HUMAN INTERFACES FOR VEHICLES, HOMES, AND OTHER APPLICATIONS

• US 20110032203A1
• Filed: 10/04/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tactile Feedback Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Tactile Feedback Technology LLC
• Inventors: Pryor, Timothy R.
• Application Number:
  US12/897,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20110032203A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04109 FTIR in optical digitiser, i.e. touch detection by frustrating the total internal reflection within an optical waveguide due to changes of optical properties or deformation at the touch location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0428 by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

The disclosed invention concerns novel methods and apparatus for controlling computer systems using both touch screens and physical controls, and is useful in many applications such as vehicles, homes and the like. Physical controls and virtual displayed controls on single and multipoint touch screens are used, separately or in combination to enable higher visibility and understanding of control information and easier operation of controls, particularly useful in stressful situations.

Claims

1. A touch interface comprising:

a display screen including a front surface and adapted to display visually observable data;

a touch sensor adapted to identify a characteristic of a touch input on the front surface of the display screen; and

a transducer responsive to the touch sensor and adapted to excite the display screen by generating a force feedback signal in response to the characteristic of the touch input, wherein the force feedback signal includes an amplitude selected as a function of the characteristic of the touch input.

2. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein:

the characteristic includes the force vector of the touch input; and

the amplitude of the force feedback signal varies as a function of the normal component of the force vector.

3. The touch interface of claim 2 wherein the touch sensor is adapted to identify the locations of at least two simultaneous contacts on the front surface of the display screen.

4. A computer implemented method for providing tactile feedback in response to input received from a user, the method comprising:

providing a touch screen including a front surface, the touch screen adapted to display visually observable data;

detecting a first touch input on the touch screen front surface;

determining a characteristic of the first touch input; and

actuating the touch screen front surface with a first force feedback signal in response to said detecting step, wherein the first force feedback signal includes an amplitude selected as a function of the characteristic of the first touch input.

5. A touch interface comprising:

a display screen including a front surface and adapted to display visually observable data;

a touch sensor adapted to identify the locations of at least two simultaneous contacts on the front surface of the display screen; and

a transducer responsive to the touch sensor and adapted to excite the display screen by generating a force feedback signal in response to at least one of the at least two simultaneous contacts, wherein the force feedback signal includes a variable amplitude.

6. The touch interface of claim 5, wherein:

the touch sensor is adapted to determine at least a component of the force vector of each of the at least two simultaneous contacts; and

the amplitude of the force feedback signal varies as a function of the normal component of the force vector of one of the at least two simultaneous contacts.

7. A computer implemented method for providing tactile feedback in response to input received from a user, the method comprising:

providing a touch screen including a front surface, the touch screen adapted to display visually observable data;

identifying a first touch input in a first location on the touch screen front surface from one of a finger and a thumb;

identifying a second touch input in a second location on the touch screen front surface from one of a finger and a thumb, the first touch input and the second touch input being simultaneously in contact with the touch screen front surface, the first location and the second location being different from one another; and

vibrating the touch screen front surface with a force feedback signal, wherein the force feedback signal includes a variable amplitude.