Haptic button and haptic device using the same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A haptic button comprising:
- an electro-active polymer layer;
a pair of electrodes which partially contact two sides of the electro-active polymer layer;
a power supply to supply a voltage to the pair of electrodes; and
a sensor to sense a button input from a user,wherein stimulation, provided from the electro-active polymer layer of the haptic button to the user who contacts the haptic button, is changed by changing a waveform of the voltage.
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Abstract
A haptic button providing various stimulations to a user according to a current application and a haptic device using the same are provided. The haptic button includes an electro-active polymer having a flat shape, a pair of electrodes contacting two sides of the electro-active polymer, an electric circuit applying a predetermined voltage to the pair of electrodes, and a sensor sensing a button input from a user, wherein stimulation provided from the electro-active polymer to the user is changed by changing a waveform of the voltage according to a current application status.
257 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A haptic button comprising:
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an electro-active polymer layer; a pair of electrodes which partially contact two sides of the electro-active polymer layer; a power supply to supply a voltage to the pair of electrodes; and a sensor to sense a button input from a user, wherein stimulation, provided from the electro-active polymer layer of the haptic button to the user who contacts the haptic button, is changed by changing a waveform of the voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A haptic button comprising:
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an electro-active polymer layer; a pair of electrodes which partially contact two sides of the electro-active polymer layer; a power supply to supply a voltage to the pair of electrodes; and a sensor to sense a button input from a user, wherein one side of the electro-active polymer layer comprises a plurality of notches which open when the voltage is applied to the electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A haptic button comprising:
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an electro-active polymer layer divided into regions; a plurality of pairs of electrodes which partially contact two sides of the electro-active polymer layer; a power supply to supply voltage to the plurality of pairs of electrodes; a sensor to sense a button input from a user; a fixing portion which fixes the electro-active polymer layer at an edge of the haptic button; and at least one separator which extends in at least one direction between a widthwise direction and a lengthwise direction of the haptic button, wherein each separator fixes a portion of the electro-active polymer layer contacting the separator, wherein one of the pairs of electrodes is disposed in each of the regions into which the haptic button is divided by the at least one separator. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 23)
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17. A haptic device comprising:
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a contact surface to physically contact a user; an actuator to provide a displacement or a force to the contact surface; a sensor to sense a button input from a user; and t a controller to control an operation of the actuator by applying a voltage, wherein the actuator comprises an electro-active polymer layer and at least a pair of electrodes to which the voltage is applied and which contact the electro-active polymer layer, and wherein stimulation provided from the electro-active polymer layer of the haptic button to the user is changed by changing a waveform of the voltage. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 21, 22)
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20. The haptic device of 17, wherein the actuator further comprises a metal dome providing a bias stiffness to the user, wherein one of the at least one pair of electrodes at least partially contacts an upper curve of the metal dome.
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24. A haptic button comprising:
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an electro-active polymer layer; a pair of electrodes which partially contact two sides of the electro-active polymer layer; a power supply to supply a voltage to the pair of electrodes; a sensor to sense a button input from a user; and a fixing portion which fixes the electro-active polymer layer so that a part of the electro-active polymer layer is not expanded, wherein another part of the electro-active polymer layer expands when voltage is applied. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for changing at least one of stiffness and texture in a haptic button having an electro-polymer layer which contacts at least one pair of electrodes on opposite sides of the electro-polymer layer, the method comprising:
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generating a voltage having a waveform; and supplying the voltage to the at least one pair of electrodes to expand the electro-polymer layer to change at least one of stiffness and texture of the haptic button.
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31. At least one computer readable medium storing instructions that control at least one processor to perform a method for changing at least one of stiffness and texture in a haptic button having an electro-polymer layer which contacts at least one pair of electrodes on opposite sides of the electro-polymer layer, the method comprising”
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generating a voltage having a waveform; and supplying the voltage to the at least one pair of electrodes to expand the electro-polymer layer to change at least one of stiffness and texture of the haptic button.
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Specification