Dynamic tactile interface

• US 9,372,565 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2014
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tactus Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tactus Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Calub, Ben Guron, del Rosario, Carl, Garcia, Mario, Hammersley, Michael, Rak, Roman, Ray, Curtis, Yairi, Micah, Knapp, Nathan, Ray, Robert Adrian, Miller, Brandon Gregory, Gregory, Kyle, Shimshak, Maxwell Harshorn, Ciesla, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Sternbane, Larry
• Application Number:
  US14/552,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20150205420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• 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 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 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: G09G 2300/04 Structural and physical details of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0404 Matrix technologies

Abstract

The dynamic tactile interface includes: a tactile layer defining a peripheral region and a deformable region adjacent the peripheral region and operable between a retracted setting and an expanded setting; a substrate including an attachment surface and coupled to the peripheral region and defining a fluid conduit adjacent the deformable region and a fluid channel fluidly coupled to the fluid conduit; a border region proximal a periphery of the substrate and defining a cavity configured to receive an instrument, the cavity supporting the instrument in a first configuration and releasing the instrument in a second configuration; and a bladder fluidly coupled to the fluid channel and coupled to the cavity, the instrument compressing a portion of the bladder in the first configuration to displace fluid from the bladder into the fluid channel to transition the deformable region from the retracted setting to the expanded setting.

Claims

1. A dynamic tactile interface comprising:

a tactile layer defining a peripheral region and a deformable region adjacent the peripheral region, the deformable region operable between a retracted setting and an expanded setting, the deformable region tactilely distinguishable from the peripheral region in the expanded setting;

a substrate comprising an attachment surface and coupled to the peripheral region, the substrate defining a fluid conduit adjacent the deformable region and a fluid channel fluidly coupled to the fluid conduit;

a border region proximal a periphery of the substrate, the border region defining a cavity configured to receive an instrument, the cavity supporting the instrument in a first configuration and releasing the instrument in a second configuration; and

a bladder fluidly coupled to the fluid channel and coupled to the cavity, the instrument compressing a portion of the bladder in the first configuration to displace fluid from the bladder into the fluid channel to transition the deformable region from the retracted setting to the expanded setting, the instrument releasing a portion of the bladder in the second configuration,

wherein the border region defines a second cavity configured to receive the instrument, the second cavity supporting the instrument in a third configuration and releasing the instrument in the second configuration;

wherein the tactile layer defines a second deformable region;

wherein the substrate defines a second fluid channel and a second fluid conduit adjacent the second deformable region and fluidly coupled to the second fluid channel;

further comprising a second bladder coupled to the second cavity, the instrument compressing a portion of the second bladder in the third configuration to displace fluid from the second bladder into the second fluid channel to transition the second deformable region from the retracted setting to the expanded setting, the instrument releasing the portion of the second bladder in the second configuration.

2. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1, wherein the deformable region defines a surface substantially flush with the peripheral region in the retracted setting and defines a tactilely distinguishable formation offset above the peripheral region in the expanded setting.

3. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1, wherein the second cavity defines a longitudinal axis substantially corresponding to a longitudinal axis of the first cavity.

4. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1, further comprising a display arranged under the back surface of the substrate and selectively rendering an image of a first virtual keyboard and an image of a second virtual keyboard, the deformable region aligned with a key of the first virtual keyboard and the second deformable region aligned with a key of a second virtual keyboard.

5. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 4, wherein the tactile layer and the substrate comprise a substantially transparent material;

wherein the volume of fluid comprises a substantially transparent fluid of an index of refraction substantially similar to indices of refraction of the substrate and the tactile layer, the volume of fluid, the tactile layer, and the substrate communicating an image rendered by the display.

6. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1, wherein the cavity is configured to receive the instrument and the second cavity is configured to receive a second instrument substantially simultaneously;

wherein the instrument compresses the bladder and the second instrument compresses the second bladder substantially simultaneously to transition the deformable region from the retracted setting to the expanded setting and to transition the second deformable region from the retraced setting to the expanded setting substantially simultaneously.

7. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1, further comprising a touch sensor coupled to the substrate and configured to output a signal corresponding to an input applied to the tactile layer.

8. A dynamic tactile interface comprising:

a tactile layer defining a peripheral region and a deformable region adjacent the peripheral region, the deformable region operable between a retracted setting and an expanded setting, the deformable region tactilely distinguishable from the peripheral region in the expanded setting;

a substrate comprising an attachment surface and coupled to the peripheral region, the substrate defining a fluid conduit adjacent the deformable region and a fluid channel fluidly coupled to the fluid conduit;

a housing supporting the tactile layer and the substrate, configured to engage a computing device, and transiently retaining the substrate and the tactile layer over a surface of the computing device, the housing defining a cavity adjacent the computing device and configured to transiently receive an instrument, the cavity supporting the instrument in a first configuration and releasing the instrument in a second configuration; and

a bladder fluidly coupled to the fluid channel and arranged within the cavity, the instrument compressing a portion of the bladder in the first configuration to displace fluid from the bladder into the fluid channel to transition the deformable region from the retracted setting to the expanded setting, the instrument releasing a portion of the bladder in the first configuration to displace fluid from the fluid channel and transition the deformable region from the expanded setting to the retracted setting,

further comprising a second deformable region adjacent the peripheral region and the deformable region;

wherein the substrate defines a second fluid conduit adjacent the second deformable region and a second fluid channel fluidly coupled to the second fluid conduit and the bladder;

further comprising a valve fluidly coupled to the bladder, the fluid channel, and the second fluid channel, the valve selectively communicating fluid from the bladder to the fluid channel and the second fluid channel to selectively transition the deformable region and the second deformable region;

wherein the cavity defines a first opening and a second opening, the cavity configured to receive the instrument into a first portion of the cavity through the first opening and configured to receive the instrument into a second portion of the cavity opposite the first portion through the second opening, the cavity supporting the bladder between the first portion and the second portion; and

further comprising a first lever and a second lever, the first lever coupled to an inner surface of the first portion and the valve, the instrument engaging the first lever in the first portion of the cavity in the first configuration and actuating the valve to communicate fluid from the bladder to the fluid channel, the second lever coupled to an inner surface of the second portion and the valve, the instrument engaging the second lever in the first portion of the cavity in the first configuration and actuating the valve to communicate fluid from the bladder to the second fluid channel.

9. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 8, wherein the tactile layer comprises a first material of a first modulus of elasticity;

wherein the substrate comprises a second material of a second modulus of elasticity greater than the first modulus of elasticity; and

wherein the bladder comprises a membrane of a third modulus of elasticity greater than the first modulus of elasticity and lower than the second modulus of elasticity.

10. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 9, wherein the cavity is configured to receive the instrument defining an exterior cross-section substantially corresponding to and mating with a cross-section of the cavity, the instrument concentrically arranged within cavity in the first configuration.

11. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 8, further comprising a stop extending from an inner surface of the cavity and proximal the bladder, the stop configured to mate with a surface of the instrument in the first configuration to limit translation of the instrument into the cavity beyond the stop and to define a maximum displacement of fluid from the bladder.

12. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 8, further comprising a via fluidly coupling the fluid channel and the bladder and passing through a back surface of the substrate;

wherein the cavity defines an open end and a closed end opposite the open end, the open end configured to receive the instrument into the cavity;

wherein the bladder comprises an elastomer sheet bonded along a periphery to an inner surface of the cavity between the open end and the closed end, the bladder retaining fluid between the elastomer sheet and the closed end of the cavity coincident the via.

13. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 8, wherein the surface of the computing device comprises a display transiently coupled to a back surface of the substrate and selectively rendering an image of a virtual keyboard, the deformable region aligned with a key of the virtual keyboard.

14. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 8, wherein the bladder comprises an elongated cylindrical tube defining a closed end and an open end, the open end fluidly coupled to the fluid channel and opposite the closed end, the bladder defining an outer diameter;

wherein the cavity defines an internal cross-section substantially corresponding to the outer diameter of the bladder, the bladder arranged concentrically within the cavity.

15. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 8, wherein the surface of the computing device comprises a rear surface of the computing device opposite a display of the computing device;

further comprising a touch sensor coupled to the back surface of the substrate and arranged between the back surface of the substrate and the rear surface of the computing device configured to detect inputs applied to both the tactile layer and coincident the rear surface.

16. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 15, wherein the substrate and the tactile layer comprise a substantially opaque material.

17. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 8, further comprising a cover hinged to an edge of the housing, the cover pivotable about the hinge between a first cover position and a second cover position, the cover substantially flush with the tactile layer in the first cover position, the cover substantially flush with a back surface of the housing opposite the tactile layer in the second cover position;

further comprising a gate transiently coupled to the cavity proximal an opening in the cavity and mechanically coupled to the cover, the cavity configured to receive the instrument through the opening, the gate operable between a closed position and an open position, the gate substantially covering the opening in the cavity in the closed position preventing receipt of the instrument into the cavity in response to the cover in the first cover position, the gate opening the opening of the cavity to receive the instrument into the cavity in response to the cover in the second cover position.