Localized haptic response

• US 10,048,754 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2014
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grayhill Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Grayhill Incorporated
• Inventors: Dooley, Kevin M, Kerner, Robert F
• Primary Examiner(s): Boddie, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gyawali, Bipin
• Application Number:
  US14/470,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20160062461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

Touch interfaces for electronic devices including one or more tactile response mechanisms. The tactile response mechanisms receive user input and provide a tactile response to the user to indicate that the user has selected a particular location or selectable area on the interface. The underside of the interface includes recesses and/or channels corresponding to on each specific touch or selectable area that localize the tactile response to the individual selectable areas.

Claims

1. A touch interface comprising:

a front surface including a selectable area;

a rear surface including a recess corresponding to the selectable area and grooves formed by a geometric pattern etched into the recess; and

a tactile response mechanism disposed in the recess and adapted to provide a tactile response to a user in response to the user selecting the selectable area, wherein the grooves channel propagation of and localize the tactile response to the selectable area and limit propagation of the tactile response to outside of the selectable area, wherein the geometric pattern is substantially circular or rectangular and includes spokes each extending from a substantially central portion of the geometric pattern to a substantially peripheral portion of the geometric pattern.

2. The interface of claim 1, wherein the front surface includes a symbol located on the selectable area to identify a function when selection of the selectable area occurs.

3. The interface of claim 1, wherein the tactile response mechanism is a piezoelectric actuator.

4. The interface of claim 1, further comprising a sensor disposed in the recess and adapted to detect a touch applied by the user and cause the tactile response mechanism to provide the tactile response.

5. A selectable interface comprising:

a front surface including a selectable area; and

a rear surface including a recess corresponding to the selectable area and grooves formed by a geometric pattern etched into the recess, wherein the grooves channel propagation of and to localize a tactile response to the selectable area and limit propagation of the tactile response to other areas outside of the selectable area, wherein the geometric pattern is substantially circular or rectangular and includes spokes each extending from a substantially central portion of the geometric pattern to a substantially peripheral portion of the geometric pattern.

6. The interface of claim 5, wherein the front surface includes a symbol located on the selectable area to identify a function when selection of the selectable area occurs.

7. A selectable interface comprising:

an outer surface including first and second selectable areas; and

a rear surface including;

a first recess corresponding to the first selectable area and first grooves formed by a first geometric pattern etched into the first recess, wherein the first grooves channel propagation of and adapted to localize a first tactile response to the first selectable area and prevent the first tactile response from propagating to the second selectable area, and

a second recess corresponding to the second selectable area, wherein the second recess is adapted to localize a second tactile response to the second selectable area and prevent the second tactile response from propagating to the first selectable area, wherein the first geometric pattern includes spokes each extending from a substantially central portion of the first geometric pattern to a substantially peripheral portion of the first geometric pattern.

8. The interface of claim 7, wherein the first and second selectable areas are adjacent to each other.

9. The interface of claim 7, further comprising:

a first piezoelectric actuator disposed in the first recess and adapted to provide the first tactile response to a user in response to the user selecting the first selectable area; and

a second piezoelectric actuator disposed in the second recess and adapted to provide the second tactile response to the user in response to the user selecting the second selectable area.

10. The selectable interface of claim 7, wherein the outer surface and the rear surface are formed from a single monolithic piece.

11. The selectable interface of claim 9, further comprising:

a processor electrically coupled to the first and second piezoelectric actuators and configured to control and implement the first tactile response and the second tactile response through actuation of the first and second piezoelectric actuators.

12. The selectable interface of claim 7, wherein the first recess corresponding to the first selectable area comprises an encoder wheel.