Method and Apparatus for Providing A Fixed Relief Touch Screen With Locating Features Using Deformable Haptic Surfaces

• US 20090128503A1
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Cruz-Hernandez, Juan M., Grant, Danny A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,488,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A method and apparatus for an electronic interface device capable of providing a fixed relief touch screen with locating features using deformable haptic surfaces are disclosed. The device, in one embodiment, includes a haptic mechanism and a touch-sensitive surface. The haptic mechanism provides haptic feedback in response to an activating command. The touch-sensitive surface is capable of changing its surface texture from a first surface characteristic to a second surface characteristic in response to the haptic feedback. For example, the first surface characteristic may be coarse texture while the second surface characteristic may be smooth texture.

Claims

1. An interface device comprising:

a haptic mechanism operable to provide haptic feedback in response to an activating command; and

a touch-sensitive surface coupled to the haptic mechanism and capable of changing its surface relief from a first surface characteristic to a second surface characteristic in response to the activating command.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the haptic mechanism operable to provide haptic feedback further includes a first tactile feedback and a second tactile feedback, wherein the first tactile feedback causes the touch-sensitive surface to deform, and wherein the second tactile feedback confirms an input selections.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the haptic mechanism includes a plurality of pins, wherein the plurality of pins moves above the touch-sensitive surface and moves below the touch-sensitive surface through a plurality of holes in the touch-sensitive surface.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the haptic mechanism includes a lateral displacement mechanism, wherein the lateral displacement is capable of changing the surface relief of the touch-sensitive surface by moving the touch-sensitive surface laterally against the haptic mechanism.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the haptic mechanism includes a plurality of air pockets, wherein the plurality of air pockets is capable of alter the surface relief of the touch-sensitive surface by filling and releasing air in the plurality of air pockets.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the haptic mechanism includes a plurality of haptic materials, wherein the plurality of haptic materials is operable to change the surface relief of the touch-sensitive surface by changing the physical sizes of the plurality of haptic materials.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the haptic feedback includes haptic acknowledgement to a user confirming a user input.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the surface relief includes bumps, holes, and a combination of bumps and holes.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive surface is a flexible and deformable surface that is capable of sensing touches on the touch-sensitive surface.

10. A method of controlling surface relief of a touch-sensitive surface, comprising:

maintaining the touch-sensitive surface in a first surface characterization;

receiving a command for activating haptic feedback;

activating a haptic mechanism in response to the command;

generating the haptic feedback to change surface relief of the touch-sensitive surface from the first surface characterization to a second surface characterization.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising sensing a contact on the touch-sensitive surface and generating an input signal in response to the contact and sending the input signal to a processing unit.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein maintaining the touch-sensitive surface in a first surface characterization further includes maintaining bumps on the touch-sensitive surface.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving a command for activating haptic feedback further includes receiving the command from a user.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the haptic feedback to change the touch-sensitive surface further includes creating bump sensation on the surface relief of the touch-sensitive surface.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the haptic feedback to change the touch-sensitive surface further includes moving a plurality of pins above and below the touch-sensitive surface via a set of predefined holes in the touch-sensitive surface.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the haptic feedback to change the touch-sensitive surface further includes shifting the touch-sensitive surface laterally against the haptic mechanism to form sensation of bumps and holes.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the haptic feedback to change the touch-sensitive surface further includes buckling the touch-sensitive surface to form a bump.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the haptic feedback to change surface relief of the touch-sensitive surface from the first surface characterization to a second surface characterization further includes changing from a coarse texture to a smooth texture.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the haptic feedback to change surface relief of the touch-sensitive surface from the first surface characterization to a second surface characterization further includes changing from a smooth texture to a rough texture.

20. An apparatus for controlling surface relief of a touch-sensitive surface, comprising:

means for maintaining the touch-sensitive surface in a first surface characterization;

means for receiving a command for activating haptic feedback;

means for activating a haptic mechanism in response to the command;

means for generating the haptic feedback to change surface relief of the touch-sensitive surface from the first surface characterization to a second surface characterization.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising means for sensing a contact on the touch-sensitive surface and generating an input signal in response to the contact and sending the input signal to a processing unit.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein means for maintaining the touch-sensitive surface in a first surface characterization further includes means for maintaining bumps on the touch-sensitive surface.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein means for receiving a command for activating haptic feedback further includes means for receiving the command from a user.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein means for generating the haptic feedback to change the touch-sensitive surface further includes means for creating bump sensation on the surface relief of the touch-sensitive surface;

and wherein means for generating the haptic feedback to change the touch-sensitive surface further includes means for moving a plurality of pins above and below the touch-sensitive surface via a set of predefined holes in the touch-sensitive surface.

25. A haptic interface device comprising:

a display layer operable to display viewable images;

a touch screen layer disposed over the display layer and capable of receiving an input by sensing one or more surface contacts;

a haptic mechanism layer disposed over the touch screen layer and operable to provide haptic feedback in response to an activating command; and

a touch surface layer disposed over the haptic mechanism layer and having a plurality of opens, wherein the plurality of opens facilitate a change of surface relief of the touch surface layer from a smooth surface to a coarse surface in response to the activating command.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the haptic mechanism layer disposed over the touch screen layer and operable to provide haptic feedback further includes a first tactile feedback and a second tactile feedback, wherein the first tactile feedback causes the touch surface layer to deform.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the second tactile feedback includes a haptic user acknowledgement confirming the input.

28. The device of claim 25, wherein the haptic mechanism layer includes a plurality of pins, wherein the plurality of pins moves above the touch surface layer and moves below the touch surface layer through the plurality of opens in the touch surface layer.

29. The device of claim 25, wherein the coarse surface includes bumps, holes, and a combination of bumps and holes.

30. The device of claim 25, wherein the haptic mechanism layer is a rigid layer having one or more surface features

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the touch surface layer is a flexible and deformable surface capable of forming a raised surface in response to one or more features of haptic mechanism layer.

32. The device of claim 25, wherein the activating command is generated when a sensor detects a surface contact on the touch surface layer.