Localized key-click feedback

• US 9,448,628 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2013
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Tan, Hong Z., Ma, Zhaoyuan, Zhao, Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGHERTY, THOMAS M
• Application Number:
  US13/894,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20140340208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 310/311, 310/328, 310/339
• 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: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/85 characterised by tactile feedback features
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2057/006 Micromechanical piezoelectric relay
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/00 Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/052 piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 57/00 Electrostrictive relays; Piezoelectric relays

Abstract

Disclosed herein are techniques and systems for providing simulated, haptic feedback that is local to physical, non-actuating keys of a keyboard. A keyboard includes a plurality of non-actuating keys defined in a cover portion of the keyboard, a plurality of force-producing mechanisms coupled to a substrate underneath and adjacent the cover portion. The force-producing mechanisms may be positioned on suspended portions of the substrate that are mechanically isolated and arranged on the substrate to substantially correspond to a layout of the plurality of non-actuating keys. The force-producing mechanisms may be individually actuated to deflect the suspended portions of the substrate underneath the cover portion to create a tactile sensation for a user'"'"'s finger that is local to a particular key. In some embodiments, the force-producing mechanisms are piezoelectric actuators.

Claims

1. A keyboard comprising:

a plurality of keys defined on a cover portion of the keyboard and configured to receive tactile input, the plurality of keys being physical, non-actuating keys;

a first substrate underneath the cover portion comprising a plurality of suspended portions arranged on the first substrate to substantially correspond to a layout of the plurality of keys, individual suspended portions of the plurality of suspended portions being suspended from the first substrate by multiple connection points;

a plurality of force-producing mechanisms underneath the first substrate and coupled to the first substrate at one or more of the plurality of suspended portions; and

a second substrate underneath the plurality of force-producing mechanisms, the second substrate being electrically conductive and comprising a plurality of upwardly-biased strips, an upwardly-biased strip of the plurality of upwardly-biased strips being configured to maintain contact with a force-producing mechanism of the plurality of force-producing mechanisms and provide a drive signal to the force-producing mechanism to actuate the force-producing mechanism and deflect a suspended portion of the plurality of suspended portions.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the first substrate is adjacent to the cover portion.

3. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the individual suspended portions are defined by a ring-shaped aperture in the first substrate, a continuity of the ring-shaped aperture being interrupted by the multiple connection points.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the multiple connection points comprise at least three connection points.

5. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality of force-producing mechanisms comprise piezoelectric actuators.

6. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein the first substrate is electrically conductive, and the piezoelectric actuators are coupled to the first substrate with electrically conductive adhesive.

7. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the upwardly-biased strip is configured to provide the drive signal to the force-producing mechanism in response to detecting a key-press event.

8. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the first substrate is electrically conductive, the keyboard further comprising an insulating layer between the first substrate and the second substrate, the insulating layer comprising a plurality of holes to facilitate interfacing between the plurality of force-producing mechanisms and the first and second substrates.

9. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein the piezoelectric actuators comprise ceramic discs.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a cover portion;

a plurality of keys physically defined on the cover portion and configured to receive tactile input, the plurality of keys being non-actuating;

a first substrate adjacent and underneath the cover portion, the first substrate comprising one or more suspended portions positioned underneath one or more keys of the plurality of keys;

a second substrate underneath the first substrate, the second substrate being electrically conductive and comprising one or more upwardly-biased strips; and

one or more force-producing mechanisms positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate and coupled to the one or more suspended portions, an upwardly-biased strip of the one or more upwardly-biased strips being configured to maintain contact with a force-producing mechanism of the one or more force-producing mechanisms and provide a drive signal to the force-producing mechanism to actuate the force-producing mechanism and deflect a suspended portion of the one or more suspended portions.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the drive signal is provided in response to a key-press registered for a key of the plurality of keys that is associated with the force-producing mechanism.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein individual suspended portions of the one or more suspended portions are suspended within the first substrate by multiple connection points circumferentially spaced across a ring-shaped aperture.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the one or more force-producing mechanisms comprise piezoelectric actuators.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the first substrate comprises an electrically conductive material.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the piezoelectric actuators are coupled to the first substrate with electrically conductive adhesive.

16. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the multiple connection points comprise at least three connection points.

17. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the multiple connection points are equidistant.

18. A method comprising:

detecting a key-press at a key of a plurality of keys configured to receive tactile input, the plurality of keys being non-actuating and physically defined on a cover portion of a keyboard; and

at least partially in response to the detecting the key-press, providing, via an upwardly-biased strip on a first substrate that is electrically conductive and positioned underneath the cover portion, a drive signal to a force-producing mechanism in contact with the upwardly-biased strip and coupled to a suspended portion of a second substrate that is positioned between the first substrate and the cover portion, the drive signal causing actuation of the force-producing mechanism and deflection of the suspended portion underneath the key.

19. A method of claim 18, wherein the key-press is detected by a pressure sensor.

20. A method of claim 18, wherein providing the drive signal comprises providing a drive voltage signal via a conductive trace included in the first substrate.