Piezoelectric user interface

• US 7,869,589 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Tuovinen, Juhani
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang; Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US10/496,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20050054390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,967 Days
• Field of Search: 379/433.06, 379/433.07, 379/433.01, 310/317, 310/318, 345/173, 345/156, 345/204
• US Class Current: 379/433.07
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0215 for generating pulses, e.g. bursts of oscillations, envelopes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 9/00 Devices in which sound is produced by vibrating a diaphragm or analogous element, e.g. fog horns, vehicle hooters or buzzers loudspeakers or like acoustic electromechanical transducers H04R
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 9/12 electrically operated
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 9/121 Flextensional transducers
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 9/122 using piezoelectric driving means G10K9/121 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 9/125 with a plurality of active elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/84 characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback legends H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/052 piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96062 with tactile or haptic feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/02 providing ringing current or supervisory tones, e.g. dialling tone or busy tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) comprising a keypad (2), and means for generating a tactile response to a user of the apparatus when a key in said keypad is pressed. In order accomplish a simple construction requiring a minimum of space, said means for generating a tactile response include at least one piezoelectric element (3) arranged to generate vibration which is forwarded to the user via a key when said key is pressed.

Claims

1. A media terminal comprising:

means for establishing telecommunication connections;

a touch screen keypad;

means for generating a tactile response to a user of the media terminal when a key in said keypad is pressed, said means for generating a tactile response include at least one piezoelectric element configured to generate vibration which is forwarded to the user via a key when said key is pressed and said media terminal is configured to generate an alerting vibration signal with said at least one piezoelectric element in response to an incoming call;

wherein said at least one piezoelectric element is configured to contact said touch screen keypad in order to cause at least an upper surface of said touch screen keypad to vibrate when said key on the touch screen keypad is pressed; and

a controller configured to;

identify a selected key in said keypad pressed by the user,

check whether the selected key is available as an option or is not available as an option at the moment the selected key was pressed,

control said at least one piezoelectric element to generate a first kind of vibration which is forwarded to the user of the media terminal via the selected key if said check indicates that the selected key is not available as an option, and

control said at least one piezoelectric element to generate a second kind of vibration which is forwarded to the user of the media terminal via the selected key if said check indicates that the selected key is available as an option.

2. A media terminal comprising:

a radio transmitter and a radio receiver for establishing connections;

a touch screen keypad;

at least one piezoelectric element for generating a tactile response to a user of the media terminal when a key in said keypad is pressed, said at least one piezoelectric element is configured to generate vibration which is forwarded to the user via a key when said key is pressed and said media terminal is configured to generate an alerting vibration signal with said at least one piezoelectric element in response to an incoming call;

wherein said at least one piezoelectric element is configured to contact said touch screen keypad in order to cause at least an upper surface of said touch screen keypad to vibrate when said key on the touch screen keypad is pressed; and

a controller configured to;

identify a selected key in said keypad pressed by the user,

check whether the selected key is available as an option or is not available as an option at the moment the selected key was pressed,

control said at least one piezoelectric element to generate a first kind of vibration which is forwarded to the user of the media terminal via the selected key if said check indicates that the selected key is not available as an option, and

control said at least one piezoelectric element to generate a second kind of vibration which is forwarded to the user of the media terminal via the selected key if said check indicates that the selected key is available as an option.

3. The media terminal according to claim 2, wherein:

said keypad includes a plurality of keys divided into at least two groups of keys,

the media terminal includes at least one piezoelectric element for each group of keys, and

the media terminal comprises a controller configured to identify the group of keys to which a pressed key belongs, and to control the piezoelectric element of the identified group of keys to generate vibration which is forwarded to the user of the media terminal via the pressed key when said key is pressed.

4. The media terminal according to claim 2, wherein the media terminal includes a controller configured to identify said selected key in said keypad pressed by the user and to control a piezoelectric element to generate a vibration which is forwarded to the user of the media terminal via the selected key to identify the selected key to the user with the help of vibrations.

5. The media terminal according to claim 2, wherein said media terminal is configured to generate an alerting sound signal with said at least one piezoelectric element in response to an incoming call.

6. The media terminal according to claim 2, wherein said media terminal comprises a controller to alter a shape of a waveform impressed upon the piezoelectric element.

7. The media terminal according to claim 2, wherein said media terminal comprises a controller to alter a voltage of a waveform impressed upon the piezoelectric element.

8. A method comprising:

configuring at least one piezoelectric element to generate a tactile response to a user of a media terminal when a key in a touchscreen keypad is pressed,

wherein the piezoelectric element is configured to contact the touch screen keypad in order to cause at least an upper surface of the touch screen keypad to vibrate when a key on the touch screen keypad is pressed;

configuring the media terminal to generate an alerting vibration signal with the at least one piezoelectric element in response to an incoming call;

identifying a selected key of the keypad pressed by the user;

checking whether the selected key is available as an option or is not available as an option at the moment the selected key was pressed;

controlling the piezoelectric element to generate a first kind of vibration which is tactilely forwarded to the user of the media terminal via the selected key if the check indicates that the selected key is not available as an option; and

controlling the piezoelectric element to generate a second kind of vibration which is tactilely forwarded to the user of the media terminal via the pressed key if said check indicates that the pressed key is available as an option.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein controlling the piezoelectric element to generate at least one of the first and second kind of vibrations comprises altering a shape of a waveform impressed upon the piezoelectric element.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein controlling the piezoelectric element to generate at least one of the first and second kind of vibrations comprises altering a voltage of a waveform impressed upon the piezoelectric element.