Touch panel display apparatus, electronic device having touch panel display apparatus, and camera having touch panel display apparatus

• US 20070035526A1
• Filed: 07/17/2006
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Maruyama, Shigeaki, Takenaka, Mikio, Sekine, Junichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,310,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a touch panel display apparatus including: a display panel; a movable panel unit including a touch panel and being flat plate-like in shape; a movable support section for supporting the movable panel unit on a support structure so as to permit the movable panel unit to be moved along a plane parallel to the panel surface of the movable panel unit; an actuator configured to drive the movable panel unit to vibrate; an actuator drive control section for outputting an actuator drive signal to drivingly control the actuator; an acoustic pressure generating member configured to generate an acoustic pressure by being driven by the actuator to vibrate; and a superposing section for superposing an acoustic signal on the actuator drive signal outputted by the actuator drive control section.

Claims

1. A touch panel display apparatus comprising:

a display panel;

a movable panel unit including a touch panel and being flat plate-like in shape;

movable support means for supporting said movable panel unit on a support structure so as to permit said movable panel unit to be moved along a plane parallel to the panel surface of said movable panel unit;

an actuator configured to drive said movable panel unit to vibrate;

actuator drive control means for outputting an actuator drive signal to drivingly control said actuator;

an acoustic pressure generating member configured to generate an acoustic pressure by being driven by said actuator to vibrate; and

superposing means for superposing an acoustic signal on said actuator drive signal outputted by said actuator drive control means;

wherein said actuator drives said movable panel unit to vibrate along said plane parallel to said panel surface of said movable panel unit, whereby a tactile sensation is generated on a user'"'"'s fingertip making contact with said panel surface of said movable panel unit, and said actuator drives said acoustic pressure generating member to vibrate according to said acoustic signal, whereby a sound is generated.

2. The touch panel display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display panel and said touch panel are integrally joined to constitute said movable panel unit.

3. The touch panel display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display panel is fixed on said support structure, and said movable panel unit is so disposed that said touch panel is located at such a position as to overlap with said display panel.

4. The touch panel display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said actuator drive control means drives said movable panel unit to vibrate in a vibration pattern selected from a plurality of predetermined vibration patterns, and said plurality of predetermined vibration patterns generate different senses on the user'"'"'s fingertip making contact with said panel surface of said movable panel unit.

5. The touch panel display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said actuator is a bending displacement type piezoelectric actuator being elongate plate-like in shape, said piezoelectric actuator is disposed between one side of said movable panel unit and a fixed portion which is a part of said support structure provided oppositely to said one side, both longitudinally end portions of said piezoelectric actuator are linked to said fixed portion, and a longitudinally central portion of said piezoelectric actuator is linked to said one side of said movable unit.

6. The tough panel display according to claim 5, wherein said acoustic pressure generating member is an elongate sheet member extending perpendicularly to the drive direction of said actuator, both longitudinally end portion of said sheet member are linked to said support structure, and a longitudinally central portion of said sheet member is linked to said piezoelectric actuator.

7. The tough panel display according to claim 1, further comprising:

sound guide means for guiding the sound generated from said acoustic pressure generating member.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a casing or frame; and

a touch panel display apparatus;

wherein said touch panel display apparatus includes

a display panel,

a movable panel unit including a touch panel and being flat plate-like in shape,

movable support means for supporting said movable panel unit on a support structure so as to permit said movable panel unit to be moved along a plane parallel to the panel surface of said movable panel unit,

an actuator configured to drive said movable panel unit to vibrate,

actuator drive control means for outputting an actuator drive signal to drivingly control said actuator,

an acoustic pressure generating member configured to generate an acoustic pressure by being driven by said actuator to vibrate, and

superposing means for superposing an acoustic signal on said actuator drive signal outputted by said actuator drive control means,

wherein said actuator drives said movable panel unit to vibrate along said plane parallel to said panel surface of said movable panel unit, whereby a tactile sensation is generated on a user'"'"'s fingertip making contact with said panel surface of said movable panel unit, and said actuator drives said acoustic pressure generating member to vibrate according to said acoustic signal, whereby a sound is generated.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein said display panel and said touch panel are integrally joined to constitute said movable panel unit.

10. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein said display panel is fixed on said casing or frame, and said movable panel unit is so disposed that said touch panel is located at such a position as to overlap with said display panel.

11. A camera comprising:

a casing or frame; and

a monitor;

wherein said monitor including a touch panel display apparatus,

wherein said touch panel display apparatus includes

a display panel,

a movable panel unit including a touch panel and being flat plate-like in shape,

movable support means for supporting said movable panel unit on a support structure so as to permit said movable panel unit to be moved along a plane parallel to the panel surface of said movable panel unit,

an actuator configured to drive said movable panel unit to vibrate,

actuator drive control means for outputting an actuator drive signal to drivingly control said actuator;

an acoustic pressure generating member configured to generate an acoustic pressure by being driven by said actuator to vibrate, and

superposing means for superposing an acoustic signal on said actuator drive signal outputted by said actuator drive control means,

wherein said actuator drives said movable panel unit to vibrate along said plane parallel to said panel surface of said movable panel unit, whereby a tactile sensation is generated on a user'"'"'s fingertip making contact with said panel surface of said movable panel unit, and said actuator drives said acoustic pressure generating member to vibrate according to said acoustic signal, whereby a sound is generated.

12. The camera according to claim 11, wherein said display panel and said touch panel are integrally joined to constitute said movable panel unit.

13. The camera according to claim 11, wherein said display panel is fixed on said casing or frame, and said movable panel unit is so disposed that said touch panel is located at such a position as to overlap with said display panel.