Methods and systems for providing haptic control

• US 8,780,060 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Maschmeyer, Russell, Cameron, Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, VIET DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/938,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20120105333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-173
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/20 with electrical input and mechanical output, e.g. functioning as actuators or vibrators

Abstract

Haptic systems are disclosed which may provide increased resolution in tactile feedback. A tiered haptic system may be formed by stacking of haptic elements. One or more arrays of shape change elements such as, for example, piezoelectric elements may be used to actuate a screen surface. Arrays may also be used to sense tactile interactions and stimuli on a screen surface. An embedded haptic system may be formed by inserting haptic elements into a contoured elastic sheet. The embedded haptic system may provide tactile interactions to a user. In some embodiments, both tiered and embedded haptic arrangements may be used.

Claims

1. A haptic control system comprising:

a substantially rigid substrate;

an elastic screen sheet substantially parallel to the rigid substrate;

a first plurality of shape change elements arranged in a first single layer array substantially parallel to and between the substrate and the elastic screen sheet;

a second plurality of shape change elements arranged in a second single layer array substantially parallel to the first single layer array, wherein the second array is between the first single layer array and the elastic screen sheet;

an intermediate elastic sheet substantially parallel to the rigid substrate, wherein the intermediate elastic sheet is positioned between the first single layer array and the second single layer array; and

control circuitry coupled to the first single layer array and the second single layer array;

wherein;

the first plurality of shape change elements deforms a first region of the elastic screen sheet upon receipt of a first electrical signal; and

the second plurality of shape change elements deforms a second region of the elastic screen sheet upon receipt of a second electrical signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the elastic screen sheet is a display.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the elastic screen sheet comprises a flexible organic light emitting diode display sheet.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the elastic screen sheet comprises at least one control lead, wherein the at least one control lead is coupled to at least one shape change element.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first single layer array and the second single layer array are rigidly affixed to the intermediate elastic sheet.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of shape change elements of the first single layer array are rigidly affixed to at least one of the shape change elements of the second single layer array.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of shape change elements are of a first size and the second plurality of shape change elements are of a second size.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of shape change elements and the second plurality of shape change elements are of substantially the same size.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first plurality of shape change elements and the second plurality of shape change elements comprises a piezoelectric element.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first plurality of shape change elements and the second plurality of shape change elements comprises a shape memory polymer.

11. A haptic control system comprising:

an elastic screen sheet, wherein the elastic screen sheet is substantially flat on a first surface and contains a plurality of sunken reliefs on a second surface, the second surface opposite the first surface;

a substantially rigid substrate substantially parallel to the elastic screen sheet;

a plurality of shape change elements arranged in the sunken reliefs, wherein the shape change elements are positioned between the elastic screen sheet and the substrate; and

control circuitry coupled to the plurality of shape change elements;

wherein;

the plurality of shape change elements are rigidly affixed to the elastic screen sheet; and

the substantially rigid substrate is at least partially affixed to the second surface.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the elastic screen sheet is a display.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of shape change elements comprises piezoelectric element.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the shape change elements of the plurality of shape change elements is of a different size than at least one other shape change element of the plurality of shape change elements.

15. A method for providing haptic feedback using a haptic system that comprises a stack of first and second layers of arrays of shape change elements, an elastic screen sheet positioned above the first and second layers of arrays, and an intermediate elastic sheet positioned between the first and second layers of arrays, the method comprising:

identifying a first shape change element of the first layer and a second shape change element of the second layer to be changed;

determining a first change to be made to a characteristic of the first shape change element and a second change to be made to a characteristic of the second shape change element; and

causing a first control signal to be applied to the first shape change element and a second control signal to be applied to the second shape change element the first control signal and the second control signal corresponding to the first change and the second change, respectively.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying content on the surface of the elastic screen sheet opposite the layers of arrays.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the displaying content further comprises using an image processing technique to adapt the displayed content to a contoured feature of the elastic screen sheet.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are applied at substantially the same time.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the identifying the first and second shape change elements is in response to a particular stimulus, the method further comprising:

storing energy corresponding to the particular stimulus in an energy storage device.