each point represents a distinct location (e.g., sampling point) within touch sensor  120 . During a powered state, each interconnection point may be uniformly charged using the same voltage or individually charged with different voltages. Furthermore, in one embodiment, prescribed threshold values (e.g., voltages) assigned to each plate may be stored within registers (not shown) coupled to touch sensor  120 . 
     During the performance of touch scan operations, according to one embodiment, touch scan controller  120 - 1  may include the functionality to calculate capacitance discharge levels associated with sampling points at a given time using well-known discharge calculation procedures. Furthermore, touch scan controller  120 - 1  may include the functionality to detect the performance of touch events based on calculated discharge levels. For instance, when a touch event is performed by an object (e.g., a user&#39;s finger) on touch sensor  120  during a powered state, the object may make contact with a particular set of sampling points (e.g., set of charged plates) located within touch sensor  120 . This contact may result in the object providing additional capacitance to the current capacitance levels of those sampling points contacted. 
     As such, touch scan controller  120 - 1  may perceive the corresponding increases in capacitance levels at these sampling points by referencing prescribed threshold values assigned to each plate. In this manner, touch scan controller  120 - 1  may register detected changes in capacitance levels as touch events performed at those particular sampling points affected. Furthermore, according to one embodiment, touch scan controller  120 - 1  may include the functionality to communicate the location of these affected sampling points to touch input driver  130  for further processing by components within system  100  (e.g., components within user space  301 ). For instance, data gathered by touch scan controller  120 - 1  concerning touch events detected may be made available to applications (e.g., applications  155 -N) for further processing. 
     In one embodiment, touch sensor  120  may include the functionality to convert analog signals discharged from a set of points associated with a particular sampling point into digital signals using digital signal converters (e.g., DACs) for further processing by components of system  100 . For instance, in one embodiment, touch sensor  120  may use digital signals to create a digital bitmap (e.g., 2 dimensional plot of magnitudes) to determine the location of touch events performed. 
     According to one embodiment, touch scan timer  120 - 2  may include the functionality to set the time between the performance of touch scan operations for a set of sampling points within touch sensor  120  (e.g., 120-240 Hz). A scan typically traverses the entire touch panel surface area. In this manner, touch scan timer  120 - 2  may be configured to trigger the performance of touch scan operations by touch scan controller  120 - 1  at a given scan rate. In one embodiment, touch scan timer  120 - 2  may be configured to trigger the performance of touch scan operations for different sets of sampling points within touch sensor  120  at different times. 
     In one embodiment, display device  111  may include the functionality to render output. Examples of display device  111  may include, but are not limited to, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor, etc. Additionally, in one embodiment, main processor  110  may include the functionality to process instructions from applications (e.g., applications  155 -N) to read data received from touch sensor  120  and/or optional input devices (not shown) and to store the data in frame memory buffer  116  for further processing via internal communications bus. Optional input devices may include, but are not limited to, keyboards, mice, joysticks, microphones, etc. Additionally, in one embodiment, graphics processor  125  may include the functionality to generate pixel data for output images in response to rendering instructions by an application and may be configured as multiple virtual graphic processors that are used in parallel (concurrently) by a number of applications executing in parallel. 
     Frame memory buffer  116 , in one embodiment, may include the functionality to store pixel data for each pixel of an output image. In one embodiment, frame memory buffer  116  and/or other memory may be part of main memory  115  which may be shared with processor  110  and/or graphics processor  125 . Additionally, in one embodiment, system  100  may include additional physical graphics processors, each configured similarly to graphics processor  125 . In one embodiment, these additional graphics processors may be configured to operate in parallel with graphics processor  125  to simultaneously generate pixel data for different portions of an output image, or to simultaneously generate pixel data for different output images 
     Exemplary Kernel Level in Accordance with Embodiments of the Present Invention 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, kernel level  201  may be a partition within the virtual memory space of a conventional operating system. In one embodiment, kernel level  201  may be reserved for running kernel level processes, extensions, as well as device drivers. As such, kernel level  201  may isolate and allocate access to devices located within hardware level  101 . 
     In one embodiment, touch input driver  130  may be configured to communicate with touch sensor  120 /and or display device  111  (via display controller driver  136 ) to obtain touch input information provided from one or more users. Touch input information may include sampling points associated with the execution of user mode gestures performed by one or more users. Gestures may include, but are not limited to “smooth gestures”, “swipes”, “flings”, “pinch and zoom”, etc. According to one embodiment, the output provided by touch input driver  130  may be communicated to one or more applications (e.g., applications  155 -N) capable of receiving touch input commands residing within user space  301 . Display controller driver  136  may be configured to communicate processed surface data received from compositor module  141  to display device  111  and/or frame memory buffer  116  for rendering. Additionally, graphics driver  135  may be used to configure graphics processor  125  and assist in generating a stream of rendered data to be delivered to display device  111 . 
     Exemplary User Space Level in Accordance with Embodiments of the Present Invention 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, user space level  301  may be a location within the virtual memory of a conventional operating system in which applications are executed in a user-mode level of operation. User space level  301  may include applications and libraries used in communications between the operating system and other components of system  100  (e.g., kernel level  201 ). In one embodiment, applications operating within user space level  301  (e.g., applications  155 -N) may submit a layer including surface rendering instructions to surface rendering module  140  for further processing. 
     Surface rendering module  140  may include the functionality to manage multiple layers of surface rendering instructions provided by different applications within user space level  301 . As such, applications within user space level  301  (e.g., applications  155 -N) may streamline data (e.g., surface objects) associated with their respective surfaces to surface rendering module  140  for further processing by compositor module  150 . According to one embodiment, surface rendering module  140  may be capable of allocating off-screen buffers to process pixel content associated with the different surfaces to be rendered. 
     Compositor module  141  may include the functionality to merge several layers of surfaces together and render a single resultant image for display to the user (e.g., via display device  111 ). In this manner, display elements belonging to different applications may be merged into a single display area by compositor module  141 . In one embodiment, compositor module  141  may include the functionality to independently render multiple layers using off-screen buffers allocated by surface rendering module  140 . 
     Additionally, compositor module  141  may include the functionality to abstract embedded information (e.g., metadata) from the layers it processes. According to one embodiment, compositor module  141  may be capable of extracting surface type information from layers processed at run-time. For instance, compositor module  141  may be configured to identify video layers participating in the compositing process using abstracted information. Furthermore, compositor module  141  may also be capable of extracting display attributes from video layers identified. For instance, using embedded information abstracted from a video layer, compositor module  141  may be capable of determining a percentage of the total screen area to be occupied (e.g., full-screen view) by a video layer at run-time. Additional surface types may include, but are not limited to, soft keyboard displays, camera surfaces, telephonic surfaces, etc. (e.g., telephone applications providing surfaces). 
     Touch scan monitoring module  152  may include the functionality to dynamically adjust the rate at which touch scan operations are performed by touch sensor  120  in response to surface types identified by compositor module  141 . According to one embodiment, touch scan monitoring module  152  may be configured to receive signals from compositor module  141  when a particular surface is being processed by compositor module  141 . For instance, in one embodiment, touch scan monitoring module  152  may be configured to receive signals from compositor module  141  whenever a video layer is contemporaneously identified by compositor module  141  for compositing. Furthermore, in response to signals received from compositor module  141 , touch scan monitoring module  152  may then proceed to send control signals (e.g., touch scan rate adjustment control signal  152 - 1 ) to touch input driver  130 . 
     Control signals sent by touch scan monitoring module  152  may include prescribed scan rates (frequencies) which may correspondingly decrease the rate of touch scans performed by touch sensor  120 . In one embodiment, control signals may include parameters that adjust active and/or idle system timers. As such, the reduced frequency of touch scans may also proportionally reduce the amount of power consumed by touch sensor  120  when performing touch scan operations. 
     Additionally, embodiments of the present invention may be capable of recognizing surfaces that utilize certain hardware features of a device. According to one embodiment, compositor module  141  may be capable of recognizing surfaces that utilize camera features of camera hardware (not pictured) coupled to system  100 . Accordingly, touch scan monitoring module  152  may send control signals which correspondingly decrease the rate of touch scans performed by touch sensor  120  in response to a detection of surfaces utilizing the camera features of system  100 . According to one embodiment, compositor module  141  may be capable of recognizing surfaces that utilize soft keyboard displays as well as the telephonic features of associated with system  100 . 
       FIG. 2A  is a block-level diagram of an exemplary surface type identification process used in the adjustment of touch scan rates in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2A , several applications may be executed within user space level  301 . For instance, application  155 - 1  may be an application used by system  100  to display wallpaper background images; application  155 - 2  may be an application used by system  100  for displaying desktop icons; and application  155 - 3  may be an application used by system  100  for displaying system status icons (e.g., battery usage icon, received messages icon, etc.). 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2A , each executed application may provide surface rendering module  140  with a surface for compositor module  141  to render (e.g., application surfaces  156 - 1 ,  156 - 2  and  156 - 3 ) in response to inputs received from kernel level  201  (e.g., via system input service used by system  100 ). Surface rendering module  140  may proceed to present application surfaces  156 - 1 ,  156 - 2 , and  156 - 3  to compositor module  141  for compositing. During the compositing process of these layers, compositor module  141  may merge several display elements associated with different applications (e.g.,  155 - 1 ,  155 - 2 , 155 - 3 ) and render a single resultant image for display to the user (e.g., resultant image  144 ). Furthermore, during the compositing process, compositor module  141  may be capable of extracting surface information embedded in the metadata of each surface (e.g., abstracted metadata  157 - 1 ,  157 - 2 , 157 - 3 ). 
       FIG. 2B  is a block-level diagram of an exemplary touch scan rate adjustment process responsive to an identification of a particular surface type in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. As depicted in the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2B , compositor module  141  may be configured to identify video layers (e.g., video surface  158 - 1 ) provided by an application (e.g., media player) using information abstracted during the compositing process. Furthermore, compositor module  141  may be capable of identifying display attributes associated with video layers identified. For instance, abstracted video surface metadata  159 - 1  may contain instructions (e.g., coded flags) which may alert compositor module  141  that the video surface  158 - 1  is to be executed in a “full-screen” mode (e.g., occupies more than 50% of the display screen). As such, compositor module  141  may include the functionality to send signals to touch scan monitoring module  152  in response to recognizing instructions for video surface  158 - 1  to be executed in a “full-screen” mode. 
     Touch scan monitoring module  152  may include the functionality to send control signals (e.g., touch scan rate adjustment control signal  152 - 1 ) to touch input driver  130  in response to signals received from compositor module  141 . According to one embodiment, control signals sent by touch scan monitoring module  152  may include prescribed touch scan rates which may be used by touch input driver  130  to modify the rate of touch scans being performed by touch sensor  120 . For instance, touch scan rate adjustment control signal  152 - 1  sent by touch scan monitoring module  152  may instruct touch input driver  130  to reduce the rate of touch scans being performed by touch sensor  120  (e.g., 120-240 Hz) to a lower scan rate (e.g., 10 Hz). According to one embodiment, touch input driver  130  may correspondingly send instructions to touch scan timer  120 - 2  to modify the current rate of touch scans performed by touch sensor  120  to the prescribed rate. 
     Furthermore, touch scan monitoring module  152  may be capable of restoring the touch scan rate to a previous or default touch scan rate. For instance, in response to the full-screen video mode being exited, touch scan monitoring module  152  may send control signals to touch input driver  130  to increase the rate of touch scans being performed by touch sensor  120  from the prescribed rate (e.g., 10 Hz) to a default touch scan rate (e.g., 120-240 Hz). As such, touch sensor  120  may also consume power at a rate commensurate with the default touch scan rate. 
     In one embodiment, touch scan monitoring module  152  may be capable of restoring the touch scan rate to the default touch scan rate in response to detected touch events performed on touch sensor  120 . In one embodiment, touch input driver  130  may utilize active and/or idle system timers in determining when to return to a default touch scan rate. For instance, after a pre-determined period of time has elapsed in which no touch events were detected, touch sensor  120  may return to using a default touch scan rate to perform touch scan operations. 
     Although the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2B  is configured to reduce touch scan rates in response to video layers identified by compositor module  141 , it should be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention are not limited to such configurations. For example, in one embodiment, compositor module  141  may be configured to recognize surface layers associated with camera functionality. For instance, in one embodiment, compositor module  141  may be configured to identify “live preview” windows from surfaces associated with camera playback. 
       FIG. 2C  is a block-level diagram of an exemplary touch scan rate adjustment process responsive to active system displays and/or processes in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. System activity manager  143  may be capable of tracking active displays (windows) and system processes on system  100 . Additionally, system activity manager  143  may also be capable of communicating inputs received (e.g., via touch sensor  120 ) to applications configured to receive them. As such, system activity manager  143  may be capable of recognizing active displays capable of receiving input through soft keyboard displays. Soft keyboard displays may be used to enable users (e.g., users using conventional mobile devices) to provide text within text-enabled fields using an onscreen keyboard. Accordingly, in one embodiment, when a display capable of receiving input via soft keyboard display is active, system activity manager  143  may send signals to notify touch scan monitoring module  152 . In response to the signals received, touch scan monitoring module  152  may send control signals which may correspondingly decrease the rate of touch scans performed by touch sensor  120 . 
     Furthermore, according to one embodiment, system activity manager  143  may capable of recognizing telephonic events associated with system  100  (e.g., receiving/answering a phone call). In this manner, system activity module  143  may be used by components of system  100  to receive alerts when the telephonic features of system  100  are engaged (e.g., by a user). As such, touch scan monitoring module  152  may receive signals from system activity module  143  in response to a detected telephonic event. In response to receiving these signals, touch scan monitoring module  152  may then proceed to send control signals which may correspondingly decrease the rate of touch scans performed by touch sensor  120 . 
       FIG. 3  provides a flow chart depicting an exemplary touch scan rate adjustment process in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     At step  405 , the device operates at default touch scan rate that consumes a standard amount of power. 
     At step  410 , surfaces associated with a plurality of different applications are fed to the system compositor. 
     At step  415 , the system compositor abstracts surface type information from the surfaces received at step  410 . 
     At step  420 , a determination is made as to whether a video surface was identified during the abstraction process at step  415 . If a video surface was identified, then the touch scan monitoring module receives notification of the video surfaces identified and prescribes reduced touch scan rates that are sent to the touch sensor via control signals, as detailed in step  425 . If a video surface was not identified, then the display elements associated with the surfaces received at step  410  are merged by the system compositor into a single image for rendering to a display device, as detailed in step  435 . 
     At step  425 , a video surface was identified and, therefore, the touch scan monitoring module receives notification of the video surfaces identified and prescribes reduced touch scan rates that are sent to the touch sensor via control signals. 
     At step  430 , control signals sent by the touch scan monitoring module at step  425  are received by the touch sensor which correspondingly adjusts its current touch scan rate according to the reduced touch scan rate prescribed which also proportionally reduces the amount of power consumed by the device. Furthermore, the display elements associated with the surfaces received at step  410  are merged by the system compositor into a single image for rendering to a display device, as detailed in step  435 . 
     At step  435 , a video surface was not identified and, therefore, the display elements associated with the surfaces received at step  410  are merged by the system compositor into a single image for rendering to a display device. 
     At step  440 , in response to detected touch events performed on the touch sensor, the touch scan monitoring module restores the touch scan rate to the default touch scan rate of step  405 . 
       FIG. 4  provides a flow chart depicting an exemplary touch scan rate adjustment process in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     At step  505 , the device operates at default touch scan rate that consumes a standard amount of power. 
     At step  510 , the system activity manager detects a telephonic event and sends notification signals to the touch scan monitoring module. 
     At step  515 , the touch scan monitoring module receives notification from the system activity manager of the telephonic event performed and prescribes reduced touch scan rates that are sent to the touch sensor via control signals. 
     At step  520 , control signals sent by the touch scan monitoring module at step  515  are received by the touch sensor which adjusts its current touch scan rate according to the reduced touch scan rate prescribed which also proportionally reduces the amount of power consumed by the device. 
     At step  525 , in response to detected touch events performed on the touch sensor, the touch scan monitoring module restores the touch scan rate to the default touch scan rate of step  505 . 
     While the foregoing disclosure sets forth various embodiments using specific block diagrams, flowcharts, and examples, each block diagram component, flowchart step, operation, and/or component described and/or illustrated herein may be implemented, individually and/or collectively, using a wide range of hardware, software, or firmware (or any combination thereof) configurations. In addition, any disclosure of components contained within other components should be considered as examples because many other architectures can be implemented to achieve the same functionality. 
     The process parameters and sequence of steps described and/or illustrated herein are given by way of example only. For example, while the steps illustrated and/or described herein may be shown or discussed in a particular order, these steps do not necessarily need to be performed in the order illustrated or discussed. The various example methods described and/or illustrated herein may also omit one or more of the steps described or illustrated herein or include additional steps in addition to those disclosed. 
     While various embodiments have been described and/or illustrated herein in the context of fully functional computing systems, one or more of these example embodiments may be distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, regardless of the particular type of computer-readable media used to actually carry out the distribution. The embodiments disclosed herein may also be implemented using software modules that perform certain tasks. These software modules may include script, batch, or other executable files that may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium or in a computing system. 
     These software modules may configure a computing system to perform one or more of the example embodiments disclosed herein. One or more of the software modules disclosed herein may be implemented in a cloud computing environment. Cloud computing environments may provide various services and applications via the Internet. These cloud-based services (e.g., software as a service, platform as a service, infrastructure as a service) may be accessible through a Web browser or other remote interface. Various functions described herein may be provided through a remote desktop environment or any other cloud-based computing environment. 
     The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above disclosure. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as may be suited to the particular use contemplated. 
     Embodiments according to the invention are thus described. While the present disclosure has been described in particular embodiments, it should be appreciated that the invention should not be construed as limited by such embodiments, but rather construed according to the below claims.