Haptically enabled overlay for a pressure sensitive surface

• US 10,401,962 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2016
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Rihn, William S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Okebato, Sahlu
• Application Number:
  US15/188,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20170364190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward electronic devices configured to produce haptic effects, and to haptic enabled film overlays for pressure sensitive surfaces. The systems and methods for haptic enabled film overlays include a processor and a plurality of sensors, a pressure sensitive touch surface coupled to the plurality of sensors and configured to detect a user interaction, and an overlay including a tactile user interface and a plurality of haptic output devices, the overlay being configured to provide a haptic effect in response to the user interaction.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor;

a pressure sensitive touch surface comprising a sensor configured to detect a user touch; and

an overlay comprising a tactile user interface and a haptic output device, the overlay being configured to provide a haptic effect in response to the user touch, the haptic effect being spatially decoupled from the user touch such that the user touch is received in a first region of the overlay and the haptic effect is rendered at a second region of the overlay.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the overlay is detachably coupled to the pressure sensitive touch surface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of haptic output devices are integrally formed within the overlay.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the haptic effect is rendered in conjunction with a haptic output device of a host device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the overlay stores haptic and input profiles.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the overlay stores a haptic profile.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the haptic effect is rendered according to a haptic profile of the overlay and a characteristic of the user touch.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the characteristic of the user touch includes one of a number of contacts, a time of contact, or a pressure of contact.

7. A method for rendering a haptic effect that is based on a user touch, the method comprising:

detecting the user touch on a pressure sensitive touch surface having a sensor; and

providing the haptic effect in response to the user touch on an overlay comprising a tactile user interface and a haptic output device, the haptic effect being spatially decoupled from the user touch such that the user touch is received in a first region of the overlay and the haptic effect is rendered at a second region of the overlay.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the overlay is detachably coupled to the pressure sensitive touch surface.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a plurality of haptic output devices are integrally formed within the overlay.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the haptic effect is rendered in conjunction with a haptic output device of a host device.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the overlay stores haptic and input profiles.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the overlay stores a haptic profile.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by a processor, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

detecting a user touch on a pressure sensitive touch surface having a sensor; and

providing a haptic effect in response to the user touch on an overlay comprising a tactile user interface and a haptic output device, the haptic effect being spatially decoupled from the user touch such that the user touch is received in a first region of the overlay and the haptic effect is rendered at a second region of the overlay.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the overlay is detachably coupled to the pressure sensitive touch surface.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein a plurality of haptic output devices are integrally formed within the overlay.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the haptic effect is rendered in conjunction with a haptic output device of a host device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the overlay stores a haptic profile.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the overlay stores an input profile.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the overlay retrieves a haptic profile from a host device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the input profile includes a baseline point of pressure.