ELECTROVIBRATION FOR TOUCH SURFACES

• US 20110285666A1
• Filed: 04/22/2011
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Poupyrev, Ivan, Bau, Olivier, Harrison, Chris, Israr, Ali
• Application Number:
  US13/092,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20110285666A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

An apparatus that includes a conductive surface and an insulation surface disposed on the conductive surface. The apparatus further includes a controller configured to cause a signal to be coupled to the conductive surface such that a tactile sensation is perceived in a digit that slides on the insulation surface.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a conductive surface;

an insulation surface disposed on the conductive surface; and

a controller configured to cause a signal to be coupled to a user in contact with the apparatus such that a tactile sensation is perceived in at least one digit of the user that slides on the insulation surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein coupling the signal to the user comprises providing the signal directly to a back surface of the apparatus or coupling the signal to the back surface via capacitive, resistive, and/or inductive elements.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to modify an amplitude and/or a frequency and/or a DC (direct current) offset of the signal based on a position of the at least one digit on the insulation surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein modifying the amplitude, the frequency, and/or the DC offset of the signal causes the tactile sensation to change.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tactile sensation that is perceived is based on a measured position of the at least one digit on the insulation surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein coupling the signal to the back surface causes a periodic friction force between the at least one digit and the insulation surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive surface and/or the insulation surface is transparent.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive surface and/or the insulation surface comprises ITO (Indium tin oxide), silver, conductive rubber, copper, aluminum, conductive ink, conductive glue, conductive paint, or other conductive material.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one digit comprises a finger or a conductive object.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal is time-varied and/or periodic.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the signal is modulated.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the signal is modulated using Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) or a derivative of PAM.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the signal comprises a sinusoidal waveform, a square waveform, or a triangular waveform.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the signal comprises an alternating current (AC) signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the signal includes a direct current (DC) offset.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the signal is generated by combining a low frequency signal and a high frequency signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor coupled to the conductive surface and configured to measure an impedance value associated with the at least one digit sliding on the insulation surface, wherein the controller is configured to receive the impedance value from the sensor and transmit an actuation signal to the conductive surface based on the impedance value.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, where the impedance value is used to control a carrier frequency of a PAM modulation or other modulation of the signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, where the impedance value is used to adjust a value of a DC component of the signal or an amplitude of the signal.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive surface is coupled to a path to ground.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises an interactive table or a hand-held mobile device.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, a frequency of the signal is within a range of human tactile perception.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display screen that displays a graphical user interface, wherein the tactile sensation that is perceived in the at least one digit is associated with an object displayed in the graphical user interface.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the object comprises a key on a keypad or a text entry interface.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display screen that displays an image associated with a painted surface, so that as a user slides the at least one digit on the insulation surface, the painted surface changes and the tactile sensation is modified.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal is based on the controller detecting that a first digit is placed in contact with the insulation surface and that a second digit is placed in contact with the insulation surface, wherein the first digit is stationary and the second digit is sliding along the insulation surface.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display screen and a camera configured to capture a digital representation of an object, wherein the digital representation of the object is displayed on the display screen and a tactile sensation associated with sliding the at least one digit over the digital representation is different than a tactile sensation associated with sliding the at least one digit over a different part of the display screen.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus overlays a physical object, and further comprising a sensor configured to determine which portions of the physical object a user is intending the touch while sliding the at least one digit on the insulation surface, wherein the tactile sensation that is perceived simulates a sensation of touching the physical object.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive surface includes both grounding elements and signal carrying elements.

30. A method for providing tactile feedback, the method comprising:

causing a signal to be coupled to a user in contact with a device that includes an insulation surface; and

responsive to at least one digit of the user sliding along the insulation surface, causing a tactile sensation to be perceived in the at least one digit based on the signal.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein causing the signal to be coupled to the user comprises providing the signal directly to a back surface of the device or coupling the signal to the back surface of the device via capacitive, resistive, and/or inductive elements.