METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING TACTILE SENSATIONS
First Claim
1. A computer-readable medium having instructions, the instructions including instructions that cause a processor to:
- detect a first pressure on a first input device;
provide a first tactile sensation to the first input device;
detect a second pressure on the first input device, the second pressure greater than the first pressure; and
provide a second tactile sensation to the first input device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Products and processes for providing tactile sensations to input devices or electronic devices are provided. Input devices include mechanical input devices (such as, for example, mechanical switches) and non-mechanical input devices (such as, for example, touchpads). Tactile feedback is provided by using an actuator or other means in communication with the input device or electronic device. A controller may be employed to receive signals from the input devices and control the actuator. Tactile feedback to an input device or electronic device may be provided in response to one or more events or situations. Such an event or situation may be any one designated. Examples of such events and situations include the level of pressure placed on an input device; the availability or lack of availability of a function associated with an input device; and the function, menu, or mode of operation associated with an input device"s activation. A variety of feedback types and combinations may be selected.
-
Citations
82 Claims
-
1. A computer-readable medium having instructions, the instructions including instructions that cause a processor to:
- detect a first pressure on a first input device;
provide a first tactile sensation to the first input device;
detect a second pressure on the first input device, the second pressure greater than the first pressure; and
provide a second tactile sensation to the first input device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 44, 45)
- detect a first pressure on a first input device;
-
17. A computer-readable medium having stored instructions, the stored instructions including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
-
detect a first pressure on a first input device comprising requesting a function; and provide a first tactile sensation to the first input device indicating initiation of the function. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
provide a second tactile sensation indicating initiation of the first sub-menu.
-
-
20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, the menu comprising a second sub-menu, and the computer-readable medium further having stored instructions, the stored instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
provide a third tactile sensation indicating initiation of the second sub-menu.
-
21. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, the first tactile sensation different than the second tactile sensation.
-
22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, the second tactile sensation different than the third tactile sensation.
-
23. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the function comprising an operation mode.
-
24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, the operation mode comprising at least one of the following:
instant messaging, electronic mail, voice mail, game, and missed calls.
-
25. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the first tactile sensation indicating a structure of the menu.
-
26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, the menu comprising at least one sub-menu.
-
27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, the first tactile sensation further indicating the number of sub-menus comprising the menu.
-
28. A computer-readable medium having stored instructions, the stored instructions including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
-
detect a first pressure at a first location on a touchpad; upon detecting the first pressure, provide a first tactile sensation to the touchpad; detect a second pressure at a second location on a touchpad; upon detecting the second pressure, provide a second tactile sensation to the touchpad, the first tactile sensation having a different waveform than the second tactile sensation. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
detect a third pressure on the touchpad comprising requesting a function; determine that the function is unavailable; and upon determining that the function is unavailable, provide a third tactile sensation to the touchpad.
-
-
32. The computer-readable medium of claim 28 having stored instructions, the stored instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
-
detect a third pressure on the touchpad; determine that the third pressure comprises an ambiguous input; upon determining that the third pressure comprises the ambiguous input, provide a third tactile sensation to the touchpad.
-
-
33. A computer-readable medium having stored instructions, the stored instructions including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
-
detect a first pressure at a first location on a touchpad; upon detecting the first pressure, provide a first tactile sensation to the touchpad; detect a second pressure at a second location on a touchpad; upon detecting the second pressure, provide a second tactile sensation to the touchpad, the first tactile sensation having a different wave form than the second tactile sensation. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
detect a third pressure on the touchpad comprising requesting a function; determine that the function is unavailable; and upon determining that the function is unavailable, provide a third tactile sensation to the touchpad.
-
-
37. The computer-readable medium of claim 33 having stored instructions, the stored instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
-
detect a third pressure on the touchpad; determine that the third pressure comprises an ambiguous input; upon determining that the third pressure comprises the ambiguous input, provide a third tactile sensation to the touchpad.
-
-
38. A computer-readable medium having stored instructions, the stored instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
-
detect a first pressure on a first input device comprising requesting a function; determine that the function is unavailable; and upon determining that the function is unavailable, provide a first tactile sensation to the first input device. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
determine that the function is available; and upon determining that the function is available, provide a second tactile sensation to the first input device, the second tactile sensation different from the first tactile sensation.
-
-
40. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, the second tactile sensation comprising a different frequency than the first haptic feedback.
-
41. A computer-readable medium having stored instructions, the stored instructions including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
-
detect a first pressure on a first input device; determine that the first pressure comprises an ambiguous input; upon determining that the first pressure comprises the ambiguous input, provide a first tactile sensation to the first input device. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
-
-
46. An input device, comprising:
-
a means for determining pressure; and an actuator in communication with the means for determining pressure and capable of creating at least three distinct tactile sensations in response to at least three corresponding pressure input signals from the means for determining pressure. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
-
-
66. An apparatus comprising:
-
at least one input device comprising; a first position, corresponding to a first input signal; and a second position, corresponding to a second input signal; the input device moveable from the first position to the second position upon application of a sufficient amount of pressure to the input device; at least one actuator in communication with the input device to output tactile sensations to the input device; and at least one controller in communication with the input device to detect the first input signal and the second input signal and in communication with the actuator to cause the actuator to create a first tactile sensation in response to detection of the first input signal and to create a second tactile sensation in response to detection of the second input signal. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
an object to select one of the buttons by pressing a location of the display panel corresponding to that button; and a pressure calculator to calculate the distinct amount of pressure based upon an amount of area of the object in contact with the display panel.
-
-
73. The apparatus of claim 66, the apparatus comprising at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal computer and a hand-held computing device.
-
74. An apparatus comprising:
-
an input device to communicate an input signal to an electronic device, the input device having multiple positions; at least one actuator in communication with the input device to output a plurality of distinct tactile sensations to the input device; and at least one controller in communication with the input device to receive the input signal and to detect the position of the input device and in communication with the actuator to produce the distinct tactile sensations corresponding to the received input signal and the detected position of the input device. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
-
Specification