INPUT APPARATUS

• US 20120154315A1
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2009
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Aono, Tomotake
• Application Number:
  US13/392,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20120154315A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An input apparatus, which provides feedback to a user through a tactile sensation in response to a push operation and a slide operation to a touch sensor by the user, is provided. The control unit controls drive of a tactile sensation providing unit when the touch object slides on a touch face such that a tactile sensation of sliding is provided to a touch object and controls drive of the tactile sensation providing unit when a load detection unit detects a pressure load changing from a state failing to satisfy a predetermined standard load to a state satisfying it such that a tactile sensation of pushing, different from the tactile sensation of sliding, is provided to the touch object.

Claims

1. An input apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor configured to detect a touch input;

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

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

a control unit configured to control drive of the tactile sensation providing unit such that a tactile sensation is provided to a touch object touching the touch face,

wherein

the control unit, when the touch object is sliding on the touch face, controls drive of the tactile sensation providing unit such that a tactile sensation of sliding is provided to the touch object and, when the load detection unit detects the pressure load changing from a state failing to satisfy a predetermined standard load to a state satisfying the predetermined standard load, controls drive of the tactile sensation providing unit such that a tactile sensation of pushing, different from the tactile sensation of sliding, is provided to the touch object.

2. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls drive of the tactile sensation providing unit such that the tactile sensation of pushing is provided to the touch object when the touch object is not sliding on the touch face.

3. The input apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit controls drive of the tactile sensation providing unit such that the tactile sensation of sliding is provided to the touch object when the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies a standard load lower than the predetermined standard load.

4. The input apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, when the touch object stops sliding while the control unit is controlling drive of the tactile sensation providing unit such that the tactile sensation of sliding is provided to the touch object, and the load detection unit detects application of a predetermined pressure load in addition to a standard, which is the pressure load detected by the load detection unit when the touch object stops sliding, the control unit controls drive of the tactile sensation providing unit such that the tactile sensation of pushing is provided to the touch object.

5. The input apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a display unit configured to display an input object, wherein

the touch sensor detects the touch input to the display unit, and

the control unit controls drive of the tactile sensation providing unit, when the touch input to an area, where the input object is not displayed, is detected, such that the tactile sensation of sliding is provided, and controls drive of the tactile sensation providing unit, when the touch input to the input object is detected, such that the tactile sensation of pushing is provided.