HAPTIC INPUT DEVICE

• US 20120127088A1
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pance, Aleksandar, Leung, Omar Sze
• Granted Patent: US 10,120,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

One embodiment of a haptic input device may include a receiver configured to receive a signal from a touch-based user interface device. The signal may include a control signal or a look-up value. The haptic input device may also include a decoder coupled to the receiver and configured to decode the signal from the touch-based user interface device, at least one sensor configured to determine at least one characteristic of the haptic input device, a controller coupled to the one or more sensors and configured to transmit a control signal, a haptic actuator coupled to the controller, and a transmitter coupled to the at least one sensor.

Claims

1. A haptic input device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a first signal from a touch-based user interface device;

a decoder coupled to the receiver and configured to extract an input signal from the first signal;

a controller coupled to the decoder and configured to receive the input signal from the decoder, further configured to generate a control signal based on the input signal;

a haptic actuator coupled to the controller and configured to actuate in response to the input signal;

at least one sensor configured to determine at least one characteristic of the haptic input device;

a transmitter coupled to the at least one sensor.

2. The haptic input device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the at least one characteristic of the haptic input device to a touch-based user interface device.

3. The haptic input device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an accelerometer.

4. The haptic input device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

5. The haptic input device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a gyroscope.

6. The haptic input device of claim 1, wherein the first signal from the touch-based user interface comprises a signal configured to drive the haptic actuator.

7. The haptic input device of claim 1, wherein the first signal from the touch-based user interface comprises a look-up value corresponding to a control signal configured to drive the haptic actuator.

8. The haptic input device of claim 7, wherein the look-up value comprises at least one binary value.

9. The haptic input device of claim 7, wherein the controller comprises a waveform memory storing one or more look-up values and one or more control signals, each corresponding to one of the one or more look-up values.

10. The haptic input device of claim 1, further comprising an engagement portion configured to engage a touch screen surface.

11. A touch-based user interface device comprising:

at least one transmitter configured to transmit at least one first signal to a haptic input device;

at least one receiver configured to receive at least one second signal from the haptic input device;

at least one input sensor configured to sense an input resulting from an object engaging a touch screen surface;

at least one storage device storing one or more executable instructions; and

at least one processor coupled to the at least one receiver, the at least one transmitter, the at least one input sensor, and the at least one storage device, the at least one processor configured to access the at least one storage device in order to execute the one or more executable instructions.

12. The touch-based user interface device of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute at least one of the one or more executable instructions in order to determine a haptic response associated with the characteristic of the object engaging the touch screen surface.

13. The touch-based user interface of claim 12, wherein the haptic response comprises a look-up value.

14. The touch-based user interface of claim 12, wherein the haptic response comprises a control signal.

15. The touch-based user interface of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to modulate the control signal sent to the at least one first signal transmitted by the transmitter.

16. The touch-based user interface of claim 11, wherein the at least one input comprises a position of the object.

17. The touch-based user interface of claim 16, wherein the at least one input comprises a pressure applied by the object against the touch screen surface.

18. The touch-based user interface of claim 17, further comprising:

an angular sensor operative to determine an angle of the touch based-user interface, wherein;

the at least one second signal is an angle of the object;

the at least one processor is operative to determine a relative angle of the touch-based user interface and the object; and

the at least one processor is operative to modify, based on the relative angle, an output displayed on a display associated with the touch-based user interface.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the look-up value comprises a series of binary values.

19. A method for providing haptic feedback, comprising:

detecting an input gesture by at least one input sensor;

deriving a characteristic of an object engaging a touch screen surface;

determining a haptic response based at least partially on the characteristic of the object engaging the touch screen; and

transmitting an output signal to a haptic input device, the signal consisting of one of a control signal and a look-up value corresponding to the haptic response, the output signal instructing the haptic input device to provide the haptic response.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving an external signal from an external user input device; and

determining the haptic response based at least partially on the external signal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the haptic response provides an output to a user signifying an interaction between a second haptic input device and the external user device.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

detecting a second input gesture generated by a second object interacting with the touch screen surface; and

determining the haptic response based at least partially on the second input gesture.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining a pressure exerted on the haptic device by a user; and

using the pressure to modify the haptic response.