Touch-sensitive display with tactile feedback

• US 7,113,177 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Franzen, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad, Amr A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sheng, Tom
• Application Number:
  US10/380,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20030179190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,847 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-183, 178/18.01, 178/18.02, 178/18.04, 178/18.1, 178/19.01, 178/19.04
• 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 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

A touch-sensitive display with tactile feedback is provided which includes a first layer with a mechanically flexible display medium, a second layer with a least one receptor, wherein the second layer is disposed in such a way that the receptor detects a contact in at least one section of the first layer and generates at least one first signal, a third layer with at least one controllable actuator, wherein the third layer is disposed in such a way that the controllable actuator mechanically manipulates the first layer at least in some points of the section, and a control device which contacts the second layer and the third layer in such a way that, in an initial stage, at least one second signal for controlling the actuator is generator, and at least one modified second signal is generated on the basis of the first signal.

Claims

1. A touch-sensitive display with tactile feedback, comprising:

a first layer with a mechanically flexible display medium;

a second layer with at least one receptor, wherein the second layer is disposed such that the at least one receptor detects a contact in at least one section of the first layer and generates at least one first signal;

a third layer with at least one controllable actuator, wherein the third layer is disposed such that the at least one controllable actuator mechanically manipulates the first layer at least in some points of the at least one section; and

a control device which contacts the second layer and the third layer such that, in an initial stage, at least one second signal for controlling the at least one controllable actuator is generated, and at least one modified second signal is generated based on the first signal, wherein the at least one receptor is a second matrix arrangement of moveable pins which are at least one of electrically driven and mechanically driven, and wherein the moveable pins are movable perpendicular to a surface of the first layer.

2. A touch-sensitive display with tactile feedback as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display medium is a membrane designed in accordance with one of electronic paper technology, microencapsulated electrophoretic display technology and organic electroluminescence technology.

3. A touch-sensitive display with tactile feedback as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one receptor is a light grid.

4. A touch-sensitive display with tactile feedback as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one controllable actuator is a first matrix arrangement of moveable pins which are at least one of electrically driven and magnetically driven, and wherein the moveable pins can move perpendicular to a surface of the first layer.

5. A touch-sensitive display with tactile feedback as claimed in claim 4, wherein the moveable pins of the first and second matrix arrangements are piezoelectric elements.

6. A touch-sensitive display with tactile feedback as claimed in claim 4, wherein the moveable pins of the first and second matrix arrangements are electromagnetic elements.

7. A touch-sensitive display with tactile feedback as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second and third layers form a common layer, with the moveable pins of the first matrix arrangement and the moveable pins of the second matrix arrangement being located beside one another.

8. A touch-sensitive display with tactile feedback as claimed in claim 7, wherein the moveable pins of the first and second matrix arrangements act simultaneously as the at least one controllable actuator and the at least one receptor.

9. A touch-sensitive display with tactile feedback as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second layer is a sensor mat.

10. A touch-sensitive display with tactile feedback as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first layer is positioned beneath the second layer, with the second layer being transparent and flexible.