DISPLAY DEVICE FOR SELECTIVELY OUTPUTTING TACTILE FEEDBACK AND VISUAL FEEDBACK AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20140240245A1
• Filed: 04/12/2013
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Jihwan
• Granted Patent: US 9,395,816 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A display device for selectively outputting a tactile feedback and a visual feedback and a method for controlling the display device are disclosed. The method for controlling the display device includes outputting at least one of a first visual feedback and a first tactile feedback of a first User Interface (UI) on a UI unit, detecting a user'"'"'s gaze toward the UI unit through a camera unit, sensing a contact making a movement on the first UI through a sensor unit, outputting a second visual feedback of a second UI in correspondence with the contact making a movement on the first UI, upon detection of the user'"'"'s gaze, and outputting the first tactile feedback of the first UI in correspondence with the contact making a movement on the first UI, if the user'"'"'s gaze is not detected.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a User Interface (UI) unit configured to output a UI;

a camera unit configured to detect a user'"'"'s gaze toward the UI unit; and

a controller configured to control the UI unit and the camera unit,

wherein the UI unit comprises;

a display unit configured to output a visual feedback of the UI;

a tactile feedback unit configured to output a tactile feedback of the UI; and

a sensor unit configured to sense a contact on the display unit, and

wherein the controller is further configured to;

output at least one of a first visual feedback and a first tactile feedback of a first UI on the UI unit,

detect the user'"'"'s gaze toward the UI unit through the camera unit,

sense a first contact making a movement on the first UI through the sensor unit,

output a second visual feedback of a second UI on the display unit in correspondence with the first contact making the movement on the first UI, upon detection of the user'"'"'s gaze, and

output the first tactile feedback of the first UI through the tactile feedback unit in correspondence with the first contact making the movement on the first UI, if the user'"'"'s gaze is not detected.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to output the first tactile feedback of the first UI in correspondence with at least one of a position and a shape of the first visual feedback.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein upon detection of the user'"'"'s gaze, the controller is configured to further output a second tactile feedback corresponding to the second visual feedback of the second UI.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein upon detection of the user'"'"'s gaze, the controller is configured to eliminate the first UI from the UI unit by moving the first UI in correspondence with a moving direction of the first contact.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein if the user'"'"'s gaze is not detected, the controller is configured to maintain the first UI at the same position in response to the first contact making the movement on the first UI.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein if the user'"'"'s gaze is not detected, the controller is configured to deactivate the first visual feedback of the first UI.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first contact making the movement on the first UI includes a hovering movement above the UI unit by a first distance.

8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein if the hovering movement is sensed as the first contact, the controller is configured to generate the first tactile feedback with ultrasonic resonance at a position above the UI unit by the first distance.

9. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first UI includes at least one soft button corresponding to an application or a function of the display device.

10. The display device according to claim 9, wherein if the user'"'"'s gaze is not detected, the controller is configured to further sense a second contact touching the soft button, and if the second contact lasts for a time period equal to or larger than a time threshold, the controller is configured to further execute the function or application corresponding to the soft button.

11. The display device according to claim 9, wherein the sensor unit is configured to include a piezoelectric sensor for sensing pressure on the display unit and the controller is configured to further sense a second contact touching the soft button, and

wherein if the second contact has a pressure equal to or larger than a pressure threshold, the controller is configured to further execute the function or application corresponding to the soft button.

12. The display device according to claim 9, wherein the first tactile feedback of the first UI indicates at least one of a shape and a position of the soft button included in the first UI.

13. The display device according to claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

sense a third contact touching the soft button for a time period equal to or larger than a time threshold,

activate a long-touch function of the soft button, upon detection of the user'"'"'s gaze, and

deactivate the long-touch function of the soft button, if the user'"'"'s gaze is not detected.

14. The display device according to claim 13, wherein the long-touch function of the soft button is a function of switching the soft button to a transient state and the position of the soft button is changeable on the first UI in the transient state.

15. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the camera unit is configured to detect the user'"'"'s gaze toward the UI unit by detecting at least one of a face and a pupil of the user.

16. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is configured to include at least one of a smart phone, a smart pad, a music player, a smart table, a monitor, a television, a remote controller, and a tablet computer.

17. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is configured to include at least one of a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) panel, an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) panel, and an electronic ink panel.

18. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the tactile feedback unit is configured to output the tactile feedback by ultrasonic vibration and to control the tactile feedback by changing at least one of a frequency and magnitude of the ultrasonic vibration.

19. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the tactile feedback unit is configured to output the tactile feedback by generating fine current on the display unit and to control the tactile feedback by changing at least one of a magnitude and a generation period of the fine current.

20. A method for controlling a display device, the method comprising:

outputting at least one of a first visual feedback and a first tactile feedback of a first User Interface (UI) on a UI unit;

detecting a user'"'"'s gaze toward the UI unit through a camera unit;

sensing a contact making a movement on the first UI through a sensor unit;

outputting a second visual feedback of a second UI in correspondence with the contact making the movement on the first UI, upon detection of the user'"'"'s gaze; and

outputting the first tactile feedback of the first UI in correspondence with the contact making the movement on the first UI, if the user'"'"'s gaze is not detected.