Method and apparatus for providing haptic effects to a touch panel
First Claim
1. An actuator, comprising:
- a first structural element having mounting structure mountable to a first component;
a second structural element having mounting structure mountable to a second component, the first and second structural elements being disposed substantially in a common plane;
a first biasing element coupling the first structural element to the second structural element;
a first magnetic device carried by the first structural element, the first magnetic device including a first pole piece; and
a second magnetic device carried by the second structural element, the second magnetic device including a second pole piece;
a first coil disposed about either said first pole piece or said second pole piece or both;
wherein the first biasing element is arranged to provide a biasing force opposing an attractive magnetic force that urges the first and second pole pieces together when current is applied to the first coil, and wherein movement of the first pole piece urges movement of the first structural element such that the current applied to the first coil causes a haptic effect to be generated between the first component and the second component.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for generating haptic effects for a touch panel or other interface device employs a touch-sensitive panel, a display and an actuator. The actuator includes a first structural element and a second structural element, a biasing element and two magnetic devices. The first magnetic device is configured to be carried by the first structural element and the second magnetic device is configured to be carried by the second structural element. The first structural element is coupled to a touch-sensitive panel and the second structural element may be coupled to the display or to a relatively fixed item. The biasing element couples the first and second structural elements together and deforms to facilitate a movement between the first and second structural elements. The actuator provides haptic effects by facilitating relative movement between the first and second structural elements.
256 Citations
39 Claims
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1. An actuator, comprising:
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a first structural element having mounting structure mountable to a first component; a second structural element having mounting structure mountable to a second component, the first and second structural elements being disposed substantially in a common plane; a first biasing element coupling the first structural element to the second structural element; a first magnetic device carried by the first structural element, the first magnetic device including a first pole piece; and a second magnetic device carried by the second structural element, the second magnetic device including a second pole piece; a first coil disposed about either said first pole piece or said second pole piece or both; wherein the first biasing element is arranged to provide a biasing force opposing an attractive magnetic force that urges the first and second pole pieces together when current is applied to the first coil, and wherein movement of the first pole piece urges movement of the first structural element such that the current applied to the first coil causes a haptic effect to be generated between the first component and the second component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A touch panel assembly, comprising:
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a touch-sensitive panel; a display device; and an actuator including; a first structural element; a second structural element, the first and second structural elements being disposed substantially in a common plane; a first biasing element coupling the first structural element to the second structural element; a first magnetic device carried by the first structural element, the first magnetic device including a first pole piece; and a second magnetic device carried by the second structural element, the second magnetic device including a second pole piece; a first coil disposed about either said first pole piece or said second pole piece or both; wherein the first biasing element is arranged to provide a biasing force opposing an attractive magnetic force that urges the first and second pole pieces together when current is applied to the first coil and wherein movement of the first pole piece urges movement of the first structural element such that the current applied to the first coil causes a haptic effect to be generated between the first component and the second component; wherein the actuator is arranged so that its first structural element is mechanically coupled to the touch-sensitive panel and its second structural element is mechanically coupled to the display device or its support structure. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for providing haptic effects in a touch panel assembly, the method comprising:
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measuring a touching contact with a touch-sensitive panel; generating a first signal in response to the touching contact; transmitting the first signal to a processor; creating a haptic output current signal in response to said first signal; carrying said haptic output current signal to an actuator arranged to create relative motion between a first structural element and a second structural element in substantially a common plane in which the first and second structural elements are disposed thereof, the first structural element mechanically coupled to the touch-sensitive panel and the second structural element mechanically coupled to a display device, wherein the actuator comprises a first pole piece carried by the first structural element and a second pole piece carried by the second structural element, at least one of the first or second pole piece being coupled to a first coil; causing the first pole piece and the second pole piece to be urged together when said haptic output current signal is carried to said actuator, and wherein movement of the first pole piece urges movement of the first structural element such that the haptic output current signal applied to the actuator causes a haptic effect to be generated between the touch-sensitive panel and the display device; and causing a haptic effect by actuating the actuator.
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24. A method for providing haptic effects in a touch panel assembly, the method comprising:
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measuring a touching contact with a touch-sensitive panel; generating a first signal in response to the touching contact; transmitting the first signal to a processor; creating a haptic output current signal in response to said first signal; carrying said haptic output current signal to an actuator arranged to create relative motion between a first structural element and a second structural element thereof in substantially a common plane in which the first and second structural elements are disposed, the first structural element mechanically coupled to the touch-sensitive panel and the second structural element mechanically coupled to a display device, wherein the actuator further includes; a first biasing element coupling the first structural element to the second structural element; a first magnetic device carried by the first structural element, the first magnetic device including a first pole piece; a second magnetic device carried by the second structural element, the second magnetic device including a second pole piece; and a first coil disposed about either said first pole piece or said second pole piece or both; wherein the first biasing element is arranged to provide a biasing force opposing an attractive magnetic force that urges the first and second pole pieces together when current is applied to the first coil, and wherein movement of the first pole piece urges movement of the first structural element such that the current applied to the first coil causes a haptic effect to be generated between the touch-sensitive panel and the display device; and causing a haptic effect by actuating the actuator.
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25. An apparatus for providing haptic actuation, the apparatus comprising:
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a first means for mounting the apparatus; a second means for mounting the apparatus, the first and second means for mounting being disposed substantially in a common plane; a first biasing means coupling the first means for mounting to the second means for mounting; a first magnetic means carried by the first means for mounting, the first magnetic means including a first means for confining magnetic flux and a first means for generating a magnetic field about the first means for confining magnetic flux; and a second magnetic means carried by the second means for mounting, the second magnetic means including a second means for confining magnetic flux; wherein the first biasing means is arranged to provide a biasing force opposing an attractive magnetic force that urges the first and second means for confining magnetic flux together when current is applied to the first means for generating a magnetic field, and wherein movement of the first magnetic means urges movement of the first means for mounting such that the current applied to the first means for generating a magnetic field causes a haptic effect to be generated between the first means for mounting and the second means for mounting.
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26. A touch panel apparatus for providing haptic effects, the apparatus comprising:
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means for detecting a touching contact with a touch-sensitive panel; means for generating a first signal in response to the touching contact; means for transmitting the first signal to a processor; means for creating a haptic output current signal in response to said first signal; means for carrying said haptic output current signal to an actuator arranged to create relative motion between a first structural element and a second structural element in substantially a common plane in which the first and second structural elements are disposed, the first structural element mechanically coupled to the touch-sensitive panel and the second structural element mechanically coupled to a display device, wherein the actuator comprises a first pole piece carried by the first structural element and a second pole piece carried by the second structural element, at least one of the first or second pole piece being coupled to a first coil; means for causing the first pole piece and the second pole piece to be urged together when said haptic output current signal is carried to said actuator, and wherein movement of the first pole piece urges movement of the first structural element such that the haptic output current signal applied to the actuator causes a haptic effect to be generated between the touch-sensitive panel and the display device; and means for causing a haptic effect by actuating the actuator.
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27. A touch panel apparatus for providing haptic effects, the apparatus comprising:
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means for detecting a touching contact with a touch-sensitive panel; means for generating a first signal in response to the touching contact; means for transmitting the first signal to a processor; means for creating a haptic output current signal in response to said first signal; means for carrying said haptic output current signal to an actuator arranged to create relative motion between a first structural element and a second structural element in substantially a common plane in which the first and second structural elements are disposed thereof, the first structural element mechanically coupled to the touch-sensitive panel and the second structural element mechanically coupled to a display device, wherein the actuator further includes; a first biasing element coupling the first structural element to the second structural element; a first magnetic device carried by the first structural element, the first magnetic device including a first pole piece; a second magnetic device carried by the second structural element, the second magnetic device including a second pole piece; a first coil disposed about either said first pole piece or said second pole piece or both, wherein the first biasing element is arranged to provide a biasing force opposing an attractive magnetic force that urges the first and second pole pieces together when current is applied to the first coil, and wherein movement of the first pole piece urges movement of the first structural element such that the current applied to the first coil causes a haptic effect to be generated between the touch-sensitive panel and the display device; and means for causing a haptic effect by actuating the actuator.
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28. A touch panel assembly, comprising:
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a touch-sensitive panel; and an actuator including; a first structural element; a second structural element, the first and second structural elements being disposed substantially in a common plane; a first biasing element coupling the first structural element to the second structural element; a first magnetic device carried by the first structural element, the first magnetic device including a first pole piece; and a second magnetic device carried by the second structural element, the second magnetic device including a second pole piece; a first coil disposed about either said first pole piece or said second pole piece or both; wherein the first biasing element is arranged to provide a biasing force opposing an attractive magnetic force that urges the first and second pole pieces together when current is applied to the first coil, and wherein movement of the first pole piece urges movement of the first structural element such that the current applied to the first coil causes a haptic effect to be generated between the first structural element and the second structural element; wherein the actuator is arranged so that its first structural element is mechanically coupled to the touch-sensitive panel or its support structure. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification