OPERATING DEVICE WITH HAPTIC FEEDBACK

• US 20160195931A1
• Filed: 01/05/2016
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: CZELNIK, Mark Peter, KLAAS, Michael, RIEGER, Carsten
• Application Number:
  US14/987,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20160195931A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

Touch-sensitive operating apparatuses having a touchscreen which generates a haptic feedback in the event of an actuation of a virtual operating element and methods for operating functions. The method includes representing a virtual operating element on a display surface, detecting touch positions on a touch surface of a touch-sensitive position detection apparatus, detecting press-on forces in the event of a touching actuation of the touch surface, evaluating the detected touch positions and press-on forces, determining whether a correct haptic actuation of the virtual operating element is present, initiating a function assigned to the at least one virtual operating element, and generating a haptic feedback at the touch surface. The operating apparatus has a haptic controller which, on the basis of the press-on forces determined, generates two different haptic feedbacks in the event of an actuation process of a virtual operating element.

Claims

1. An operating apparatus for a motor vehicle the method comprising:

a housing;

a touchscreen, which has a display apparatus having a freely programmable display surface for representing at least one virtual operating element and a touch-sensitive position detection apparatus having a touch surface arranged in front of the display surface, wherein at least the touch surface is mounted on the housing movably relative thereto;

at least one compressive force measuring apparatus for determining a press-on force acting on the touch surface in the event of a touching actuation of the touchscreen;

at least one actuator device coupled directly or indirectly to the touch surface and serving for the targeted movement of at least the touch surface relative to the housing; and

a controller designed to determine, depending on the detected touch positions and detected press-on forces, whether a correct haptic actuation of the at least one virtual operating element is present, and, if this is the case, to initiate a function assigned to the at least one virtual operating element and to drive the at least one actuator device to generate a haptic feedback at the touch surface,

wherein the controller compares the press-on forces with a first force threshold value and a second force threshold value deviating therefrom and generates a first actuator activation signal in the event of the first force threshold value being exceeded, and generates a second actuator activation signal, which is different from the first actuator activation signal, in the event of the second force threshold value subsequently being undershot,

wherein the first and second actuator activation signals instigates in each case a haptic feedback at the touch surface via the actuator device, and

wherein the haptically perceptible feedbacks generated by the first actuator activation signal and the second actuator activation signal at the touch surface are different, wherein the controller generates the haptic feedbacks in each case in the form of a short mechanical pulse.

2. The operating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller selects the at least one function as function to be initiated if the detected touch position lies in an initiation region of the at least one virtual operating element that is assigned to the at least one virtual operating element, and generates the haptic feedbacks only if the at least one function is selected as function to be initiated.

3. The operating apparatus of claim 1, wherein a loudspeaker is arranged on or in the housing and the controller has a sound generator and drives said sound generator so a sound signal is output via the loudspeaker so the sound signal is temporally synchronized with a deflection of the touch surface caused by the first haptic feedback.

4. The operating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is designed so a sound signal is in each case output both with the first haptic feedback and with the second haptic feedback.

5. The operating apparatus of claim 4, wherein the sound signals that are output for the first haptic feedback and the second haptic feedback are different.

6. A method for operating functions, the method comprising:

representing a virtual operating element on a display surface;

detecting touch positions on a touch surface of a touch-sensitive position detection apparatus, the touch surface being coupled to the display surface;

detecting press-on forces in the event of a touching actuation of the touch surface; and

evaluating the detected touch positions and press-on forces and determining whether a correct haptic actuation of the virtual operating element is present, and, if this is the case, initiating a function assigned to the at least one virtual operating element, and generating a haptic feedback at the touch surface,

wherein the press-on forces determined are compared with a first force threshold value and a second force threshold value and a first haptic feedback is generated at the touch surface in the event of the first force threshold value being exceeded, and a second haptic feedback, which deviates from the first haptic feedback, is subsequently generated at the touch surface in the event of the second force threshold value being undershot, wherein the first haptic feedback the second haptic feedback are embodied as pulselike deflections of the touch surface.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the haptic feedback is generated only if the detected touch position lies in an initiation region of the at least one virtual operating element assigned to the at least one virtual operating element.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein an acoustic sound signal is output in a temporally synchronized manner at least with the first haptic feedback or the second haptic feedback.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the acoustic sound signal is output spatially adjacently to the touch surface.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the temporally synchronized outputting of the sound signal is performed so a maximum deflection of the touch surface coincides temporally with the beginning of the acoustic sound signal that is output, such that a user who uses a finger as actuation element perceives the haptic feedback simultaneously with the beginning of the acoustic sound signal.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the assigned function is a function in a motor vehicle.

12. An operating apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

a touchscreen, which has a display apparatus having a freely programmable display surface for representing at least one virtual operating element and a touch-sensitive position detection apparatus having a touch surface arranged in front of the display surface, wherein at least the touch surface is mounted on the housing movably relative thereto;

at least one compressive force measuring apparatus for determining a press-on force acting on the touch surface in the event of a touching actuation of the touchscreen;

at least one actuator device coupled directly or indirectly to the touch surface and serving for the targeted movement of at least the touch surface relative to the housing; and

a controller designed to determine, depending on the detected touch positions and detected press-on forces, whether a correct haptic actuation of the at least one virtual operating element is present, and, if this is the case, to initiate a function assigned to the at least one virtual operating element and to drive the at least one actuator device to generate a haptic feedback at the touch surface,

wherein the controller is designed to compare the press-on forces with a first force threshold value and a second force threshold value deviating therefrom and to generate a first actuator activation signal in the event of the first force threshold value being exceeded, and to generate a second actuator activation signal, which is different from the first actuator activation signal, in the event of the second force threshold value subsequently being undershot,

wherein the first and second actuator activation signals instigate in each case a haptic feedback at the touch surface via the actuator device, and

wherein the haptically perceptible feedbacks generated by the first actuator activation signal and the second actuator activation signal at the touch surface are different, wherein the controller generates the haptic feedbacks in each case in the form of a short mechanical pulse.

13. The operating apparatus of claim 12, wherein the housing has a fixing device, wherein the fixing device is fixed on an apparatus from the group of the following apparatuses consisting of:

a vehicle or aircraft, a ship, an automatic ticket or other vending or information machine, a computer, a cellular phone, a tablet computer, a production or process installation, a control station, a domestic appliance or an appliance appertaining to consumer electronics.