Handheld device having multiple localized force feedback

• US 20060049920A1
• Filed: 09/09/2004
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Caine, Michael E., Sadler, Daniel J., Dai, Xunhu, Chang, Angela, Jensen, Claudia, Zindel, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,148,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2474 Telephone terminals specially adapted for disabled people user interfaces for cordless or mobile telephones specially adapted for disabled users H04M1/72475; network based special services or facilities for hearing-impaired persons H04M3/42391; devices for conversing with the deaf-blind G09B21/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

An electronic device (100) comprises a housing (112), an input (118, 122) coupled mechanically to the housing for receiving data, an output (114, 118) coupled mechanically to the housing for presenting information to a user of the electronic device in at least one of an audio and visual mode, an electronic circuit (210) coupled mechanically to the housing for providing intelligent operations that receives the data from the input and provides the information to the output, and at least two electromechanical transducers (226), each providing a tactile alert to the user in response to the data, the tactile alerts occurring simultaneously or in succession.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

an input coupled mechanically to the housing for receiving data;

an electronic circuit coupled mechanically to the housing for providing intelligent operations in response to the data; and

at least two electromechanical transducers, each providing a tactile alert to the user in response to the information, the tactile alerts occurring simultaneously or in succession.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein each of the electromechanical tranducers are positioned so as to likely provide a vibration to the user'"'"'s hand.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein each of the electromechanical transducers are positioned so as to likely provide a vibration to a different finger of the user.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the electromechanical transducers are positioned so as to come in contact with the base of the palm of the user.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a material positioned between each of the electromechanical transducers and the housing, wherein the vibrations of each electromechanical transducer is not transmitted to the housing or to another electromechanical transducer.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electromechanical transducer moves in one of the x, y, and z directions.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the vibrations occur in a sequence previously defined by the user.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the electric circuit comprises one or more of a phone and a pager.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

an output coupled mechanically to the housing for providing at least one of audio and visual information to a user of the electronic device;

an electronic circuit coupled mechanically to the housing for providing intelligent operations that determines various states, wherein the audio and visual information is provided for one or more of the states; and

at least two electromechanical transducers, each providing a tactile alert to the user in response to one of the states, the tactile alerts occurring simultaneously or in succession.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein each of the electromechanical transducers are positioned so as to likely provide a vibration to a different finger of the user.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein the electromechanical transducers are positioned so as to come in contact with the base of the palm of the user.

12. The electronic device of claim 9 further comprising a material positioned between each of the electromechanical transducers and the housing, wherein the vibrations of each electromechanical transducer is not transmitted to the housing or to another electromechanical transducer.

13. The electronic apparatus of claim 9 wherein the electromechanical transducer moves in one of the x, y, and z directions.

14. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein the vibrations occur in a sequence previously defined by the user.

15. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein the electric circuit comprises one or more of a phone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, and a gaming device.

16. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

an input coupled mechanically to the housing for receiving data;

an output coupled mechanically to the housing for presenting information to a user of the electronic device in at least one of an audio and visual mode;

an electronic circuit coupled mechanically to the housing for providing intelligent operations that receives the data from the input and enables the output; and

at least two electromechanical transducers, each providing a tactile alert to the user in response to the data, the tactile alerts occurring simultaneously or in succession, wherein the tactile alerts provide sensorial haptic information to the user.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 wherein each of the electromechanical transducers are positioned so as to likely provide a vibration to a different finger of the user.

18. The electronic device of claim 16 wherein the electromechanical transducers are positioned so as to come in contact with the base of the palm of the user.

19. The electronic device of claim 16 further comprising a material positioned between each of the electromechanical transducers and the housing, wherein vibrations of each electromechanical transducer is not transmitted to the housing or to another electromechanical transducer.

20. The electronic apparatus of claim 16 wherein the electromechanical transducer moves in one of the x, y, and z directions.

21. The electronic device of claim 16 wherein the tactile alert occurs in a sequence previously defined by the user.

22. The electronic device of claim 16 wherein the electric circuit comprises one or more of a phone, a pager, and a gaming device.