Tactile feedback device, related method, and touch display device containing the same

• US 10,372,250 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2016
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing BOE Display Technology Co Ltd (BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.), BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhang, Bin, Zhang, Qiang, Wang, Guangxing, Zhang, Kan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jr., Kenneth B
• Application Number:
  US15/533,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20180052550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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: G09G 2310/0264 Details of driving circuits

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a tactile feedback device, including: a deformable structure, a driver coupled to the deformable structure, and a controller coupled to the driver. The deformable structure is configured to include a plurality of deformable units placed on a display panel, each of the plurality of deformable units being capable of deforming along a direction at an angle to a plane the plurality of deformable units is placed on. The controller is configured to generate and send a control signal to the driver, the control signal being based on a touch location of a touch motion. The driver is configured to drive deformable units corresponding to the touch location to deform based on the control signal.

Claims

1. A tactile feedback device, comprising:

a deformable structure, a driver coupled to the deformable structure, a controller coupled to the driver, a first signal line, a second signal line, and a thin-film transistor coupled to a deformable unit, wherein;

the deformable structure is configured to include a plurality of deformable units placed on a display panel, each of the plurality of deformable units being capable of deforming along a direction at an angle to a plane the plurality of deformable units is placed on;

the controller is configured to generate and send a control signal to the driver, the control signal being based on a touch location of a touch motion; and

the driver is configured to drive deformable units corresponding to the touch location to deform based on the control signal;

the driver drives the deformable units corresponding to the touch location to deform along a direction perpendicular to the plane the plurality of deformable units is placed on;

each of the plurality of deformable units includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piece of electrostrictive material between the first electrode and the second electrode; and

when the driver applies a voltage signal between the first electrode and the second electrode, the piece of electrostrictive material deforms in response to the voltage signal;

the first signal line is coupled to a source electrode of the first thin-film transistor, the second signal line is coupled to a gate electrode of the first thin-film transistor, the first electrode of the deformable unit is coupled to a drain electrode of the thin-film transistor, and the second electrode of a deformable unit is grounded; and

when the second signal line coupled to the thin-film transistor is applied with a voltage scanning signal, and the first signal line coupled to the thin-film transistor is applied with a voltage driving signal, the deformable unit deforms.

2. The tactile feedback device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of deformable units is arranged in an array.

3. The tactile feedback device according to claim 1, wherein:

the driver includes a voltage driving module, a voltage scanning module, and a multiplexer;

the voltage driving module is configured to generate the voltage driving signal;

the voltage scanning module is configured to generate the voltage scanning signal; and

base on the control signal, the multiplexer is configured to input the voltage scanning signal to the second signal line, and input the voltage driving signal to the corresponding first signal line, to drive the deformable unit to deform.

4. The tactile feedback device according to claim 3, wherein:

the multiplexer includes a second thin-film transistor and a third thin-film transistor, the second thin-film transistor corresponding to the first signal line and the third thin-film transistor corresponding to the second signal line;

a source electrode of the second thin-film transistor is coupled to an output terminal of the voltage driving module, and a drain electrode of the second thin-film transistor is coupled to the first signal line; and

a source electrode of a third thin-film transistor is coupled to an output terminal of the voltage scanning module, and a drain electrode of the third thin-film transistor is coupled to the second signal line.

5. The tactile feedback device according to claim 3, wherein the voltage driving signal is an alternating current (AC) voltage signal.

6. The tactile feedback device according to claim 1, wherein:

the piece of electrostrictive material includes piezoelectric ceramic.

7. A touch display device, incorporating the tactile feedback device according to claim 1.

8. The touch display panel according to claim 7, further comprising a touch screen and a display panel, wherein:

the touch screen is disposed at a side of the display panel that is used for displaying images; and

the tactile feedback device is disposed at a side of the touch screen that faces away from the display panel, the controller of the tactile feedback devices being configured to obtain touch location data from the touch screen.

9. A method for generating tactile feedback in response to a touch motion using a tactile feedback device, comprising:

obtaining, by a controller, a touch location of a touch motion;

sending, by the controller, a control signal to a driver of the tactile feedback device based on the touch location; and

applying, by the driver, a voltage signal on a deformable unit based on the control signal, the deformable unit deforming in response to the voltage signal, wherein

the driver drives the deformable unit corresponding to the touch location to deform along a direction perpendicular to the plane the deformable unit is placed on;

the deformable unit includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piece of electrostrictive material between the first electrode and the second electrode; and

when the driver applies a voltage signal across the first electrode and the second electrode, the piece of electrostrictive material deforms in response to the voltage signal;

the tactile feedback device includes a first signal line, a second signal line, and a thin-film transistor coupled to a deformable unit;

the first signal line is coupled to a source electrode of the first thin-film transistor, the second signal line is coupled to a gate electrode of the first thin-film transistor, the first electrode of the deformable unit is coupled to a drain electrode of the thin-film transistor, and the second electrode of a deformable unit is grounded; and

when the second signal line coupled to the thin-film transistor is applied with a voltage scanning signal, and the first signal line coupled to the thin-film transistor is applied with a voltage driving signal, the deformable unit deforms.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the voltage signal includes an alternating current (AC) voltage signal.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein:

the driver includes a voltage driving module, a voltage scanning module, and a multiplexer;

the voltage driving module is configured to generate the voltage driving signal;

the voltage scanning module is configured to generate the voltage scanning signal; and

base on the control signal, the multiplexer is configured to input the voltage scanning signal to the second signal line, and input the voltage driving signal to the corresponding first signal line, to drive the deformable unit to deform.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein:

the multiplexer includes a second thin-film transistor and a third thin-film transistor, the second thin-film transistor corresponding to the first signal line and the third thin-film transistor corresponding to the second signal line;

a source electrode of the second thin-film transistor is coupled to an output terminal of the voltage driving module, and a drain electrode of the second thin-film transistor is coupled to the first signal line; and

a source electrode of a third thin-film transistor is coupled to an output terminal of the voltage scanning module, and a drain electrode of the third thin-film transistor is coupled to the second signal line.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein:

the piece of electrostrictive material includes piezoelectric ceramic.