PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF PROVIDING HAPTIC FEEDBACK

• US 20170242484A1
• Filed: 02/23/2016
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: MASIHY, Jorge Hector, KORNELUK, Jose Eduardo, MIRZAEI, Amirsaman
• Granted Patent: US 10,503,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0237 Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22

Abstract

A method for providing haptic feedback at a portable electronic device including a touch-sensitive display and a physical keyboard comprising depressible keys and touch sensors for detecting touches thereon, is provided. In response to detecting a first touch on the physical keyboard, which physical keyboard is moveable relative to the touch-sensitive display, between a first position in which the physical keyboard is exposed for use and a second position in which the physical keyboard is not exposed, wherein the first touch is associated with haptic feedback, first haptic feedback is provided to the physical keyboard. In response to detecting a second touch on the touch-sensitive display when the physical keyboard is in the second position in which the physical keyboard is not exposed, wherein the second touch is associated with haptic feedback, second haptic feedback is provided to the touch-sensitive display.

Claims

1. A method of providing haptic feedback at a portable electronic device including a touch-sensitive display and a physical keyboard comprising depressible keys and touch sensors for detecting touches thereon, the method comprising:

in response to detecting a first touch on the physical keyboard, which physical keyboard is moveable relative to the touch-sensitive display, between a first position in which the physical keyboard is exposed for use and a second position in which the physical keyboard is not exposed, wherein the first touch is associated with haptic feedback, providing first haptic feedback to the physical keyboard;

in response to detecting a second touch on the touch-sensitive display when the physical keyboard is in the second position in which the physical keyboard is not exposed, wherein the second touch is associated with haptic feedback, providing second haptic feedback to the touch-sensitive display.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein haptic feedback to the touch-sensitive display is disabled when the physical keyboard is in the first position in which the physical keyboard is exposed for use.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising detecting a position of the physical keyboard prior to detecting the first touch and, in response to detecting that the physical keyboard is in the first position in which the physical keyboard is exposed for use, disabling haptic feedback to the touch-sensitive display.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising detecting the position of the physical keyboard prior to detecting the second touch and, in response to detecting that the physical keyboard is in the second position in which the physical keyboard is not exposed, enabling haptic feedback to the touch-sensitive display.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising, in response to detecting a further touch on the touch-sensitive display during the first touch on the physical keyboard, wherein the further touch is associated with haptic feedback, providing further haptic feedback to the touch-sensitive display, in addition to the first haptic feedback provided to the physical keyboard.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the further haptic feedback to the touch-sensitive display is provided during the first haptic feedback to the physical keyboard.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first touch is associated with haptic feedback when the first touch comprises a selection input on the physical keyboard to select a selectable element displayed on the touch-sensitive display.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second touch is associated with haptic feedback when the second touch comprises a selection input on the touch-sensitive display to select a selectable element displayed on the touch-sensitive display.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the first haptic feedback comprises actuating a first haptic actuator disposed in a physical keyboard housing of the portable electronic device, and wherein providing the second haptic feedback comprises actuating a second haptic actuator disposed in a touch-sensitive display housing that is coupled to the physical keyboard housing.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first haptic actuator and the second haptic actuator are constructed and arranged to provide generally equivalent haptic forces when actuated such that the first haptic feedback is generally equal to the second haptic feedback.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the first haptic feedback comprises actuating a first haptic actuator at a first intensity and wherein providing the second haptic feedback comprises actuating the first haptic actuator at a second intensity that is different from the first intensity.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the first haptic feedback comprises actuating an actuator at a first intensity in response to detecting that the physical keyboard is in the first position in which the physical keyboard is exposed for use.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein providing the second haptic feedback comprises actuating the actuator at a second intensity that is different from the first intensity, in response to detecting that the physical keyboard is in the second position in which the physical keyboard is not exposed.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable code executable by at least one processor of the portable electronic device to perform the method according to claim 1.

15. A portable electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display for displaying information, including selectable elements, and for detecting touches thereon;

a physical keyboard comprising depressible keys and including touch sensors for detecting touches thereon, the physical keyboard being moveable relative to the touch-sensitive display, between a first position in which the physical keyboard is exposed for use and a second position in which the physical keyboard is not exposed;

at least one haptic actuator coupled to the touch-sensitive display and the physical keyboard for providing haptic feedback to the touch sensitive display and on the physical keyboard;

a processor coupled to the physical keyboard, the touch-sensitive display, and the haptic actuator and configured to;

provide first haptic feedback to the physical keyboard in response to detecting a first touch on the physical keyboard when the physical keyboard is in the first position in which the physical keyboard is exposed for use, and determining that the first touch is associated with haptic feedback;

provide second haptic feedback to the touch-sensitive display in response to detecting a second touch on the touch-sensitive display when the physical keyboard is in the second position in which the physical keyboard is not exposed, and determining that the second touch is associated with haptic feedback.

16. The portable electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the processor is programmed to disable haptic feedback to the touch-sensitive display when the physical keyboard is in the first position in which the physical keyboard is exposed for use.

17. The portable electronic device according to claim 15, comprising a sensor coupled to the processor to detect a position of the physical keyboard, wherein the processor is configured to disable haptic feedback to the touch-sensitive display in response to detecting that the physical keyboard is in the first position in which the physical keyboard is exposed for use.

18. The portable electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to enable haptic feedback to the touch-sensitive display in response to detecting that the physical keyboard is in the second position in which the physical keyboard is not exposed.

19. The portable electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a single actuator disposed in a housing of the physical keyboard for providing haptic feedback to both the touch-sensitive display and the physical keyboard.

20. The portable electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a first actuator disposed in a housing of the physical keyboard for providing the first haptic feedback to the physical keyboard and a second actuator disposed in a touch-sensitive display for providing the second haptic feedback to the touch-sensitive display.