Methods and Devices for Consistency of the Haptic Response Across a Touch Sensitive Device

• US 20100265191A1
• Filed: 04/21/2009
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sinha, Siddharth, Mui, Gary K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,164,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• 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

Disclosed are methods and touch sensitive devices including a haptic actuator drive frequency module stored by the memory and in communication with the controller, the haptic actuator drive frequency module being configured to receive touch input from one of a plurality of regions of the touch sensitive layer and to output one of a plurality of haptic actuator drive frequency signals based upon the region from which the haptic actuator drive frequency module received the touch input to provide for consistency of the haptic response across a touch sensitive device.

Claims

1. A method of a touch sensitive device, comprising:

receiving touch input to a first region of the touch sensitive device;

outputting a first drive frequency signal to one or more haptic actuators of the touch sensitive device;

receiving touch input to a second region of the touch sensitive device; and

outputting a second drive frequency signal to one or more haptic actuators of the touch sensitive device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

driving one or more haptic actuators of the touch sensitive device at the first drive frequency; and

driving one or more haptic actuators of the touch sensitive device at the second drive frequency.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprises:

determining natural frequency responses of different regions of the touch sensitive device by performing a modal analysis on a standard touch sensitive device unit to generate a standardized set of drive frequency values.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the method is a method of a plurality of touch sensitive devices, the method of each of the plurality of touch sensitive devices comprising:

receiving a standardized set of drive frequency values; and

storing the standardized set of drive frequency values.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprises:

determining natural frequency responses of different regions of the touch sensitive device by performing a modal analysis on an individual touch sensitive device unit to generate an individualized set of drive frequency values

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving the individualized set of drive frequency values; and

storing the individualized set of drive frequency values.

7. A touch sensitive device, comprising:

a controller;

a memory in communication with the controller;

a touch sensitive layer having a plurality of regions, the touch sensitive layer in communication with the controller;

one or more haptic actuators proximal the touch sensitive layer in communication with the controller; and

a haptic actuator drive frequency module stored by the memory and in communication with the controller, the haptic actuator drive frequency module configured to receive touch input from one of the a plurality of regions of the touch sensitive layer and to output one of a plurality of haptic actuator drive frequency signals based upon the region from which the haptic actuator drive frequency module received the touch input.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of regions of the touch sensitive layer include at least a first region having a first natural frequency response and a second region having a second natural frequency response.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein based on the output of the haptic actuator drive frequency module, the controller is configured to deliver a first haptic actuator drive frequency signal to one or more haptic actuators and to deliver the second haptic actuator drive frequency signal to one or more haptic actuators.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the touch sensitive layer is resistive or capacitive.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the haptic actuator is a piezo electric element.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the touch sensitive device is a keypad.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the touch sensitive device is a touch screen.

14. A touch sensitive device, comprising:

a controller;

a memory in communication with the controller;

a touch sensitive layer having a plurality of regions, the touch sensitive layer in communication with the controller;

one or more haptic actuators proximal the touch sensitive layer in communication with the controller; and

a haptic actuator drive frequency module stored by the memory and in communication with the controller, the haptic actuator drive frequency module being configured;

to receive first touch input of a first region of the touch sensitive device;

to output a first drive frequency signal to be delivered via the controller to one or more haptic actuator of the touch sensitive device;

to receive second touch input of a second region of the touch sensitive device; and

to output a second drive frequency signal to be delivered via the controller to one or more haptic actuators of the touch sensitive device.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

circuitry to drive one or more haptic actuators of the touch sensitive device at a first drive frequency based upon the first drive frequency signal; and

circuitry to drive one or more haptic actuators of the touch sensitive device at a second drive frequency based upon the second drive frequency signal.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the touch sensitive layer is resistive or capacitive.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the haptic actuator is a piezo electric element.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the touch sensitive device is a keypad.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the touch sensitive device is a touch screen.