Haptic input device

• US 10,120,446 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pance, Aleksandar, Leung, Omar Sze
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bogale, Amen
• Application Number:
  US12/950,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20120127088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,909 Days
• Field of Search: 345173, 345156, 345163-167, 345179, 3404072, 178 1901- 1905, 382106-107, 382181, 382317, 382187-189, 382312-314, 702 92- 95, 23547201-47203
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

One embodiment of a haptic input device may include a receiver configured to receive a signal from a touch-based user interface device. The signal may include a control signal or a look-up value. The haptic input device may also include a decoder coupled to the receiver and configured to decode the signal from the touch-based user interface device, at least one sensor configured to determine at least one characteristic of the haptic input device, a controller coupled to the one or more sensors and configured to transmit a control signal, a haptic actuator coupled to the controller, and a transmitter coupled to the at least one sensor.

Claims

1. A haptic input device held by a user, comprising:

a housing defining a tapered input end to interact with a screen of a touch-based user interface device, the housing enclosing;

a receiver within the tapered input end and configured to wirelessly receive a signal from the touch-based user interface device, the received signal corresponding to a touch input gesture provided to the screen by the user and detected by the touch-based user interface device;

a decoder to extract an input signal from the received signal;

a controller to generate a control signal based on the input signal;

a haptic actuator to provide a first haptic feedback response corresponding to the control signal;

a sensor to determine an orientation of the haptic input device relative to the touch-based user interface device; and

a transmitter to transmit the orientation to the touch-based user interface device;

wherein

the haptic actuator is configured to provide a second haptic feedback based on the orientation.

2. The haptic input device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer.

3. The haptic input device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

4. The haptic input device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a gyroscope.

5. The haptic input device of claim 1, wherein the received signal comprises an analog signal to drive the haptic actuator.

6. The haptic input device of claim 1, wherein the received signal comprises a look-up value corresponding to a control signal configured to drive the haptic actuator.

7. The haptic input device of claim 6, wherein the look-up value comprises at least one binary value.

8. The haptic input device of claim 6, wherein the controller comprises a waveform memory storing one or more look-up values and one or more control signals, each corresponding to one of the one or more look-up values.

9. The haptic input device of claim 1, further comprising an engagement portion configured to engage an exterior surface of the screen.

10. A method for providing haptic feedback, comprising:

detecting an input gesture by at least one input sensor of a touch-sensitive input device, the input gesture performed by a stylus in contact with a touch screen surface of the touch-sensitive input device;

deriving, by a processor within the touch-sensitive input device, an orientation characteristic of the stylus;

receiving, by the processor, a signal from the stylus comprising a acceleration characteristic of the stylus;

determining, by the processor, a haptic response based on the orientation characteristic, the acceleration characteristic, and the input gesture; and

transmitting a haptic output signal to the stylus, the haptic output signal comprising a look-up value corresponding to the haptic response, the output signal instructing the stylus to provide the haptic response.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the look-up value comprises a series of binary values.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving an external signal from an external user input device; and

determining the haptic response based at least partially on the external signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the haptic response provides an output to a user signifying an interaction between a second haptic input device and the external user device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the input gesture is a first input gesture; and

the method further comprises;

detecting a second input gesture provided by an object in contact with the touch screen surface; and

determining the haptic response based at least partially on the second input gesture.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a pressure exerted on the stylus by a user; and

using the pressure to modify the haptic response.

16. A haptic input device, comprising:

a housing comprising an input end and a sensor end, the input end configured to contact a touch-sensitive surface of a user interface device;

a receiver within the input end and configured to receive a modulated signal from the user interface device, the modulated signal corresponding to a gesture input provided by the input end to the touch-sensitive surface;

a demodulator in communication with the receiver and configured to extract an input signal from the modulated signal;

a sensor within the sensor end and configured to provide sensor data based on an orientation characteristic of the haptic input device relative to the user interface surface; and

a controller in communication with the demodulator and the sensor and configured to generate a control signal based in part on the input signal and in part on the sensor data;

a haptic actuator coupled to the controller and configured to provide a haptic feedback response based on the control signal; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the sensor data to the user interface device such that an output of the user interface device is modified based on the sensor data;

wherein the sensor end is opposite the input end.