Persistent tactile event notification

• US 7,660,609 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2006
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kallqvist, Claes Martin, Karan, Bilgi
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer; Temica M
• Application Number:
  US11/366,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20070125636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/567, 455/575.1, 455/575.4, 455/90.3
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing tactile event notification for an electronic apparatus is disclosed. When an event is detected in the electronic apparatus, a portion of the electronic apparatus is displaced in response to the event. An event can be any type of occurrence or alert in the electronic apparatus for which the user needs to be notified.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus for tactile event notification, comprising:

a processor to detect an event;

a displacement device to displace a portion of the electronic apparatus when the event is detected, where the displacement device comprises at least one solenoid coil with a displaceable core to displace the portion of the electronic apparatus when the event is detected;

a plurality of keys, where at least one key is to be displaced by a first end of the solenoid coil when the event is detected; and

a switch for activating a visual notification of the event on a display, where the switch is to be activated by a second end of the solenoid coil when the at least one key is brought back to a non-displaced position after having been in a displaced position;

where the displacement device is to repeatedly displace the portion a predetermined number of times when the event is detected.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where a plurality of keys are to be displaced when the event is detected.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where a group of keys is to be displaced together to indicate a type of event.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where an individual key is to be displaced to indicate a type of event.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where a portion of a key is to be displaced when the event is detected.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where each key is associated with a short-cut function.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 6, where a particular key to be displaced is specifically selected when a detected event is a telephone call from a telephone number associated with a speed dial number for the key to be displaced.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where the portion of the electronic apparatus forms a symbol when said portion is displaced.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where the displacement device comprises:

a membrane on a chassis of the electronic apparatus, where the membrane is to be displaced by a first end of the displacement device when an event is detected.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 9, where the switch is further to be activated by a second end of the displacement device when the membrane is brought back from a displaced position to a non-displaced position.

11. The electronic apparatus according to claim 9, where the membrane is made of plastic or rubber.

12. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where the displacement device is an electrical motor, which is to displace a plurality of housing portions of the electronic apparatus in relation to each other when the event is detected.

13. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, where the electrical motor is to displace the plurality of housing portions an amount, which is dependent on the importance of the detected event.

14. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, where the amount of displacement is dependent on the number of events that have been detected.

15. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where the predetermined number of times, is dependent on the importance of the event.

16. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, comprising a display where a visual notification of the event is displayed on the display when the housing portions are moved from their displaced position.

17. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where the electronic apparatus is a mobile terminal.

18. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where the electronic apparatus is a watch.

19. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an air chamber with a displaceable section; and

a pressurization device for pressurizing the air chamber when the event is detected,

where the displaceable section is to be displaced when the air chamber is pressurized.

20. The electronic apparatus according to claim 19, where the air chamber is positioned at the back of a watch or watchstrap.

21. The electronic apparatus according to claim 19, where the displaceable section of the air chamber is positioned on a chassis of the electronic apparatus.

22. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where the displacement device comprises a plurality of piezo-electric materials and a voltage device, where the piezo-electric materials are to be fed with opposite voltages to cause one piezo-electric material to expand and another piezo-electric material to contract when the event is detected.

23. The electronic apparatus according to claim 22, where the electronic device is a mobile terminal.

24. The electronic apparatus according to claim 23, where the mobile terminal is a watch, where the back of the watch or a watchstrap comprises the piezo-electric materials.

25. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where the displacement device comprises:

a slidable button, where the slidable button is to be displaced when the event is detected.

26. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where the displacement device comprises:

a cover on the electronic apparatus, where the cover is displaced when the event is detected.

27. The electronic apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising:

a display, which is covered by the cover when the cover is positioned in a non-displaced position, where the display is to display a message regarding the event when the cover is positioned in a displaced position.

28. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where the processor is to detect at least one event in the group including:

receiving a message, receiving a telephone cal, an alert, an alert of a calendar entry of a calendar, a note entry of a note manager, or a task entry of a task manager.

29. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, where the electronic apparatus is a wireless accessory to a mobile terminal.

30. A method for providing tactile event notification for an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

detecting an event; and

displacing, by a displacement device, a portion of the electronic apparatus in response to detecting the event, where the displacement device comprises at least one solenoid coil with a displaceable core to displace the portion of the electronic apparatus when the event is detected;

where the displacing includes;

displacing a key of the electronic apparatus by a first end of the solenoid coil when the event is detected,

activating a switch of the electronic apparatus by a second end of the solenoid coil when the key is brought back to a non-displaced position after having been in a displaced position, and

repeatedly displacing, by a displacement device, the key a predetermined number of times when the event is detected.

31. An electronic apparatus for tactile event notification, comprising:

a processor adapted to detect an event; and

a displacement device adapted to displace a portion of the electronic apparatus when the event is detected,

wherein the displacement device comprises at least one solenoid coil with a displaceable core arranged to displace the portion of the electronic apparatus when the event is detected,

where the electronic apparatus further comprises;

a plurality of keys, wherein at least one key is arranged to be displaced by a first end of the solenoid coil when the event is detected, and

a switch for activating a visual notification of the event on a display, wherein the switch is arranged to be activated by a second end of the solenoid coil when the at least one key is brought back to a non-displaced position after having been in a displaced position.

32. A method for providing tactile event notification for an electronic apparatus, comprising:

detecting an event; and

displacing a portion of the electronic apparatus in response to detecting the event,

where the displacing is performed by a displacement device that comprises at least one solenoid coil with a displaceable core,

where the displacing includes;

displacing at least one key of a plurality of keys by a first end of the solenoid coil when the event is detected, and

where the method further comprises;

activating, by a switch, a visual notification of the event on a display, where the switch is arranged to be activated by a second end of the solenoid coil when the at least one key is brought back to a non-displaced position after having been in a displaced position.