ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING TACTILE TOUCH-SENSITIVE DISPLAY AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME

• US 20110074702A1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Pertuit, Michael Joseph, Dill, Scott Leonard
• Granted Patent: US 8,619,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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

Abstract

A method of controlling an electronic device having a touch-sensitive display includes imparting, by an actuator, a force on the touch-sensitive display to provide tactile feedback, determining the force applied by the actuator on the touch-sensitive display, and adjusting a subsequent force imparted by the actuator based on the determined force.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an electronic device having a touch-sensitive display, the method comprising:

imparting, by an actuator, a force on the touch-sensitive display to provide tactile feedback;

determining the force applied by the actuator on the touch-sensitive display;

adjusting a subsequent force applied by the actuator based on the determined force.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising comparing the force to a target prior to adjusting and wherein adjusting comprises adjusting based on the comparison.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the force applied by the actuator comprises determining based on signals from a force sensor.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein determining the force applied by the actuator comprises determining based on signals from an accelerometer.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein determining the force applied by the actuator comprises determining, utilizing the accelerometer, a force that includes force applied by the actuator and an external applied force.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein determining the force applied by the actuator comprises determining an external applied force from signals from at least one force sensor.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a piezo actuator and imparting a force comprises modulating a charge at the actuator to cause the actuator to impart the force.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein determining the force comprises determining a maximum force during modulating the charge at the piezo actuator.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein adjusting the subsequent force comprises one of adjusting an applied voltage or current to adjust the charge.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein adjusting comprises decreasing an applied voltage or current when the force is greater than the target.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein adjusting comprises increasing an applied voltage or current when the force is less than the target.

13. The method according to claim 8 wherein imparting the force comprises simulating collapse of a dome switch.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein imparting the force comprises simulating release of a dome switch.

15. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein for execution by a processor in an electronic device to cause the electronic device to carry out the method of claim 1.

7. The method according to claim 65, wherein determining the force applied by the actuator comprises subtracting the external applied force from the force determined utilizing the accelerometer.

16. An electronic device comprising:

a base;

a touch-sensitive display moveable relative to the base;

an actuator arranged to impart a force on the touch-sensitive display;

an accelerometer; and

a processor operably coupled to the touch-sensitive display, the actuator and the accelerometer to determine, based on signals from the accelerometer, a force applied by the actuator on the touch-sensitive display and to adjust a subsequent force applied by the actuator based on the force determined at the processor.