DEVICE FEEDBACK AND INPUT VIA HEATING AND COOLING

• US 20130135214A1
• Filed: 11/28/2011
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Li, Kevin Ansia, Amento, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 10,101,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/00 Advertising or display means not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/041 Temperature compensation

Abstract

A thermoelectric display including an array of thermoelectric devices is used to provide output to a user in the form of thermal feedback. The thermal feedback may be used to provide navigation cues to the user to enable eyes-free navigation. The thermal feedback may be used to provide target acquisition cues to enable the user to accurately target a contact point on a touchscreen. The thermal feedback may be used to convey an emotive aspect of a message to the user. The thermal feedback may be used to identify to the user a caller associated with an incoming call. The thermoelectric display may be, alternatively or additionally, used to provide input to another device, such as a mobile device to which the thermoelectric display is operatively coupled.

Claims

1. A method for providing input to a device, the method comprising:

detecting a temperature change in a thermoelectric device of a thermoelectric display; and

utilizing the temperature change as an input to the device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising inducing an electric current in the thermoelectric device in response to a user touching a portion of the thermoelectric display thereby causing the thermoelectric device to undergo the temperature change.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising inducing an electric current in the thermoelectric device in response to the thermoelectric device detecting heat without being directed contacted.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein detecting heat without the thermoelectric display being directly contacted comprises detecting body heat emitted by a user without the user touching the thermoelectric display.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein detecting heat without the thermoelectric display being directly contacted comprises detecting ambient heat.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the input to the device to derive a location of the device by:

acquiring a temperature reading from the thermoelectric display;

comparing the temperature reading to a stored temperature classifier, the temperature classifier being associated with a location; and

outputting the location of the device based upon the comparison.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the location comprises one of the following:

a location on a user, a location on an article of clothing associated with the user, a location within an article of clothing associated with the user, a location on an accessory associated with the user, and a location within an accessory associated with the user.

8. A method for conveying information to a user via thermal feedback, the method comprising:

in response to an event, receiving, at a thermoelectric display comprising an array of thermoelectric devices, instructions to change a temperature of a thermoelectric device of the array of thermoelectric devices to convey information associated with the event to a user; and

in response to receiving the instructions, changing the temperature of the thermoelectric device of the array of thermoelectric devices thereby providing thermal feedback to the user, the thermal feedback being indicative of the information associated with the event.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the event comprises a receipt of a navigation instruction comprising a direction, and the thermal feedback comprises a thermal cue to simulate the direction.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the event comprises a receipt of a text input, and the thermal feedback comprises a thermal message to convey the text input to a recipient of the thermal message through thermal feedback.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the thermal message comprises a pre-defined thermal message.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the thermal message is used to convey an emotive aspect of the text input.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the event comprises a receipt of an incoming call, and the thermal feedback comprises a thermal caller identification used to identify to the user a caller associated with the incoming call.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the thermal feedback comprises a target acquisition cue to enable the user to accurately target a contact point on a touchscreen.

15. A mobile device comprising:

a thermoelectric display comprising an array of thermoelectric devices;

a processor in communication with the thermoelectric display; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause an electric current to be applied to a thermoelectric device of the array of thermoelectric devices, thereby causing the thermoelectric device to undergo a temperature change and, as a result, provide thermal feedback to a user.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein each of thermoelectric devices of the array of thermoelectric devices is a Peltier device.

17. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the thermoelectric display is applied to a surface of the mobile device, the surface comprising one of the following:

a planar surface and a non-planar surface.

18. The mobile device of claim 15, further comprising a display configured to present a graphical user interface to the user, the display comprising a touchscreen, and wherein the thermoelectric display is configured beneath the touchscreen of the display.

19. The mobile device of claim 15, further comprising a touchscreen, and wherein the thermal feedback comprises one of the following:

a thermal cue providing instruction to the user for navigating to a destination;

a target acquisition cue providing guidance to the user to enable the user to accurately target a contact point on the touchscreen;

a thermal message conveying an emotive aspect of another message; and

a thermal caller identification identifying to the user a caller associated with an incoming call directed to the mobile device.

20. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the mobile device further comprises a case that at least partially encloses the processor and the memory, the case comprising a surface comprising the thermoelectric display.