METHOD OF PROVIDING TACTILE FEEDBACK AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20110279381A1
• Filed: 05/14/2010
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: LU, Yingying, TONG, Kuo-Feng, WEBER, Arnett Ryan, PAVLIKOVA, Katarina
• Granted Patent: US 8,466,889 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A method includes detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display, determining when a touch value associated with the touch meets a first touch threshold, determining a first period of time between detecting the touch and when the touch value meets the first touch threshold, and providing a first tactile feedback when the first period of time is meets a first time threshold.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display;

determining when a touch value associated with the touch meets a first touch threshold;

determining a first period of time between detecting the touch and when the touch value meets the first touch threshold;

providing a first tactile feedback when the first period of time is meets a first time threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first tactile feedback comprises simulation of depression of a switch.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising providing the first tactile feedback only when the first period of time meets the first time threshold.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

determining when the touch value meets a second touch threshold, after the touch value meets the first touch threshold;

determining a second period of time between when the touch value meets the first touch threshold and when the touch value meets the second touch threshold;

providing second tactile feedback in response to determining that the second period of time meets a second time threshold.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the second tactile feedback comprises simulation of release of a switch.

6. The method according to claim 4, comprising providing the second tactile feedback only when the second period of time meets the second time threshold.

7. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable code executable by at least one processor of a portable electronic device to perform the method of claim 1.

8. A method comprising:

detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display;

determining when a touch value associated with the touch meets a second touch threshold, after determining that the touch value meets a first touch threshold;

determining a period of time between when the touch value meets the first touch threshold and when the touch value meets the second touch threshold;

providing second tactile feedback when the second period of time meets a second time threshold.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

an actuator configured to provide tactile feedback;

at least one processor operably coupled to the touch-sensitive display and the actuator and configured to;

determine when a touch value associated with the touch meets a first touch threshold;

determine a first period of time between detecting the touch and determining when the touch value meets the first touch threshold;

provide first tactile feedback in response to determining that the first period of time is greater than a first predetermined period of time.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, comprising one or more force sensors operably coupled to the processor, wherein the touch value is a force value.

11. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the actuator comprises one or more piezoelectric actuators.

12. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the first tactile feedback comprises simulation of depression of a switch.

13. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

determine when the touch value meets a second touch threshold, after determining that the touch value meets the first touch threshold;

determine a second period of time between determining when the touch value for the touch meets the first touch threshold and determining when the touch value for the touch meets the second touch threshold;

provide a second tactile feedback in response to determining that the second period of time is greater than a second predetermined period of time.