Screen having a touch-sensitive user interface for command input

• US 20050057528A1
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kleen, Martin
• Application Number:
  US10/927,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20050057528A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• 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: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/008 with a haptic or a tactile feedback controlled by electrical means, e.g. a motor or magnetofriction

Abstract

Screen having a touch-sensitive user interface (8) for command input via local touching of the user interface (8) and generation of a command signal where the extent of touch is sufficient, comprising electrically actuatable means (5) assigned to the user interface (8) to generate a signal that is haptically perceptible to the user in the position touched on the user interface (8), depending on a command signal being generated.

Claims

1-7. -7. (cancelled)

8. A screen having a touch-sensitive user interface for inputting a command by touching the user interface and generating a command signal if the degree of touch is sufficient, comprising:

an electrically actuatable mechanism assigned to the user interface for generating a first haptically perceptible signal at the position touched on the user interface if a command signal has been generated after touching the user interface by a user, wherein

the mechanism comprises a locally actuatable piezoelectric layer, wherein

the haptically perceptible signal includes any of one or a plurality of local mechanical impulses, or a local mechanical vibration generated by a deformation of the piezoelectric layer, wherein

the electrically actuatable mechanism is adapted to generate a second haptically perceptible signal before a sufficient degree of touch at a local area of the screen occurs indicating to the user that the local area of the screen has been activated for inputting a command, and wherein

the first and the second haptic signal comprise any of different frequencies, or different mechanical impulses.

9. The screen according to claim 8, wherein the piezoelectric layer is arranged above or underneath the user interface.

10. The screen according to claim 9, wherein the piezoelectric layer is used for inputting a command and generating a corresponding command signal.

11. The screen according to claim 8, wherein a duration and/or an intensity of the first haptic signal are varied during a continuing touching of the user interface depending on the information content of the input command.

12. The screen according to claim 8, wherein such local areas of the user interface, where a command input is possible, are represented three-dimensionally by the electrically actuatable mechanism.

13. The screen according to claim 12, wherein a surface area in the form of a slide- or controller-type control element movable along a straight line is represented by the electrically actuatable mechanism, and wherein,

during movement, the control element is limited at least in the direction of its movement in a haptically perceptible manner by the deformation of the actuated piezoelectric layer.

14. The screen according to claim 12, wherein a surface area in the form of a slide- or controller-type control element movable along a straight line is represented by the electrically actuatable mechanism, and wherein

the control element is limited circumferentially during its movement in a haptically perceptible manner by the deformation of the actuated piezoelectric layer.