Methods and devices for selectively controlling and varying surface texture and/or force levels on a mobile device using haptic feedback

• US 9,208,662 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2012
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ruuspakka, Roger M., Kaleas, Dimosthenis, Tartz, Robert S., Wang, Huihui
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US13/423,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20130241718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.1, 340/407.2, 345/156, 345/173, 345/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

Mobile devices having haptic interfaces located on an edge or back of mobile phones for selectively controlling and varying surface texture and/or force levels are provided. The haptic interfaces may allow for haptic interaction with the user of the mobile device when audio or visual feedback is not practical. The haptic interface may be an electro-mechanical system that may include a matrix or array of individually addressable actuators that can convey haptic information through the deformation of a flexible surface or membrane covering the array of individually addressable actuators. The array of “individually addressable” actuators may provide each actuator the ability to be separately addressable or addressable as a group (i.e. two or more) actuators.

Claims

1. A haptic interface for varying surface texture, comprising:

a top surface comprising a flexible membrane;

a bottom surface, parallel to and opposite the top surface;

an array of individually addressable actuators disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface;

a plurality of input sensors located between the top surface and the bottom surface for receiving input information in accordance with a touch of the flexible membrane, wherein the touch of the flexible membrane is adapted to cause at least one of the plurality of input sensors to compress and generate a feedback signal;

wherein each individually addressable actuator in the array of individually addressable actuators is configured to cause a localized deformation of the top surface into a configurable shape based on an incoming signal.

2. The haptic interface of claim 1, wherein the feedback signal and the incoming signal are combined to actuate one or more of the individually addressable actuators in the array of individually addressable actuators to generate a physical pattern on the top surface.

3. The haptic interface of claim 1, wherein the incoming signal is at least one of an audible signal, a visual signal or textual signal.

4. The haptic interface of claim 1, wherein each of the individually addressable actuators in the array of individually addressable actuators comprises a two-way shape memory alloy (SMA) material adapted to deform in accordance with an electric current corresponding to the incoming signal, and to return to a pre-deformed shape in accordance with a turning off of the electric current.

5. The haptic interface of claim 4, wherein each of the individually addressable actuators is in the form of at least one of a wire, a tube or a sheet.

6. The haptic interface of claim 5, wherein a first individually addressable actuator is pre-configured in a compressive configuration and a second individually addressable actuator is pre-configured in a tensile configuration.

7. The haptic interface of claim 6, wherein application of a voltage to the first individually addressable actuator causes the first individually addressable actuator to actuate from the compressive configuration to an expanded configuration causing a localized positive deformation in the flexible membrane.

8. The haptic interface of claim 6, wherein application of a voltage to the second individually addressable actuator causes the second individually addressable actuator to actuate from the tensile configuration to a contracted configuration causing a localized negative deformation in the flexible membrane.

9. The haptic interface of claim 4, wherein each of the individually addressable actuators is in the form of at least one of a wire, a tube, a sheet, or a spring.

10. The haptic interface of claim 9, wherein at least one actuator among the individually addressable actuators is pre-configured in a first un-actuated position such that an application of a voltage to the at least one individually addressable actuator causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to expand to a first actuated position causing a localized positive deformation in the flexible membrane.

11. The haptic interface of claim 10, wherein removal of the voltage to the individually addressable spring causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to return to the first un-actuated position.

12. The haptic interface of claim 9, wherein at least one actuator among the individually addressable actuators is pre-configured in a second un-actuated position such that an application of a voltage to the at least one individually addressable actuator causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to compress to a second actuated position causing a localized negative deformation in the flexible membrane.

13. The haptic interface of claim 12, wherein removal of the voltage to the individually addressable spring causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to return to the second un-actuated position.

14. The haptic interface of claim 1, wherein one or more individually addressable actuators in the array of individually addressable actuators is combined in a group causing the one or more individually addressable actuators in the group to actuate in unison.

15. The haptic interface of claim 1, wherein one or more individually addressable actuators in the array of individually addressable actuators surround a thermoelectric cylinder for cooling the one or more individually addressable actuators.

16. The haptic interface of claim 1, wherein each sensor in the plurality of sensors includes a material located between a lower sensor on the bottom surface and an upper sensor located on the top surface.

17. An interactive mobile device, comprising:

a haptic interface, comprising;

a top surface comprising a flexible membrane;

a bottom surface parallel to and opposite the top surface;

an array of individually addressable actuators disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein each individually addressable actuator in the array of individually addressable actuators is configured to cause a localized deformation of the top surface into a configurable shape based on an incoming signal; and

a plurality of input sensors located between the top surface and the bottom surface for receiving input information in accordance with a touch of the flexible membrane;

a memory device; and

at least one processor coupled to the haptic interface and the memory device, the at least one processor configured to;

receive the incoming signal;

actuate one or more individually addressable actuators in the array of individually addressable actuators to cause the localized deformation of the flexible membrane generating a physical pattern; and

receive at least one feedback signal from the plurality of input sensors in accordance with a touching or deforming of the flexible membrane compressing one or more of the plurality of input sensors.

18. The interactive mobile device of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

combine the at least one feedback signal with the incoming signal; and

adjust the one or more individually addressable actuators in the array of individually addressable actuators based on the at least one feedback, generating a different physical pattern.

19. The interactive mobile device of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

interpret the at least one feedback signal;

convert the at least one feedback signal to an outgoing signal; and

transmit the outgoing signal in the form of an audible, visual or textual signal.

20. The interactive mobile device of claim 17, wherein the incoming signal comprises at least one of an audible signal, a visual signal or textual signal.

21. The interactive mobile device of claim 17, wherein each of the individually addressable actuators in the array of individually addressable actuators comprises a two-way shape memory alloy (SMA) material adapted to deform in accordance with an electric current corresponding to the incoming signal, and to return to a pre-deformed shape in accordance with a turning off of the electric current.

22. The interactive mobile device of claim 21, wherein each of the individually addressable actuators is in the form of at least one of a wire, a tube, a sheet, or a spring.

23. The interactive mobile device of claim 22, wherein at least one of the individually addressable actuators is pre-configured in a first un-actuated position, such that an application of a voltage to the at least one individually addressable actuator causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to expand to a first actuated position causing a localized positive deformation in the flexible membrane.

24. The interactive mobile device of claim 23, wherein removal of the voltage to the at least one individually addressable actuator causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to return to the first un-actuated position.

25. The interactive mobile device of claim 22, wherein at least one of the individually addressable actuators is pre-configured in a second un-actuated position, such that an application of a voltage to the at least one individually addressable actuator causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to compress to a second actuated position causing a localized negative deformation in the flexible membrane.

26. The interactive mobile device of claim 25, wherein removal of the voltage to the at least one individually addressable actuator causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to return to the second un-actuated position.

27. A method operational on an interactive device, comprising:

receiving an incoming signal;

actuating one or more individually addressable actuators in an array of individually addressable actuators to cause a localized deformation of a flexible membrane, generating a first physical pattern; and

receiving one or more feedback signals from one or more input sensors with a touching or deforming of the flexible membrane compressing the one or more input sensors.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

combining the one or more feedback signals with the incoming signal; and

adjusting the one or more individually addressable actuators in the array of individually addressable actuators based on the one or more feedback signals to generate a second physical pattern, the second physical pattern different than the first physical pattern.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

interpreting the one or more feedback signals;

converting the one or more feedback signals to an outgoing signal; and

transmitting the outgoing signal in the form of an audible, visual or textual signal.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the incoming signal is at least one of an audible signal, a visual signal or textual signal.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein each of the individually addressable actuators in the array of individually addressable actuators comprises a two-way shape memory alloy (SMA) material adapted to deform in accordance with an electric current corresponding to the incoming signal, and to return to a pre-deformed shape in accordance with a turning off of the electric current.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein at least one of the individually addressable actuators is in the form of at least one of a wire, a tube, a sheet, or a spring.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein at least one of the individually addressable actuators is pre-configured in a first un-actuated position, such that an application of a voltage to the at least one individually addressable actuator causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to expand to a first actuated position causing a localized positive deformation in the flexible membrane.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein removal of the voltage to the at least one individually addressable actuator causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to return to the first un-actuated position.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein at least one of the individually addressable actuators is pre-configured in a second un-actuated position, such that an application of a voltage to the at least one individually addressable actuator causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to compress to a second actuated position causing a localized negative deformation in the flexible membrane.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein removal of the voltage to the individually addressable spring causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to return to the second un-actuated position.

37. An interactive mobile device, comprising:

means for receiving an incoming signal;

means for actuating one or more individually addressable actuators in an array of individually addressable actuators to cause a localized deformation of a flexible membrane generating a first physical pattern, the array of individually addressable actuators disposed between a top surface having the flexible membrane, and a bottom surface of a haptic interface of the mobile device, and wherein each individually addressable actuator in the array of individually addressable actuators is configured to cause a localized deformation of the top surface into a configurable shape based on the incoming signal; and

means for receiving one or more feedback signals from one or more input sensors with a touching or deforming of the flexible membrane compressing the one or more input sensors, the one or more input sensors located between the top surface and the bottom surface of the haptic interface for receiving input information in accordance with a touch of the flexible membrane.

38. The interactive mobile device of claim 37, further comprising:

means for combining the one or more feedback signals with the incoming signal; and

means for adjusting the one or more individually addressable actuators in the array of individually addressable actuators based on the one or more feedback signals generating a second physical pattern, the second physical pattern different than the first physical pattern.

39. The interactive mobile device of claim 37, further comprising:

means for interpreting the one or more feedback signals;

means for converting the one or more feedback signals to an outgoing signal; and

means for transmitting the outgoing signal in the form of an audible, visual or textual signal.

40. The interactive mobile device of claim 37, wherein each of the individually addressable actuators in the array of individually addressable actuators comprise a two-way shape memory alloy (SMA) material adapted to deform in accordance with an electric current corresponding to the incoming signal, and to return to a pre-deformed shape in accordance with a turning off of the electric current.

41. The interactive mobile device of claim 40, wherein each of the individually addressable actuators is in the form of at least one of a wire, a tube, a sheet, or a spring.

42. The interactive mobile device of claim 40, wherein at least one of the individually addressable actuators is pre-configured in a first un-actuated position, such that an application of a voltage to the at least one individually addressable actuator causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to expand to a first actuated position causing a localized positive deformation in the flexible membrane.

43. The interactive mobile device of claim 42, wherein removal of the voltage to the at least one individually addressable actuator causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to return to the first un-actuated position.

44. The interactive mobile device of claim 40, wherein at least one of the individually addressable actuators is pre-configured in a second un-actuated position, such that an application of a voltage to the at least one individually addressable actuator causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to compress to a second actuated position causing a localized negative deformation in the flexible membrane.

45. The interactive mobile device of claim 44, wherein removal of the voltage to the at least one individually addressable actuator causes the at least one individually addressable actuator to return to the second un-actuated position.