Electronic device including actuator for providing tactile output
First Claim
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1. An electronic device comprising:
- a base;
a membrane coupled to and spaced from the base;
an actuator disposed between the base and the membrane, and spaced from the membrane when the actuator is not actuated;
a controller configured to control actuation of the actuator to cause the actuator to contact the membrane by moving the actuator from a first state in which the actuator is out of contact with the membrane, to a second state in which the actuator is in contact with the membrane,a processor connected to the controller; and
a short-range communication device connected to the processor to communicate with a handheld electronic communication device;
wherein the electronic device is configured to be worn one of at a wrist and near a wrist,wherein the membrane is disposed through an opening in a back of the electronic device such that, when the electronic device is worn, the membrane contacts the skin of the user when the actuator is actuated for tactile output, andwherein the membrane comprises an elastically deformable sheet of plastic.
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Abstract
An electronic device includes a base, a membrane coupled to and spaced from the base, an actuator disposed between the base and the membrane, and spaced from the membrane when the actuator is not actuated, and a controller configured to control actuation of the actuator to cause the actuator to contact the membrane.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An electronic device comprising:
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a base; a membrane coupled to and spaced from the base; an actuator disposed between the base and the membrane, and spaced from the membrane when the actuator is not actuated; a controller configured to control actuation of the actuator to cause the actuator to contact the membrane by moving the actuator from a first state in which the actuator is out of contact with the membrane, to a second state in which the actuator is in contact with the membrane, a processor connected to the controller; and a short-range communication device connected to the processor to communicate with a handheld electronic communication device; wherein the electronic device is configured to be worn one of at a wrist and near a wrist, wherein the membrane is disposed through an opening in a back of the electronic device such that, when the electronic device is worn, the membrane contacts the skin of the user when the actuator is actuated for tactile output, and wherein the membrane comprises an elastically deformable sheet of plastic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of controlling an electronic device, comprising:
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communicating with a handheld electronic communication device via a short-range communication device connected to a processor of the electronic device; detecting an event; actuating an actuator disposed between a base and a membrane, to cause the actuator to move from a first state in which the actuator is out of contact with the membrane, to a second state in which the actuator is in contact with the membrane, to thereby strike the membrane to provide tactile output in response to detecting the event, wherein the electronic device is configured to be worn one of at a wrist and near a wrist, wherein the membrane is disposed through an opening in a back of the electronic device such that, when the electronic device is worn, the membrane contacts the skin of the user when the actuator is actuated for tactile output, and wherein the membrane comprises an elastically deformable sheet of plastic. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification