INPUT APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR INPUT APPARATUS

• US 20120133496A1
• Filed: 07/28/2010
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Aono, Tomotake
• Granted Patent: US 9,927,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9625 using a force resistance transducer
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96062 with tactile or haptic feedback

Abstract

An input apparatus has a touch sensor 11 configured to receive an input, a load detection unit 12 configured to detect a pressure load on a touch face 11a of the touch sensor 11, a tactile sensation providing unit 13 configured to vibrate the touch face 11a, and a control unit 15 configured to control drive of the tactile sensation providing unit 13, when the pressure load detected by the load detection unit 12 satisfies a standard to provide a tactile sensation, such that a click sensation is provided to an object (means) pressing the touch face 11a. Thereby, a realistic click sensation similar to that obtained when a push-button switch is operated is provided when an operator operates the touch sensor.

Claims

1. An input apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor configured to receive an input;

a load detection unit configured to detect a pressure load on a touch face of the touch sensor;

a tactile sensation providing unit configured to vibrate the touch face; and

a control unit configured to control drive of the tactile sensation providing unit, when the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies a standard to provide the tactile sensation, such that a click sensation is provided to an object pressing the touch face.

2. A control method for an input apparatus including

a touch sensor configured to receive an input;

a load detection unit configured to detect a pressure load on a touch face of the touch sensor; and

a tactile sensation providing unit configured to vibrate the touch face, comprising a step of;

controlling drive of the tactile sensation providing unit, when the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies a standard to provide the tactile sensation, such that a click sensation is provided to an object pressing the touch face.

3. A tactile sensation providing apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor configured to receive an input;

a load detection unit configured to detect a pressure load on a touch face of the touch sensor;

a tactile sensation providing unit configured to vibrate the touch face;

a memory unit configured to store drive signal information of the tactile sensation providing unit; and

a control unit configured to read out the drive signal information from the memory unit, when the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies a standard to provide a tactile sensation, and to control drive of the tactile sensation providing unit based on the drive signal information, such that a button depression sensation is provided once to an object pressing the touch face.

4. A control method for a tactile sensation providing apparatus including

a touch sensor configured to receive an input;

a load detection unit configured to detect a pressure load on a touch face of the touch sensor;

a tactile sensation providing unit configured to vibrate the touch face; and

a memory unit configured to store drive signal information of the tactile sensation providing unit, comprising a step of

reading out the drive signal information from the memory unit, when the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies a standard to provide a tactile sensation, and controlling drive of the tactile sensation providing unit based on the drive signal information, such that a button depression sensation is provided once to an object pressing the touch face.