Method of providing tactile feedback and electronic device

• US 8,466,889 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2010
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Tong, Kuo-Feng, Pavlikova, Katarina, Lu, Yingying, Weber, Arnett Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pervan, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/780,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20110279381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 178 1801- 1907
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A method includes detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display, determining when a touch value associated with the touch meets a first touch threshold, determining a first period of time between detecting the touch and when the touch value meets the first touch threshold, and providing a first tactile feedback when the first period of time is meets a first time threshold.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display;

determining when a touch value associated with the touch meets a first touch threshold;

determining a first period of time between detecting the touch and when the touch value meets the first touch threshold;

providing a first tactile feedback when the first period of time meets a first time threshold and not providing any tactile feedback when the first period of time does not meet the first time threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first tactile feedback comprises simulation of depression of a switch.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising providing the first tactile feedback only when the first period of time meets the first time threshold.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

determining when the touch value meets a second touch threshold, after the touch value meets the first touch threshold;

determining a second period of time between when the touch value meets the first touch threshold and when the touch value meets the second touch threshold;

providing second tactile feedback in response to determining that the second period of time meets a second time threshold.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the second tactile feedback comprises simulation of release of a switch.

6. The method according to claim 4, comprising providing the second tactile feedback only when the second period of time meets the second time threshold.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first touch threshold comprises a first force threshold and the second touch threshold comprises a second force threshold, and wherein the second force threshold is lower than the first force threshold.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the second tactile feedback is not provided for the touch when the second period of time does not meet the second time threshold.

9. A computer-readable storage device having computer-readable code executable by at least one processor of a portable electronic device to perform the method of claim 1.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein tactile feedback is not provided for the touch when the touch value does not meet the first touch threshold.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first touch threshold comprises a first force threshold.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

an actuator configured to provide tactile feedback;

at least one processor operably coupled to the touch-sensitive display and the actuator and configured to;

determine when a touch value associated with the touch meets a first touch threshold;

determine a first period of time between detecting the touch and determining when the touch value meets the first touch threshold;

provide first tactile feedback in response to determining that the first period of time is greater than a first predetermined period of time and not provide any tactile feedback when the first period of time does not meet the first time threshold.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12, comprising one or more force sensors operably coupled to the processor, wherein the touch value is a force value.

14. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the actuator comprises one or more piezoelectric actuators.

15. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the first tactile feedback comprises simulation of depression of a switch.

16. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

determine when the touch value meets a second touch threshold, after determining that the touch value meets the first touch threshold;

determine a second period of time between determining when the touch value for the touch meets the first touch threshold and determining when the touch value for the touch meets the second touch threshold;

provide a second tactile feedback in response to determining that the second period of time is greater than a second predetermined period of time.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the first touch threshold comprises a first force threshold and the second touch threshold comprises a second force threshold, and wherein the second force threshold is lower than the first force threshold.

18. The electronic device according to claim 16 wherein the second tactile feedback is not provided for the touch when the second period of time does not meet the second time threshold.

19. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein tactile feedback is not provided for the touch when the touch value does not meet the first touch threshold.

20. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the first touch threshold comprises a first force threshold.

21. A method comprising:

detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display;

determining when a touch value associated with the touch meets a second touch threshold, after determining that the touch value meets a first touch threshold;

determining a period of time between when the touch value meets the first touch threshold and when the touch value meets the second touch threshold;

providing second tactile feedback when the second period of time meets a second time threshold and not providing any tactile feedback when the first period of time does not meet the first time threshold.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the first touch threshold comprises a first force threshold.

23. The method according to 21, wherein the first touch threshold comprises a first force threshold and the second touch threshold comprises a second force threshold, and wherein the second force threshold is lower than the first force threshold.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the second tactile feedback is not provided for the touch when the second period of time does not meet the second time threshold.

25. A method comprising:

detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display;

determining when a force imparted on the touch-sensitive display meets a first force threshold, wherein the force is associated with the touch;

determining a first period of time from detecting the touch to a time when the force meets the first force threshold;

providing a first tactile feedback by controlling actuation of an actuator to simulate depression of a switch in response to determining that the first period of time meets a first time threshold and not providing any tactile feedback when the first period of time does not meet the first time threshold.

26. The method according to claim 25, comprising:

determining when the force meets a second force threshold, after the force meets the first force threshold;

determining a second period of time from the time when the force meets the first force threshold and a time when the force meets the second force threshold;

providing second tactile feedback in response to determining that the second period of time meets a second time threshold and not providing the second tactile feedback for the touch when the second period of time does not meet the second time threshold.