User interface system

• US 8,922,503 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tactus Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tactus Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Ciesla, Craig Michael, Yairi, Micah B., Saal, Nathaniel Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): MARINELLI, PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US12/975,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20110157080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 345/104, 178 1801- 2004
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• 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 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting

Abstract

Disclosed is a user interface system that includes a sheet that defines a surface and at least partially defines a fluid vessel arranged underneath the surface, a volume of fluid within the fluid vessel, a displacement device that influences the volume of the fluid within the fluid vessel to expand and contract at least a portion of the fluid vessel, thereby deforming a particular region of the surface, and a sensor system that is configured to receive a user input on the surface with a first sensitivity and configured to receive a user input substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface at with second sensitivity higher than the first sensitivity.

Claims

1. A user interface system, comprising:

a sheet that defines a surface and a fluid vessel arranged underneath the surface;

a volume of fluid arranged within the fluid vessel;

a displacement device influencing the volume of fluid to expand the fluid vessel into an expanded volume setting and to contract the fluid vessel into a retracted volume setting, a particular region of the surface adjacent the fluid vessel raised above an adjacent region of the surface in the expanded volume setting; and

a sensor system comprising a first sensor portion and a second sensor portion, the first sensor portion operating at a first sensitivity to receive an input on the surface at a first sensitivity, and the second sensor portion arranged proximal the particular region and increasing a sensitivity of the first sensor portion up to a second sensitivity to detect an input on the surface substantially proximal the particular region, the second sensitivity greater than the first sensitivity.

2. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor portion operates at the first sensitivity defining a first location sensitivity, and wherein the second sensor portion cooperates with the first sensor portion to operate at the second sensitivity defining a second location sensitivity greater than the first location sensitivity.

3. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor portion operates at the first sensitivity to a height of the surface at the particular region, and wherein the second sensor portion cooperates with the first sensor portion to operate at the second sensitivity to the height of the surface at the particular region greater than the first sensitivity.

4. The user interface system of claim 1, further comprising a display coupled to the sheet and outputting images through the sheet.

5. The user interface system of claim 4, wherein the sensor system cooperates with the volume of fluid and the sheet to transmit an image through the sheet without substantial optical obstruction.

6. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor portion operates substantially independently of the first sensor portion to detect an input on the surface.

7. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the sensor system comprises a capacitive sensor system, wherein the first sensor portion comprises a first conductor that detects an input on the surface at the first sensitivity, and wherein the second sensor portion comprises a second conductor located substantially proximal the particular region and cooperates with the first conductor to detect an input on the particular region of the surface at the second sensitivity.

8. The user interface system of claim 7, wherein the displacement device influences the volume of fluid within the fluid vessel to deform a set of particular regions of the surface, and wherein the second sensor portion comprises a discrete conductor located substantially proximal each particular region in the set of the particular regions and detecting inputs provided at each particular region in the set of particular regions at the second sensitivity.

9. The user interface system of claim 7, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor emit a first electric field and a second electric field, respectively, and wherein the sensor system detects fluctuations in the first electric field and the second electric field to detect an input on the surface.

10. The user interface system of claim 9, wherein the first conductor emits the first electric field configured to fluctuate in the presence of a finger.

11. The user interface system of claim 9, wherein the second sensor portion further comprises a third conductor arranged substantially proximal the particular region of the surface, and wherein the second conductor and the third conductor cooperate to emit the second electric field that fluctuates with a change in distance between the second conductor and the third conductor as an input is applied to the surface substantially proximal the particular region.

12. The user interface system of claim 11, wherein the second conductor and the third conductor are arranged within the fluid vessel substantially proximal the particular region of the surface.

13. The user interface system of claim 9, wherein the second sensor portion comprises a set of conductors emitting a greater number of detectable electric field fluctuations than the first sensor portion.

14. The user interface system of claim 13, further comprising a processor that distinguishes between electric field fluctuations in the second sensor portion and determines the location of an input on the surface relative to the particular region based on electric field fluctuations in the second sensor portion.

15. The user interface system of claim 9, further comprising a processor that distinguishes between a fluctuation in the first electric field and a fluctuation in the second electric field, and wherein the processor is configured to determine a location of an input on the surface based on the fluctuation in the first electric field relative to the fluctuation in the second electric field.

16. The user interface system of claim 9, wherein the first conductor emits the first electric field at a first frequency, and wherein the second conductor emits the second electric field at a second frequency different from the first frequency.

17. The user interface system of claim 1, further comprising a processor that detects a touch on the surface and interprets the touch.

18. The user interface system of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to detect an input at the second sensitivity when the fluid vessel is in the expanded volume setting.

19. The user interface system of claim 18, wherein the processor activates the second sensitivity of the sensor system.

20. The user interface system of claim 17, wherein the processor applies substantially equal weight to an input on the particular region of the surface and an input received substantially concurrently at a second region of the surface in a first mode, and wherein the processor prioritizes an input received at the particular region of the surface over an input received substantially concurrently at the second region of the surface in a second mode.

21. The user interface system of claim 20, wherein the processor operates in the second mode when the fluid vessel is in the expanded volume setting.

22. A method for receiving a user input, comprising:

providing a tactile interface layer defining a surface, comprising a volume of fluid, and comprising a displacement device that manipulates the volume of fluid to deform a particular region of the surface into a tactilely distinguishable formation over a second region of the surface adjacent the particular region;

providing a capacitive sensor system comprising a first set of conductors and a second set of conductors that emit an electromagnetic field proximal the surface, the first set of conductors arranged in a first density adjacent the particular region, the second set of conductors arranged in a second density adjacent the second region, the second density greater than the first density;

configuring the capacitive sensor system to detect an input on the surface at a first sensitivity with the first set of conductors; and

configuring the capacitive sensor system to detect an input on the surface substantially proximal the particular region with the second set of conductors at a second sensitivity, the second sensitivity greater than the first sensitivity.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein configuring the capacitive sensor system to detect an input at the first sensitivity and at the second sensitivity comprises configuring the capacitive sensor system to detect multiple substantially concurrent inputs on the surface at the first sensitivity and at the second sensitivity.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising prioritizing an input detected substantially proximal the particular region of the surface over an input substantially concurrently detected at another region of the surface.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein prioritizing an input detected substantially proximal the particular region of the surface comprises prioritizing an input detected substantially proximal the particular region of the surface when the particular region of the surface is deformed into the tactilely distinguishable formation over the second region of the surface.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of providing the capacitive sensor system comprises detecting a fluctuation in the electric field to detect an input on the surface.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein providing the capacitive sensor system comprises emitting a first electric field with the first set of conductors, emitting a second electric field substantially distinguishable from the first electric field with the second set of conductors, and detecting a location of an input on the surface based on detected fluctuations in the first electric field and the second electric field.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein emitting the first electric field and emitting the second electric field comprise emitting the first electric field at a first frequency and emitting the second electric field at a second frequency.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein configuring the capacitive sensor to detect an input substantially proximal the particular region of the surface at the second sensitivity comprises arranging the volume of fluid within the tactile interface layer to manipulate the electromagnetic field of the second set of conductors to increase sensitivity of the second set of conductors substantially proximal the particular region of the surface.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein configuring the capacitive sensor to detect an input substantially proximal the particular region of the surface at the second sensitivity comprises arranging a particular conductor in the second set of conductors substantially proximal the particular region of the surface, the particular conductors detecting an input substantially proximal the particular region of the surface at the second sensitivity.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein arranging the particular conductor substantially proximal the particular region comprises arranging a first conductor and a second conductor within the second set of conductors substantially proximal the particular region, a distance between the first conductor and the second conductor changing in response to an input on the particular region of the surface, and further comprising detecting an input on the surface proximal the particular region based on a change in the distance between the first conductor and the second conductor.