Generating perceptible touch stimulus

• US 20110079449A1
• Filed: 10/05/2009
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Radivojevic, Zoran
• Granted Patent: US 8,779,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 178/18.03
• 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

Apparatus including: a body portion having a surface comprising a first surface electrode and a second surface electrode, spaced from the first surface electrode, and a controller configured to apply a time varying potential difference between the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode and configured to control at least the time variation in the potential difference.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a body portion having a surface comprising a first surface electrode and a second surface electrode, spaced from the first surface electrode, and

a controller configured to apply a time varying potential difference between the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode and configured to control at least the time variation in the potential difference.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second surface electrode to configured to provide a common electrostatic potential across a smooth portion of the surface that varies with the time varying potential difference.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the smooth portion is sized and the time variation of the potential difference is controlled to provide to a digit of a user that is traced across the smooth portion a time varying touch stimulus.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the time varying touch stimulus is provided by frictional shear force modulated by the time varying common electrostatic potential.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the smooth portion extends over a two dimensional area that has a minimum dimension that is greater than 1 mm and a maximum dimension that is greater than 1 cm.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first electrode is sized and positioned to be touched automatically by a user when the apparatus is held normally.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first electrode is positioned on the rear of the apparatus.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to apply a periodic potential difference between the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to vary the periodicity of the periodic potential difference.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the periodicity of the potential difference is provided by oscillations in a magnitude of the applied potential difference.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second surface electrode comprises a conductive layer and an exterior dielectric layer.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the exterior dielectric layer is transparent.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the exterior dielectric layer is less than 10 μ

m thick.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to continuously apply a time varying potential difference between the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode when the apparatus is active.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the body is configured to house electronic components or the body is configured to have the dimensions of a card or the body is configured as a user input for a control system.

16. A method comprising:

applying a time varying potential difference between a first surface electrode of a body of an apparatus and a second surface electrode of the body of the apparatus; and

controlling at least the time variation in the potential difference.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, comprising:

applying a periodic potential difference between the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode and varying the periodicity of the periodic potential difference.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising creating relative movement between the body of the second surface electrode and the skin of a user that contacts the second surface electrode.

19. A record carrier tangibly embodying a computer program comprising computer program instructions, which when loaded in a processor enable the processor to:

enable application of a time varying potential difference between a first surface electrode of a body of an apparatus and a second surface electrode of the body of the apparatus; and

20. An electrically modulated moving touch stimulus apparatus comprising:

a body portion having a smooth surface comprising an optically transparent surface electrode; and

a controller configured to generate a time varying electric field at the surface electrode such that in use electric current flow via the surface electrode does not exceed 100 μ

A and configured to control at least the time variation in the electric field.