METHOD FOR PROVIDING HUMAN INPUT TO A COMPUTER

• US 20110074724A1
• Filed: 12/09/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tactile Feedback Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Timothy R. Pryor
• Inventors: Pryor, Timothy R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,068,100 B2
• 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 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• 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

Abstract

The invention provides a method for providing human input to a computer which allows a user to interact with a display connected to the computer. The method includes the steps of placing a first target on a first portion of the user'"'"'s body, using an electro-optical sensing means, sensing data related to the location of the first target and data related to the location of a second portion of the user'"'"'s body, the first and second portions of the user'"'"'s body being movable relative to each other, providing an output of the electro-optical sensing means to the input of the computer, determining the location of the first target and the location of the second portion of the user'"'"'s body, and varying the output of the computer to the display based upon the determined locations for contemporaneous viewing by the user.

Claims

1. A touch interface comprising:

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

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

a force element responsive to the sensor circuit and adapted to excite the display screen by generating a force feedback signal in response to the characteristic of the touch input.

2. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein:

the force feedback signal includes a frequency; and

the frequency is selected as a function of at least the characteristic of the touch input.

3. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein:

the force feedback signal includes an intensity; and

the intensity is selected as a function of at least the characteristic of the touch input.

4. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein:

the force feedback signal includes a pulse sequence; and

the pulse sequence is selected as a function of at least the characteristic of the touch input.

5. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the characteristic includes the location of the touch input.

6. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the characteristic includes at least a component of the force vector of the touch input.

7. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the touch input includes one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the display screen.

8. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the force feedback signal is directed to a portion of the display screen underlying the touch input.

9. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the force element includes a piezoelectric crystal.

10. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the force element includes an air blast generator.

11. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the force feedback signal is an acoustic wave signal.

12. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the force element is a first force element, the touch interface further including a second force element.

13. The touch interface of claim 12 wherein the first and second force elements correspond to first and second areas of operation on the display screen.

14. The touch interface of claim 13 wherein the first and second force elements are operable to feedback data to the respective first and second areas of operation.

15. 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;

providing a force element to actuate the touch screen;

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

actuating the touch screen front surface with the force element to provide a first force feedback signal in response to said detecting step.

16. The method according to claim 15 further including determining a characteristic of the first touch input.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the characteristic of the first touch input includes the location of the first touch input on the touch screen front surface.

18. The method according to claim 16 wherein the characteristic of the first touch input includes the force of the first touch input.

19. The method according to claim 16 wherein the force feedback signal indicates a function selected by the user.

20. The method according to claim 15 wherein the force feedback signal indicates the first touch input has registered.

21. The method according claim 16 wherein:

the detecting step includes the first touch input generating a local surface distortion; and

the characteristic of the first touch input is based on the local surface distortion.

22. The method according to claim 15 wherein the first touch input includes one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the touch screen front surface.

23. The method according to claim 15 wherein said actuating step includes vibrating the touch screen front surface.

24. The method according to claim 15 wherein the first force feedback signal is directed to a portion of the touch screen underlying the first touch input.

25. The method according to claim 16 wherein:

the first force feedback signal includes a frequency; and

the frequency is selected as a function of the characteristic of the first touch input.

26. The method according to claim 16 wherein:

the first force feedback signal includes a pulse sequence; and

the pulse sequence is selected as a function of the characteristic of the first touch input.

27. The method according to claim 16 wherein:

the first force feedback signal includes an intensity; and

the intensity is selected as a function of the characteristic of the first touch input.

28. The method according to claim 16 further including:

detecting a second touch input;

determining a characteristic of the second touch input different from the characteristic of the first touch input; and

actuating the touch screen front surface with a second force feedback signal different from the first force feedback signal.

29. The method according to claim 28 wherein:

the first force feedback signal includes a first pulse sequence; and

the second force feedback signal includes a second pulse sequence different from the first pulse sequence.

30. The method according to claim 28 wherein the second touch input includes one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the touch screen.

31. The method according to claim 28 wherein the second force feedback signal is directed to a portion of the touch screen underlying the second touch input.

32. The method according to claim 28 wherein:

the first force feedback signal indicates a first function selected by the user; and

the second force feedback signal indicates a second function selected by the user different from the first function selected by the user.

33. The method according to claim 28 wherein the first touch input and the second touch input are simultaneously in contact with the touch screen front surface.

34. The method according to claim 15 wherein the first force feedback signal is generated by a piezoelectric crystal.

35. The method according to claim 15 wherein the first force feedback signal is generated by an air blast generator.

36. The method according to claim 15 wherein the first force feedback signal is an acoustic wave signal.