INTEGRATED HAPTIC CONTROL APPARATUS AND TOUCH SENSITIVE DISPLAY

• US 20100066681A1
• Filed: 09/18/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Malabuyo, Paolo
• Granted Patent: US 8,698,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

The provision of a haptic input with an integrated touch screen input is disclosed. One disclosed embodiment provides a control apparatus for an electronic device. The control apparatus comprises a haptic input mechanism configured to provide haptic feedback responsive to a push input, and an integrated touch sensitive display forming a surface of the haptic input mechanism, wherein the touch sensitive display comprising a touch-sensing mechanism.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for an electronic device, the control apparatus comprising:

a haptic input mechanism configured to provide haptic feedback responsive to a push input; and

an integrated touch sensitive display forming a surface of the haptic input mechanism, the touch sensitive display comprising a touch-sensing mechanism.

2. The control apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second display spaced apart from the haptic input mechanism and touch sensitive display.

3. The control apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a controller configured to display one or more indicia on the touch sensitive display and to modify the displayed indicia in response to a physical manipulation of the electronic device and/or a change of an application program executed by the electronic device.

4. The control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the haptic input mechanism comprises a directional pad, and wherein modifying the indicia comprises changing an indicia associated with a direction on the directional pad.

5. The control apparatus of claim 1 wherein the touch-sensing mechanism is capacitive.

6. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive display comprises an organic light emitting device or an electronic paper device.

7. The control apparatus of claim 3 wherein a touch input triggers a first function in the electronic device and a push input triggers a second function in the electronic device.

8. The control apparatus of claim 7, wherein triggering a function includes implementing a command in an application program executed by the electronic device.

9. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a multi-directional control mechanism having a plurality of actuatable components each configured to provide haptic feedback in response to an input;

a touch sensitive display, configured to display one or more indicia, forming a surface of the multi-directional control mechanism; and

a controller electronically coupled to the multi-directional control mechanism and the touch sensitive display, the controller configured to modify the indicia on the touch sensitive display and modify a functionality of the multi-directional control mechanism in response to an adjustment of one or more of the actuatable components and the portable electronic device.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the touch sensitive display and multi-directional control mechanism are configured to be actuated substantially concurrently and in response to actuation generate a single command signal.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein modifying the functionality includes adjusting an operation triggered via actuation of the multi-directional control mechanism and the touch sensitive display.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein the multi-directional control mechanism comprises a directional pad.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein each indicium specifies a function of a corresponding actuatable component.

14. A method for operating a user input control apparatus for an electronic device, the control apparatus having a directional pad comprising an integrated touch sensitive display, and a controller configured to receive and correlate command signals from the touch sensitive display and the moveable control mechanism, the method comprising:

displaying one or more indicia on the touch sensitive display;

receiving a push input via the directional pad;

providing haptic feedback in response to the push input;

receiving a touch input via the touch sensitive display;

providing feedback in response to the touch input; and

altering the displayed indicia in response to a change in a functionality of the directional pad.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein altering the displayed indicia includes altering an appearance, location, quantity, and/or functionality of the indicia.

16. The method according to claim 14 further comprising generating a first command signal and a second command signal in response to asynchronous touch and push inputs, respectively.

17. The method according to claim 14 further comprising generating a single command signal in response to substantially concurrent touch and push inputs.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein each indicium specifies a function of a corresponding actuatable component of the directional pad.

19. The method according to claim 14 wherein the display indicia are altered in response to a change of an application program being controlled by the control apparatus.

20. The method according to claim 14 wherein the displayed indicia are altered in response to physical manipulation of the electronic device.