User interface system

• US 9,075,525 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAH, PRIYANK J
• Application Number:
  US13/456,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20120206364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/156, 178/18.01, 178/18.03
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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: H01H 13/85 characterised by tactile feedback features
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/002 Fluid or inflatable keyboards

Abstract

The user interface system of one embodiment of the invention includes a sheet that defines a surface on one side and at least partially defines a first cavity and a second cavity on an opposite side; a fluid network coupled to the first and second cavities; a displacement device coupled to the fluid network that displaces fluid within the fluid network and expands both the first and second cavities concurrently, thereby deforming a first and a second particular region of the surface; and a touch sensor coupled to the sheet and adapted to sense a user touch proximate the first and second particular regions of the surface. The user interface system of another embodiment of the invention includes a displacement device coupled to the fluid network that displaces fluid within the fluid network and selectively expands one of the first and second cavities.

Claims

1. A user interface comprising:

a substrate comprising an attachment face and a plurality of support members continuous with the attachment face, each support member including a fluid channel configured to communicate fluid through the support member, the substrate defining a fluid network fluidly coupled to a portion of the fluid channels;

a tactile layer comprising an outer tactile surface and a back surface opposite the tactile surface, the back surface coupled to the attachment face at an undeformable region of the tactile layer, the back surface adjacent to and disconnected from the support members at a plurality of deformable regions of the tactile layer, each deformable region of a thickness at least as great as a width dimension of a corresponding fluid channel, each support member configured to limit inward deformation of a corresponding deformable region due to a force applied to the tactile surface;

a displacement device configured to displace fluid through the fluid network and toward the back surfaces of a portion of the deformable regions to transition each of the portion of deformable regions from a retracted setting to an expanded setting tactilely distinguishable from the retracted setting at the tactile surface; and

a touch sensor coupled to the substrate and configured to detect a user touch on the tactile surface.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the attachment face and the support members are planar.

3. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the deformable and undeformable regions of the tactile layer are adjacent and of substantially similar thicknesses.

4. The user interface of claim 1, wherein, in the retracted setting, the tactile surface of the deformable regions is flush with the tactile surface of the undeformable region.

5. The user interface of claim 4, wherein, in the expanded setting, the tactile surface of the portion of the deformable regions is elevated above a portion of the tactile surface of the undeformable region.

6. The user interface of claim 1, wherein, in the retracted setting, the back surface of the each deformable region is in contact with the corresponding support member.

7. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising a display coupled to the substrate and configured to visually output an image through the tactile surface.

8. The user interface of claim 7, wherein the display is configured to output the image that is an input key substantially aligned with at least one deformable region.

9. The user interface of claim 7, wherein the display and the touch sensor are physically coextensive.

10. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the displacement device is a pump.

11. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the displacement device is further configured to displace fluid away from the back surface of each of the deformable regions to transition the deformable regions from the expanded setting to the retracted setting.

12. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the displacement device is further configured to selectively transition a portion of the deformable regions between the retracted and expanded settings.

13. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising a valve coupled to the fluid network and configured to selectively direct fluid through a portion of the fluid network.

14. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the substrate further defines a cavity adjacent each support member and configured to communicate fluid between the fluid network and the corresponding fluid channel.

15. The user interface of claim 14, wherein the fluid network comprises a first fluid branch, configured to communicate fluid from the displacement device to a first group of cavities, and a second fluid branch, configured to communicate fluid from the displacement device to a second group of cavities.

16. The user interface of claim 15, wherein the first fluid branch is arranged at a first depth within the substrate and the second fluid branch is arranged at second depth within the substrate.

17. The user interface of claim 15, further comprising a valve coupled to the fluid network between the first fluid branch and the second fluid branch.

18. The user interface of claim 1, wherein a first deformable region is of a first elasticity and a second deformable region is of a second elasticity different than the first elasticity.

19. The user interface of claim 1, wherein a first deformable region is of a first geometry and a second deformable region is of a second geometry different than the first geometry.

20. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising a second displacement device coupled to the fluid network and configured to cooperate with the displacement device to displace fluid through the fluid network.

21. The user interface of claim 1, wherein a first group of deformable regions correspond to the letters of a QWERTY keyboard, and wherein a second group of deformable regions correlate to the numbers of a 0 through 9 of a numeric keypad.

22. The user interface of claim 21, wherein a third group of deformable regions cooperates with the first group of deformable regions to correspond to the letters of a landscape QWERTY keyboard, and wherein the third group of deformable regions cooperates with the second group of deformable regions to correlate to the letters of a portrait QWERTY keyboard.

23. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to interpret a deformation of a deformable region as a force applied to the tactile surface proximal the deformable region.

24. The user interface of claim 23, wherein the processor is further configured to control the displacement device.

25. The user interface of claim 1 incorporated into an electronic device selected from the group consisting of:

an automotive console, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a television, a radio, a desk phone, a mobile phone, a PDA, a personal navigation device, a personal media player, a camera, and a watch.