INPUT APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR INPUT APPARATUS

• US 20120154317A1
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Aono, Tomotake
• Granted Patent: US 10,203,755 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means

Abstract

An input apparatus has a touch sensor 11 configured to detect a touch input, a piezoelectric element 12 mounted on the touch sensor 11, and a control unit 15 configured to detect a pressure load on a touch face 11a of the touch sensor 11 based on an output signal of the piezoelectric element 12 and, when the pressure load detected satisfies a standard to provide a tactile sensation, to drive the piezoelectric element 12 such that the tactile sensation is provided to an object pressing the touch face 11a.

Claims

1. An input apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor configured to detect a touch input;

a piezoelectric element mounted on the touch sensor; and

a control unit configured to detect a pressure load on a touch face of the touch sensor based on an output signal of the piezoelectric element and, when the pressure load detected satisfies a standard to provide a tactile sensation, to drive the piezoelectric element such that the tactile sensation is provided to an object pressing the touch face.

2. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric element has one end mounted on the touch sensor and the other end opened.

3. A control method of an input apparatus including

a touch sensor configured to detect a touch input;

and

a piezoelectric element mounted on the touch sensor, comprising the step of;

detecting a pressure load on a touch face of the touch sensor based on an output signal of the piezoelectric element and, when the pressure load detected satisfies a standard to provide a tactile sensation, driving the piezoelectric element such that the tactile sensation is provided to an object pressing the touch face.