SYSTEMS AND RELATED METHODS INVOLVING STYLUS TACTILE FEEL

• US 20140022217A1
• Filed: 07/18/2012
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Wenger, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,075,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

Systems and methods involving stylus tactile feel are provided. In this regard, a representative system includes: a stylus operative to affect an input to an electronic device via interaction with a working surface thereof, the stylus being further operative to interact with the working surface such that electrostatic charges exhibited between the working surface and the stylus simulate friction force exhibited by the surface to be simulated and an instrument to be simulated, the instrument being represented by the stylus.

Claims

1. A system for providing stylus tactile feel of a simulated surface using an electronic device, the system comprising:

a stylus operative to affect an input to the electronic device via interaction with a working surface thereof, the stylus being further operative to interact with the working surface such that electrostatic charges exhibited between the working surface and the stylus simulate friction force exhibited by the surface to be simulated and an instrument to be simulated, the instrument being represented by the stylus.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the stylus is operative to exhibit a time varying charge profile for simulating the friction force responsive to the stylus being moved relative to the working surface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the stylus is operative to:

store information corresponding to multiple charge profiles, each of which corresponds to a friction profile associated with a different surface to be simulated; and

enable selection of one of the multiple charge profiles corresponding to at least one of the surface to be simulated or the instrument to be simulated.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the stylus is operative to selectively exhibit a change in polarity.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the stylus is an active stylus.

6. A system for providing stylus tactile feel of a simulated surface, the system comprising:

an electronic device having a working surface; and

a stylus operative to affect an input to the electronic device via interaction with the working surface, the stylus being further operative to interact with the working surface such that electrostatic charges exhibited between the working surface and the stylus simulate friction force exhibited by the surface to be simulated and an instrument to be simulated, the instrument being represented by the stylus.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the stylus is operative to exhibit a charge that is opposite in polarity to a charge exhibited by the working surface of the electronic device.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the electronic device has a force control system and a conductive grid, the conductive grid being positioned adjacent the working surface, the force control system being operative to apply a charge to the conductive grid for interacting with a charge of the stylus for simulating the friction force exhibited by the surface to be simulated.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the electronic device has a touchscreen sensor array and a grid control system; and

the grid control system is operative to disable the touchscreen sensor array responsive to proximity of the stylus, and enable the touchscreen sensor array to function as the conductive grid for simulating the friction force exhibited by the surface to be simulated.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the electronic device is operative to exhibit the charge with a time varying charge profile.

11. A method for providing stylus tactile feel comprising:

using electrostatic force effective at a working surface of an electronic device and at a stylus to simulate friction force exhibited by a surface to be simulated and an instrument to be simulated, the instrument being represented by the stylus.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein using electrostatic force comprises:

providing a charge profile effective at a working surface of an electronic device, the working surface being operative to receive a user input from a stylus; and

applying a charge to a stylus, the stylus being operative to affect an input to the electronic device via interaction with the working surface, the charge exhibited by the stylus being opposite in polarity to that of the charge profile such that interaction of the charge of the stylus and the charge profile provides a tactile feel to a user of the stylus as the stylus is moved relative to the working surface.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein providing a charge profile comprises providing a charge profile of varying intensity along the working surface.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein providing a charge profile comprises providing a charge profile that selectively exhibits a change in polarity.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein providing a charge profile comprises:

storing information corresponding to multiple charge profiles, each of which corresponds to a friction profile associated with a different surface and instrument combination to be simulated; and

providing one of the multiple charge profiles corresponding to the combination to be simulated by the working surface and the stylus.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein providing one of the multiple charge profiles comprises enabling a user of the electronic device to select at least one of the surface to be simulated or the instrument to be simulated.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein using electrostatic force comprises:

providing a charge profile effective at the stylus, the stylus being operative to affect an input to the electronic device via interaction with a working surface thereof; and

applying a charge to the working surface, the charge exhibited by the working surface being opposite in polarity to that of the charge profile such that interaction of the charge of the working surface and the charge profile provides a tactile feel to a user of the stylus as the stylus is moved relative to the working surface.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising disabling a touchscreen sensor array of the electronic device prior to applying the charge to the working surface.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, in applying the charge to the working surface, the charge is applied to the touchscreen sensor array.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein disabling the touchscreen sensor array is performed responsive to detecting a proximity of the stylus to the working surface.