Tactile feedback in an electronic device

• US 8,754,759 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2013
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony, Zadesky, Stephen P., Lindahl, Aram, Guetta, Anthony, Hodge, Andrew B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/784,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20130201010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.2, 340/686.1, 340/815.48, 340/815.47, 340/815.6, 340/407.1
• US Class Current: 340/407.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication

Abstract

An electronic device for providing tactile feedback is provided. The electronic device may provide tactile feedback using any suitable approach, including for example vibration, heat, electrical, visual, or any other type of feedback. The electronic device may provide tactile feedback in response to detecting any particular status of the electronic device, receiving any particular input, or detecting any suitable communication received by the electronic device. For example, the electronic device may provide tactile feedback in response to identifying the current network of the device, the status of a particular electronic device component, or any other electronic device status; in response to receiving a particular type of communication or in response to receiving a communication from a particular contact; or in response to receiving a particular user input or to detecting a user'"'"'s finger on a particular portion of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for providing feedback to a user of an electronic device, the method comprising:

performing with the electronic device a communications operation between the electronic device and at least one other device;

during the performing, identifying with the electronic device a current status of the ongoing communications operation; and

in response to the identifying, providing with the electronic device a tactile feedback that is associated with the identified current status.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the current status comprises the current duration of the ongoing communications operation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the current status comprises identifying that the ongoing communications operation has reached a particular duration.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the current status comprises the cost of the ongoing communications operation to the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the current status comprises the electronic device accessing a secure website.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the current status comprises the electronic device leaving a secure website.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the current status comprises one of:

the electronic device moving the ongoing communications operation from a roaming mode to a non-roaming mode; and

the electronic device moving the ongoing communications operation from a non-roaming mode to a roaming mode.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the current status comprises the electronic device moving the ongoing communications operation from a first communications network to a second communications network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the current status comprises the amount of data communicated by the ongoing communications operation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the ongoing communications operation comprises at least one of receiving data with the electronic device, sending data with the electronic device, and conducting a telephone call with the electronic device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the tactile feedback comprises at least one of changing the temperature of the electronic device and providing an electrical charge to the user.

12. A method for providing feedback to a user of an electronic device, the method comprising:

identifying with the electronic device a current status of the electronic device; and

in response to the identifying, providing with the electronic device a tactile feedback that is associated with the identified current status, wherein the providing the tactile feedback comprises at least one of;

changing the temperature of the electronic device; and

providing an electrical charge to the user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the current status comprises the current status of at least one electronic resource of a plurality of electronic resources of the electronic device; and

the plurality of electronic resources comprises;

a processor of the electronic device;

memory of the electronic device;

a bus of the electronic device; and

a power supply of the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining whether the identified current status exceeds a minimum floor associated with the at least one electronic resource, wherein the providing the tactile feedback comprises providing the tactile feedback in response to determining that the identified current status does not exceed the minimum floor associated with the at least one electronic resource.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the providing the tactile feedback comprises changing the temperature of the electronic device; and

the changing the temperature of the electronic device comprises changing the temperature of at least a portion of the external surface of the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the providing the tactile feedback comprises providing the electrical charge to the user; and

the providing the electrical charge to the user comprises closing a circuit of the electronic device with a hand of the user.

17. A method for providing feedback to a user of an electronic device, the method comprising:

performing with the electronic device a communications operation between the electronic device and at least one other device;

during the performing, monitoring a current status of the ongoing communications operation;

when the monitored current status is a first current status, providing with the electronic device a first tactile feedback that is associated with the first current status; and

when the monitored current status is a second current status, providing with the electronic device a second tactile feedback that is associated with the second current status.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the current status comprises the current duration of duration of the ongoing communications operation;

the first current status comprises a first duration; and

the second current status comprises a second duration.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the second tactile feedback is different from the first tactile feedback; and

the second duration is different from the first duration.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the second tactile feedback is more pronounced than the first tactile feedback; and

the second duration is longer than the first duration.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the current status comprises the current amount of data that has already been communicated by the ongoing communications operation.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the ongoing communications operation comprises at least one of receiving data with the electronic device, sending data with the electronic device, and conducting a telephone call with the electronic device.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first tactile feedback and the second tactile feedback comprises at least one of changing the temperature of the electronic device and providing an electrical charge to the user.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the first tactile feedback is different than the second tactile feedback.

25. A method for providing feedback to a user of an electronic device, the method comprising:

determining with the electronic device when the electronic device changes between a roaming mode of a communications network and a non-roaming mode of the communications network; and

in response to the determining, providing with the electronic device a tactile feedback that is associated with the change.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein:

the tactile feedback comprises a first tactile feedback when the determining comprises determining a change from the roaming mode to the non-roaming mode;

the tactile feedback comprises a second tactile feedback when the determining comprises determining a change from the non-roaming mode to the roaming mode; and

the first tactile feedback is different from the second tactile feedback.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the tactile feedback comprises at least one of changing the temperature of the electronic device and providing an electrical charge to the user.