Touch interface device and method for applying controllable shear forces to a human appendage

• US 10,108,288 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2017
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northwestern University
• Original Assignee: Northwestern University
• Inventors: Peshkin, Michael A., Colgate, J. Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Sarma, Abhishek
• Application Number:
  US15/789,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20180059849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04113 Peripheral electrode pattern in resistive digitisers, i.e. electrodes at the periphery of the resistive sheet are shaped in patterns enhancing linearity of induced field
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A method of moving a plurality of appendages of an operator in contact with a touch surface including the steps of measuring a plurality of locations when the touch surface is touched by the plurality of appendages, moving the touch surface in a swirling motion by one or more actuators coupled with the touch surface, controlling a voltage on each of a plurality of electrodes disposed below the touch surface, controlling an electrostatic normal force acting on each of the appendages by adjusting the voltage applied to each of the plurality of appendages by each electrode lying beneath the appendage, synchronizing the electrostatic normal force generated by the voltage applied to each of the plurality of appendages with the swirling motion by basing a frequency of the swirling motion on the frequency of application of the electrostatic normal force.

Claims

1. A method of moving a plurality of appendages of an operator in contact with a touch surface, the method including the steps of:

measuring a plurality of locations when the touch surface is touched by the plurality of appendages;

moving the touch surface in a swirling motion by one or more actuators coupled with the touch surface;

controlling a voltage on each of a plurality of electrodes disposed below the touch surface;

controlling an electrostatic normal force acting on each of the appendages by adjusting the voltage applied to each of the plurality of appendages by each electrode lying beneath the appendage;

synchronizing the electrostatic normal force generated by the voltage applied to each of the plurality of appendages with the swirling motion by basing a frequency of the swirling motion on the frequency of application of the electrostatic normal force such that a distinct persistent shear force is simultaneously applied to each of the respective plurality of appendages.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the swirling motion is elliptical.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the swirling motion is non-circular.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a change in an electrostatic force is an increase.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the persistent shear forces acts in a different direction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor uses capacitive sensing.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor uses optical sensing.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the actuator is piezoelectric.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the actuator is electromagnetic.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein, the swirling motion occurs at a frequency that is above the bandwidth of tactile perception.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the swirling motion occurs at an ultrasonic frequency.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the swirling motion occurs at a frequency of at least 1 kHz.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a reaction plate is coupled to the actuator.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a resonant system.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes form a lattice pattern.