USER INTERFACE SYSTEM

• US 20100171719A1
• Filed: 01/05/2010
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tactus Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tactus Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Yairi, Micah B., Craig, Ciesla Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,179,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/84 characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback legends H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/002 Fluid or inflatable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/018 Indication of switch sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/042 Higher keytops

Abstract

The user interface system of one embodiment of the invention includes a sheet that defines a surface on one side and at least partially defines a first cavity and a second cavity on an opposite side; a fluid network coupled to the first and second cavities; a displacement device coupled to the fluid network that displaces fluid within the fluid network and expands both the first and second cavities concurrently, thereby deforming a first and a second particular region of the surface; and a touch sensor coupled to the sheet and adapted to sense a user touch proximate the first and second particular regions of the surface. The user interface system of another embodiment of the invention includes a displacement device coupled to the fluid network that displaces fluid within the fluid network and selectively expands one of the first and second cavities.

Claims

1. A user interface system, comprising:

a sheet that defines a surface on one side and at least partially defines a first cavity and a second cavity on an opposite side;

a fluid network coupled to the first and second cavities;

a displacement device coupled to the fluid network that displaces fluid within the fluid network and expands both the first and second cavities concurrently, thereby deforming a first and a second particular region of the surface; and

a touch sensor coupled to the sheet and adapted to sense a user touch proximate the first and second particular regions of the surface.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the fluid network includes a channel that couples the first and second cavities to the displacement device.

3. The user interface of claim 2, wherein the channel includes a first segment that couples the first cavity to the displacement device and a second segment that couples the second cavity to the displacement device.

4. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the second segment of the channel further couples the second cavity to the first cavity.

5. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the first cavity and the second cavity are of different material characteristics.

6. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the first cavity and the second cavity are of different geometry.

7. The user interface of claim 1, further including a second displacement device coupled to the fluid network and adapted to cooperate with the displacement device to displaces fluid within the fluid network and expand both the first and second cavities concurrently.

8. A user interface system, comprising:

a sheet that defines a surface on one side and at least partially defines a first cavity and a second cavity on an opposite side;

a fluid network coupled to the first and second cavities;

a displacement device coupled to the fluid network that displaces fluid within the fluid network and selectively expands one of the first and second cavities, thereby deforming a first particular region of the surface; and

a touch sensor coupled to the sheet and adapted to sense a user touch proximate the particular region of the surface.

9. The user interface of claim 8, further comprising a valve that directs the fluid displaced by the displacement device to at least one of the first and second cavities.

10. The user interface of claim 9, wherein the valve directs the fluid displaced by the displacement device in a mode selected from the group consisting of:

directing fluid into one of the first and second cavities and directing fluid into both the first and second cavities.

11. The user interface of claim 9, wherein the valve is a bi-state valve with an OPEN state and a CLOSED state, wherein the OPEN state allows fluid to pass through the valve and the CLOSED state prevents fluid from passing through the valve.

12. The user interface of claim 8, wherein the displacement device displaces fluid in a mode selected from the group consisting of:

displacing fluid into one of the first and second cavities and displacing fluid into both the first and second cavities.

13. A user interface system, comprising:

a sheet that defines a surface on one side and at least partially defines a first group of cavities and a second group of cavities;

a fluid network coupled to the first and second groups of cavities;

a displacement device coupled to the fluid network that displaces fluid within the fluid network and selectively expands one of the first and second groups of cavities, thereby deforming a first group of particular regions of the surface; and

a touch sensor coupled to the sheet that senses a user touch proximate to the particular regions of the surface.

14. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the fluid network includes a channel that includes a first branch that couples each of the cavities of the first group of cavities to the displacement device, and a second branch that couples each of the cavities of the second group of cavities to the displacement device, wherein the first branch of the channel is arranged at a height level within the sheet and the second branch of the channel is arranged at another height level within the sheet.

15. The user interface of claim 13, further comprising a valve that directs the fluid displaced by the displacement device to a group of cavities.

16. The user interface of claim 15, wherein the valve directs the fluid displaced by the displacement device in a mode selected from the group consisting of:

directing fluid into one of the first and second groups of cavities and directing fluid into both the first and second groups of cavities.

17. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the first group of cavities correlate to at least the letters of a QWERTY keyboard, and wherein the second group of cavities correlate to at least the numbers of a 0-9 numerical keypad.

18. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the sheet at least partially defines a third group of cavities;

wherein the fluid network is coupled to the third groups of cavities; and

wherein the displacement device selectively expands the third group of cavities and one of the first and second groups of cavities.

19. The user interface of claim 18, wherein the third group of cavities cooperates with the first group of cavities to correlate to at least the letters of a landscape QWERTY keyboard, and wherein the third group of cavities cooperates with the second group of cavities to correlate to at least the letters of a portrait QWERTY keyboard.

20. The user interface of claim 19, further comprising a processor that controls the expansion of the first, second, and third group of cavities.