Gap sensor for haptic feedback assembly
First Claim
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1. A portable electronic device comprising:
- a housing;
a touch assembly associated with the housing and configured to detect a user interaction with the portable electronic device;
a first actuator plate assembly associated with the touch assembly;
a first actuator separated from the first actuator plate assembly by a first gap, the first gap having a variable dimension parallel to a touch surface of the touch assembly; and
a first sensor configured to measure a change in the first gap due to the user interaction with the touch assembly;
wherein,an electromagnetic signal is generated by the first actuator as a function of the measured change in the first gap;
the electromagnetic signal provides an actuation force to the first actuator plate assembly; and
the actuation force provided to the first actuator plate assembly provides haptic output to a user through the first actuator plate assembly and the touch assembly; and
the provided haptic output is consistent across different measured changes in the first gap.
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Abstract
An electromagnetic actuator provides haptic feedback in a computing device. The electromagnetic actuator includes an actuator gap between the moveable actuator plate and the actuator. A gap sensor measures the actuation gap between the force plate and the actuator. The gap distance between the moveable actuator plate and the actuator may vary due to various environmental or user factors. The amount of haptic feedback provided to a user may be made consistent by adjusting the force exerted by the actuator on the actuator plate in response to measured variations in the gap distance.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A portable electronic device comprising:
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a housing; a touch assembly associated with the housing and configured to detect a user interaction with the portable electronic device; a first actuator plate assembly associated with the touch assembly; a first actuator separated from the first actuator plate assembly by a first gap, the first gap having a variable dimension parallel to a touch surface of the touch assembly; and a first sensor configured to measure a change in the first gap due to the user interaction with the touch assembly; wherein, an electromagnetic signal is generated by the first actuator as a function of the measured change in the first gap; the electromagnetic signal provides an actuation force to the first actuator plate assembly; and the actuation force provided to the first actuator plate assembly provides haptic output to a user through the first actuator plate assembly and the touch assembly; and the provided haptic output is consistent across different measured changes in the first gap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for generating haptic feedback on a trackpad comprising the steps of:
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sensing a user touch on the trackpad; determining an amount of force generated by the sensed user touch and a location of the sensed user touch; measuring, during the sensed user touch, a change in a first actuation gap between a first actuator and a first actuator plate associated with the trackpad, the first actuation gap having a variable dimension parallel to a touch surface of the trackpad; generating, by the first actuator, an electromagnetic signal that is a function of the measured change in the first actuation gap; and electromagnetic input by the first actuator to the first actuator plate based on the measured change in the first actuation gap;
wherein,the electromagnetic signal provides an actuation force to the first actuator plate; the actuation force provided to the first actuator plate provides haptic output to a user through the first actuator plate and the trackpad; and the provided haptic output is consistent across different measured changes in the first actuation gap. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification