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User interface system and method

  • US 8,947,383 B2
  • Filed: 04/25/2012
  • Issued: 02/03/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A user interface comprising:

  • a substrate comprising an attachment face, a cavity adjacent the attachment face, and a fluid channel fluidly coupled to the cavity;

    a tactile layer comprising a tactile surface and a back surface opposite the tactile surface, the back surface coupled to the attachment face at a first region of the tactile layer, the back surface arranged over the cavity and disconnected from the substrate at a deformable region of the tactile layer;

    a displacement device configured to displace fluid through the fluid channel and into the cavity to transition the deformable region from a retracted setting into an expanded setting, the deformable region defining a first tactile formation in the retracted setting, and the deformable region elevated above the first region and defining a second tactile formation tactilely distinguishable from the first formation in the expanded setting;

    a first conductor arranged over the cavity and supported by the deformable region;

    a second conductor supported by the substrate adjacent the cavity and opposite the first conductor, capacitively coupled to the first conductor, offset from the first conductor by a first distance in the retracted setting, and offset from the first conductor by a second distance greater than the first distance in the expanded setting; and

    a processor detecting an input on the deformable region in response to a change in capacitance between the first conductor and the second conductor.

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