Manually operable electronic apparatus

• US 6,710,518 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rollins, Thomas James, Morton, Bruce McKay
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US10/160,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 310/317, 310/328-330
• US Class Current: 310/328
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/70 having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/052 piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/022 Telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2042 Cantilevers, i.e. having one fixed end

Abstract

An electronic device such a telephone (100), PDA (600), or pager (800), includes a manually operable input such as an elastomeric key (102, 103) or button (814), or a touch screen (604) that does not by itself provide substantial tactile feedback upon actuation, and also includes an electromechanical transducer (212) that is capable of generating an impulse of mechanical energy that can be felt. In response to detecting actuation of the manually operable input (102, 103, 814, 604), the electromechanical transducer (212) is driven to produce an impulse of mechanical energy that propagates to the manually operable input (102, 103, 814, 604) and provides tactile feedback to a user.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a manually operable input;

an electromechanical transducer that is mechanically coupled to the manually operable input;

an electric circuit that is;

coupled to the manually operable input for detecting operation of the manually operable input;

coupled to the electromechanical transducer for driving the electromechanical transducer; and

adapted to drive the electromechanical transducer in response to detecting the operation of the manually operable input with a driving signal so as to cause the electromechanical transducer to generate an impulse that can be felt by a user, whereby the user receives tactile acknowledgement of successful operation of the manually operable input, and

a transceiver.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a housing, wherein;

the manually operable input is mechanically coupled to the housing; and

the electromechanical transducer is mechanically coupled to the housing.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

the manually operable input comprises an elastomeric switch.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the electromechanical transducer comprises;

a piezoelectric motor.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the electric circuit is adapted to drive the electromechanical transducer with a waveform that includes at least one approximation of a step function.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the electric circuit comprises:

a pulse generator for driving the electromechanical transducer with an electrical waveform that includes a pulse.

7. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a manually operable input including a touch screen;

an electromechanical transducer that is mechanically coupled to the manually operable input;

an electric circuit that is;

coupled to the manually operable input for detecting operation of the manually operable input;

coupled to the electromechanical transducer for driving the electromechanical transducer; and

adapted to drive the electromechanical transducer in response to detecting the operation of the manually operable input with a driving signal so as to cause the electromechanical transducer to generate an impulse that can be felt by a user, whereby the user receives tactile acknowledgement of successful operation of the manually operable input.

8. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a manually operable input;

an electromechanical transducer that is mechanically coupled to the manually operable input, wherein the electromechanical transducer comprises;

a flat beam shaped piezoelectric motor including;

a first end adapted for clamping to a support;

a second free end;

a first planar electrode;

a second planar electrode;

a first piezoelectric laminate disposed between the first planar electrode and the second planar electrode;

a second piezoelectric laminate disposed between the first planar electrode and the second planar electrode;

a third planar electrode disposed between the first piezoelectric laminate and the second piezoelectric laminate;

a first electrical terminal disposed proximate the first end, and electrically coupled to the first and second planar electrodes;

a second electrical terminal disposed proximate the first end, and electrically coupled to the third planar electrode; and

a mass affixed to the second free end of the flat plate shaped piezoelectric motor; and

an electric circuit that is;

coupled to the manually operable input for detecting operation of the manually operable input;

coupled to the electromechanical transducer for driving the electromechanical transducer; and

adapted to drive the electromechanical transducer in response to detecting the operation of the manually operable input with a driving signal so as to cause the electromechanical transducer to generate an impulse that can be felt by a user, whereby the user receives tactile acknowledgement of successful operation of the manually operable input.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the mass is at least 0.5 grams.

10. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a manually operable input;

an electromechanical transducer that is mechanically coupled to the manually operable input;

an electric circuit that is;

coupled to the manually operable input for detecting operation of the manually operable input;

coupled to the electromechanical transducer for driving the electromechanical transducer; and

adapted to drive the electromechanical transducer in response to detecting the operation of the manually operable input with a driving signal so as to cause the electromechanical transducer to generate an impulse that can be felt by a user, whereby the user receives tactile acknowledgement of successful operation of the manually operable input; and

wherein the electric circuit comprises;

a pulse generator for driving the electromechanical transducer with an electrical waveform that includes a pulse;

a DC to DC converter adapted to receive power from a first power source that is characterized by a first voltage, and output power characterized by a second voltage that exceeds the first voltage;

an amplifier that includes;

a supply voltage input coupled to the DC to DC converter for receiving power characterized by the second voltage;

a signal input coupled to the pulse generator; and

an amplified signal output coupled to the electromechanical transducer.

11. The electronic apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the amplifier is adapted to output a pulse having an amplitude of at least 18 volts.

12. A method of operating an electronic apparatus that includes a plurality of manually operable inputs including the steps of:

detecting a user'"'"'s actuation of a manually operable input; and

in response to detecting the user'"'"'s actuation of the manually operable input, driving an electromechanical transducer, which is not uniquely associated with any one of the manually operable inputs to supply tactile feedback to the user.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the step of actuating the electromechanical transducer includes the sub-step of:

driving a piezoelectric motor with a signal having an amplitude of at least 18 volts.

14. The method according to claim 12

wherein detecting a user'"'"'s actuation of a manually operable input includes identifying the particular manual input that was actuated;

and

wherein driving an electromechanical transducer to supply tactile feedback to the user includes driving the electromechanical transducer with a signal to provide tactile feedback that identifies the particular manual input.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the step of identifying the particular manual input includes the sub-step of:

identifying a particular key that was actuated.

16. The method according to claim 14 further comprising the step of:

reading information specifying the signal from a memory.

17. A method of operating an electronic apparatus including the steps of:

detecting a user'"'"'s actuation of a manually operable input including the detection of the actuation of a touch screen; and

in response to detecting the user'"'"'s actuation of the manually operable input, driving an electromechanical transducer to supply tactile feedback to the user.