User interface system
First Claim
1. A user interface comprising:
- a substrate comprising an attachment surface and defining a fluid channel adjacent the attachment surface;
a tactile layer comprising an input region and a particular region, the input region attached to the substrate at the attachment surface, the particular region adjacent the input region, disconnected from the substrate, and substantially enclosing the fluid channel, the tactile layer defining a tactile surface opposite the substrate;
a displacement device configured to displace fluid through the fluid channel to transition the particular region between a retracted setting and an expanded setting, the tactile surface flush across the input region and the particular region in the retracted setting and the tactile surface at the particular region offset from the tactile surface at the input region to define a guide along an edge of the input region in the expanded setting;
a sensor coupled to the substrate and configured to detect inputs on the tactile surface; and
a processor electrically coupled to the sensor and configured to respond to an input at the input region and to disregard an input at the particular region in response to the particular region in the expanded setting.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The user interface system of the preferred embodiment includes: a layer defining a surface, a substrate supporting the layer and at least partially defining a cavity, a displacement device coupled to the cavity and adapted to expand the cavity thereby deforming a particular region of the surface, a touch sensor coupled to the substrate and adapted to sense a user touch proximate the particular region of the surface, and a display coupled to the substrate and adapted to output images to the user. The user interface system of the preferred embodiments has been specifically designed to be incorporated into an electronic device, such as the display of a mobile phone, but may be incorporated in any suitable device that interfaces with a user in both a visual and tactile manner.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A user interface comprising:
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a substrate comprising an attachment surface and defining a fluid channel adjacent the attachment surface; a tactile layer comprising an input region and a particular region, the input region attached to the substrate at the attachment surface, the particular region adjacent the input region, disconnected from the substrate, and substantially enclosing the fluid channel, the tactile layer defining a tactile surface opposite the substrate; a displacement device configured to displace fluid through the fluid channel to transition the particular region between a retracted setting and an expanded setting, the tactile surface flush across the input region and the particular region in the retracted setting and the tactile surface at the particular region offset from the tactile surface at the input region to define a guide along an edge of the input region in the expanded setting; a sensor coupled to the substrate and configured to detect inputs on the tactile surface; and a processor electrically coupled to the sensor and configured to respond to an input at the input region and to disregard an input at the particular region in response to the particular region in the expanded setting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A user interface comprising:
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a substrate comprising an attachment surface and defining a fluid channel adjacent the attachment surface; a tactile layer comprising an input region and a particular region, the input region attached to the substrate at the attachment surface, the particular region adjacent the input region, disconnected from the substrate, and substantially enclosing the fluid channel, the tactile layer defining a tactile surface opposite the substrate; a displacement device configured to displace fluid through the fluid channel to transition the particular region between a retracted setting and an expanded setting, the tactile surface flush across the input region and the particular region in the retracted setting and the tactile surface at the particular region offset from the tactile surface at the input region to define a guide along an edge of the input region in the expanded setting; a sensor system coupled to the substrate, configured to detect inputs on the tactile surface at the input region and at the particular region in the retracted setting, and to detect inputs on the tactile surface at the input region and to disregard inputs on the tactile surface at the particular region in the expanded setting. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification