Localized key-click feedback

• US 10,242,821 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2016
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Tan, Hong Z., Ma, Zhaoyuan, Zhao, Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/269,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20170040129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 310311, 310328, 310338
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/85 characterised by tactile feedback features
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2057/006 Micromechanical piezoelectric relay
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/00 Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/052 piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 57/00 Electrostrictive relays; Piezoelectric relays

Abstract

Disclosed herein are techniques and systems for providing simulated, haptic feedback that is local to physical, non-actuating keys of a keyboard. A keyboard includes a plurality of non-actuating keys defined in a cover portion of the keyboard, a plurality of force-producing mechanisms coupled to a substrate underneath and adjacent the cover portion. The force-producing mechanisms may be positioned on suspended portions of the substrate that are mechanically isolated and arranged on the substrate to substantially correspond to a layout of the plurality of non-actuating keys. The force-producing mechanisms may be individually actuated to deflect the suspended portions of the substrate underneath the cover portion to create a tactile sensation for a user'"'"'s finger that is local to a particular key. In some embodiments, the force-producing mechanisms are piezoelectric actuators.

Claims

1. A keyboard comprising:

a plurality of keys defined on a cover portion of the keyboard and configured to receive touch input, the plurality of keys being physical, non-actuating keys;

a first substrate underneath the cover portion comprising a plurality of suspended portions arranged on the first substrate to substantially correspond to a layout of the plurality of keys, individual suspended portions of the plurality of suspended portions being suspended from the first substrate by multiple connection points; and

a plurality of force-producing mechanisms underneath the first substrate, individual force-producing mechanisms of the plurality of force-producing mechanisms being positioned underneath the individual suspended portions; and

a second substrate underneath the plurality of force-producing mechanisms, the second substrate being electrically conductive and comprising a plurality of contacts, a contact of the plurality of contacts being configured to maintain contact with a force-producing mechanism of the plurality of force-producing mechanisms and deliver a drive signal to the force producing mechanism.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the first substrate is adjacent to the cover portion.

3. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the individual suspended portions are defined by a ring-shaped aperture in the first substrate, a continuity of the ring-shaped aperture being interrupted by the multiple connection points.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the multiple connection points comprise at least three connection points.

5. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality of force-producing mechanisms comprise piezoelectric actuators.

6. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein the first substrate is electrically conductive, and the piezoelectric actuators are coupled to the first substrate with electrically conductive adhesive.

7. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein a piezoelectric actuator of the piezoelectric actuators is coated with a conductive layer on an underside of the piezoelectric actuator.

8. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the contact comprise an upwardly-biased strip, and wherein the drive signal is delivered via the upwardly-biased strip, to the force-producing mechanism, in response to detecting a key-press event.

9. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the first substrate is electrically conductive, the keyboard further comprising an insulating layer between the first substrate and the second substrate, the insulating layer comprising a plurality of holes to facilitate interfacing between the plurality of force-producing mechanisms and the first and the second substrates.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a cover portion;

a plurality of keys physically defined on the cover portion and configured to receive touch input, the plurality of keys being non-actuating;

a first substrate underneath the cover portion, the first substrate comprising one or more suspended portions positioned underneath one or more keys of the plurality of keys;

a second substrate underneath the first substrate, the second substrate being electrically conductive and comprising one or more tabs; and

one or more force-producing mechanisms positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate, a tab of the one or more tabs being configured to maintain contact with a force-producing mechanism of the one or more force-producing mechanisms and deliver a drive signal to the force-producing mechanism.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the drive signal is delivered in response to a key-press registered for a key of the plurality of keys that is associated with the force-producing mechanism.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein individual suspended portions of the one or more suspended portions are suspended within the first substrate by multiple connection points spaced across an aperture defined in the first substrate.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the aperture defined in the first substrate comprises a square-shaped aperture.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the multiple connection points are equidistant.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the one or more force-producing mechanisms comprise one or more piezoelectric actuators.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first substrate comprises an electrically conductive material.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the one or more force-producing mechanisms are coupled to the first substrate with electrically conductive adhesive.

18. A method comprising:

detecting a key-press at a key of a plurality of keys configured to receive touch input, the plurality of keys being non-actuating and physically defined on a cover portion of a keyboard; and

at least partially in response to the detecting the key-press, providing, via a contact that is touching a force-producing mechanism and is disposed on a second substrate that is electrically conductive and positioned underneath the cover portion, a drive signal to the force-producing mechanism, the force-producing mechanism being positioned underneath a suspended portion of a first substrate, the first substrate being positioned between the second substrate and the cover portion.

19. A method of claim 18, wherein the key-press is detected by a pressure sensor.

20. A method of claim 18, wherein providing the drive signal comprises providing a drive voltage signal via a conductive trace included in the second substrate.