FEEDBACK SYSTEMS FOR INPUT DEVICES

• US 20150130730A1
• Filed: 05/09/2013
• Published: 05/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dhaval Chandrakant Patel, Jonah A. Harley, Kenneth L. Staton, Patrick Kessler, Peteris K. Augenbergs, Thomas W. Wilson Jr.
• Original Assignee: Patrick Kessler, Thomas W. Wilson Jr.
• Inventors: Harley, Jonah A., Augenbergs, Peteris K., Kessler, Patrick, Patel, Dhaval Chandrakant, Wilson, Thomas W. Jr., Staton, Kenneth L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,108,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment

Abstract

An electronic device including a processor, a display screen in communication with the processor, a track pad in communication with the processor including a movable surface that is selectively movable in at least one direction to provide feedback to a user, and a feedback system in communication with the processor including a feedback sensor. The feedback sensor determines a movement characteristic of the movable surface and the processor selectively adjusts at least one setting of the track pad based on the movement characteristic.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating a haptic output device for electronic device comprising:

sensing by at least one feedback sensor a movement characteristic of a movable surface of the haptic output device;

determining by a processor whether the at least one movement characteristic is accurate; and

if the at least one movement characteristic is not accurate, adjusting at least one characteristic of the haptic output device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the haptic output device is a track pad.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting at least one characteristic of the haptic output device comprises varying an input waveform of an actuator operably connected to the movable surface and configured to selectively move the movable surface.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein varying the input waveform of the actuator comprises adjusting at least one of a magnitude, duration, or shape of the input waveform.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one feedback sensor is an accelerometer, and the at least one feedback sensor is operably connected to the movable surface and configured to detect an acceleration of the movable surface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one feedback sensor is an optical distance sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one feedback sensor comprises a first feedback sensor and a second feedback sensor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect a change in capacitance as the movable surface moves from a first position to a second position.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect a change in a magnetic field as the movable surface moves from a first position to a second position.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a display screen in communication with the processor;

a track pad in communication with the processor including a selectively movable surface movable in at least one direction to provide output to a user; and

a feedback system in communication with the processor including a feedback sensor;

wherein

the feedback sensor determines a movement characteristic of the movable surface; and

the processor selectively adjusts at least one setting of the track pad based on the movement characteristic.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the track pad further comprises an actuator in communication with the processor and operably connected to the movable surface, wherein the actuator selectively moves the movable surface between a first position and a second position.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the actuator selectively moves the movable surface based on an input signal, and the at least one setting of the track pad is the input signal.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the movement characteristic is one of the following acceleration, velocity, or distance.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the feedback sensor is an optical sensor and the movement characteristic is a movement distance.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the feedback sensor is an accelerometer.

16. A computing device comprising:

a movable surface;

a feedback sensor configured to detect a movement characteristic of the movable surface;

a processor in communication with the feedback sensor, wherein the processor is configured to

compare the detected movement characteristic with a desired movement characteristic; and

when the detected movement characteristic does not substantially match the desired movement characteristic, adjust at least one characteristic of the movable surface.

17. The computing device of claim 16, further comprising an actuator connected to the movable surface and in communication with the processor.

18. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the movement characteristic is at least one of acceleration, velocity, or displacement.

19. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the feedback sensor includes an accelerometer.

20. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the feedback sensor is configured to detect a change in capacitance as the movable surface moves from a first position to a second position.