TACTILE FEEDBACK METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20120256848A1
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: MADABUSI SRINIVASAN, Prasad Venkatesh
• Application Number:
  US13/082,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20120256848A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A method includes displaying a representation of a navigation device on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device, detecting movement of a touch on the touch-sensitive display, and utilizing an actuator to provide a first tactile feedback when a location of the touch is associated with the representation and a second tactile feedback when the location of the touch is not associated with the representation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a representation of a navigation device on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device;

detecting movement of a touch on the touch-sensitive display;

utilizing an actuator to provide a first tactile feedback when the touch is associated with the representation and a second tactile feedback when the touch is not associated with the representation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein utilizing the actuator comprises actuating the actuator to change resistance to the movement of the touch on the touch-sensitive display when a location of the touch is associated with the representation.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the navigation device comprises a trackball and wherein utilizing the actuator comprises actuating the actuator to simulate a shape of the trackball.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first tactile feedback comprises a lower resistance to the movement and the second tactile feedback comprises a higher resistance to the movement.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is utilized to simulate resistance to movement during rolling of a trackball.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein utilizing an actuator comprises actuating an actuator when a location of the touch is associated with the representation.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein utilizing the actuator comprises actuating the actuator to change a distance between the touch-sensitive display and a back of a housing when a location of the touch is associated with the representation.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein utilizing the actuator comprises actuating the actuator to change resistance to movement of the touch on the touch-sensitive display when a location of the touch is associated with the representation.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first tactile feedback comprises a greater distance between the touch-sensitive display and a back of the electronic device and the second tactile feedback comprises a lesser distance between the touch-sensitive display and a back of the electronic device.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable code executable by at least one processor of the portable electronic device to perform the method of claim 1.

13. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the navigation device comprises a trackball and wherein the tactile feedback apparatus comprises an actuator that is actuated to change a distance between the touch-sensitive display and a back of a housing to simulate a shape of the trackball.

14. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the first tactile feedback comprises a lower resistance to the movement and the second tactile feedback comprises a higher resistance to the movement.

15. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the actuator is utilized to simulate resistance to movement during rolling of the trackball.

16. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the tactile feedback apparatus comprises at least one actuator.

17. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the tactile feedback apparatus comprises an actuator that is actuated when a location of the touch is associated with the representation to provide the first tactile feedback.

18. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the first tactile feedback and the second tactile feedback comprise different distances between the touch-sensitive display and a back of the device.

19. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the first tactile feedback and the second tactile feedback comprise different resistances to the movement of the touch.

11. A portable electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

a tactile feedback apparatus operably coupled to the touch-sensitive device;

a processor operably coupled to the touch-sensitive device and the tactile feedback apparatus and configured to;

display a representation of a navigation device on the touch-sensitive display;

detect movement of a touch on the touch-sensitive display;

provide a first tactile feedback when the touch is associated with the representation and a second tactile feedback when the touch is not associated with the representation.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the tactile feedback apparatus comprises an actuator that is actuated to change resistance to the movement of the touch on the touch-sensitive display when a location of the touch is associated with the representation to provide the first tactile feedback.