User interface system

• US 9,477,308 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2015
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• 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., Saal, Nathaniel Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Schneider, Craig
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trinidad-Borges, Josephine
• Application Number:
  US14/691,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20150227205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/156, 715/702, 434/114
• 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 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display

Abstract

A user interface system including a sheet that defines a surface and at least partially defines a first level fluid vessel arranged at a first level within the sheet and a second level fluid vessel arranged at a second level within the sheet, wherein both the first and second level fluid vessels are arranged underneath the surface; a first volume of fluid contained within the first level fluid vessel; a second volume of fluid contained within the second level fluid vessel; and a displacement device coupled to the first and second level fluid vessels that selectively manipulates the first and second volumes of fluid, thereby deforming a particular region of the surface to a first and second stage, respectively or deforming a first particular region and a second particular region of the surface, respectively.

Claims

1. A user interface system comprising:

a layer defining a surface and an attachment surface and comprising a deformable portion;

a first substrate comprising a particular portion, defining a first fluid vessel, and coupled to the layer at the attachment surface, the deformable portion of the layer and the first substrate cooperating to define a first cavity at a first depth from the surface and fluidly coupled to the first fluid vessel;

a second substrate coupled to the first substrate and defining a second fluid vessel, the first substrate and the second substrate cooperating with the particular portion of the first substrate to define a second cavity at a second depth from the surface and fluidly coupled to the second fluid vessel; and

a displacement device fluidly coupled to the first fluid vessel and the second fluid vessel, selectively manipulating fluid in the first fluid vessel into the first cavity to transition the deformable portion of the layer from a retracted setting to an expanded setting tactilely distinguishable from the surface, and selectively manipulating fluid in the second fluid vessel into the second cavity to deform the particular portion and the deformable portion from the retracted setting to a second expanded setting.

2. The user interface system of claim 1, further comprising a support structure arranged below the layer and supporting the layer against inward deformation of the deformable portion into the first cavity.

3. The user interface system of claim 1, further comprising a support structure arranged in the second cavity and supporting the first substrate against inward deformation into the second cavity.

4. The user interface system of claim 3, wherein the second substrate is arranged underneath the first substrate and the second cavity is substantially aligned with the first cavity.

5. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the displacement device includes a first displacement device that manipulates the fluid in the first fluid vessel and a second displacement device that manipulates the fluid in the second fluid vessel.

6. The user interface system of claim 1, further comprising a valve that directs fluid within the first fluid vessel and the second fluid vessel that cooperates with the displacement device to manipulate the fluid within the first and second fluid vessels.

7. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the displacement device manipulates a first volume of fluid to expand at least a portion of a first level fluid vessel to deform the particular region of the surface to a first stage, and manipulates a second volume of fluid to expand at least a portion of a second level fluid vessel to deform a particular region of the surface to a second stage.

8. A user interface system comprising:

a layer defining a surface and an attachment surface and comprising a deformable portion;

a first substrate defining a first fluid vessel and coupled to the layer at the attachment surface, the deformable portion of the layer and the first substrate cooperating to define a first cavity at a first depth from the surface and fluidly coupled to the first fluid vessel;

a second substrate coupled to the first substrate and defining a second fluid vessel and a second cavity fluidly coupled to the second fluid vessel, the second substrate at a second depth from the surface; and

a displacement device fluidly coupled to the first fluid vessel and the second fluid vessel, selectively manipulating fluid in the first fluid vessel into the first cavity to transition the deformable portion of the layer from a retracted setting to an expanded setting tactilely distinguishable from the surface, and selectively manipulating fluid in the second fluid vessel into the second cavity to deform the first substrate and the deformable portion.

9. The user interface system of claim 8, further comprising a second layer arranged in between the first and second substrates.

10. The user interface system of claim 9, wherein the second layer comprises a second deformable portion;

further comprising a support structure arranged in the second cavity and supporting the second layer against inward deformation into the second cavity;

wherein the displacement device displaces fluid into the second cavity to expand the second deformable portion of the second layer into the first cavity in an expanded state, the second deformable portion defining a support structure in the expanded state supporting the deformable portion of the first layer against inward deformation into the first cavity.

11. The user interface system of claim 9, wherein the second substrate is arranged underneath the first substrate and the second cavity is horizontally offset from the first cavity.

12. The user interface system of claim 11, wherein the displacement device displaces fluid into the first cavity to deform the deformable portion of the layer to a first height offset above the surface and displaces fluid into the second cavity to deform the deformable portion of the layer and the first substrate to a second height above the surface greater than the first height.

13. The user interface system of claim 9, wherein the second substrate is less pliable than a material of the first substrate and wherein the layer is more pliable than the first substrate and the second substrate.

14. The user interface system of claim 9, further comprising a display rendering a first image substantially aligned with the first cavity and a second image substantially aligned with the second cavity.

15. The user interface system of claim 9, further comprising a sensor coupled to the second substrate and outputting a signal in response to an input at the layer proximal the deformable portion.

16. The user interface system of claim 9, wherein the first substrate is of a first thickness and the second substrate is of a second thickness greater than the first thickness.

17. The user interface system of claim 16, wherein the displacement device manipulates fluid in the first cavity and the first fluid vessel at a first pressure and manipulates fluid in the second cavity and the second fluid vessel at a second pressure greater than the first pressure.

18. The user interface system of claim 9, wherein the first fluid vessel and the second fluid vessel are arranged along substantially the same plane and substantially aligned.

19. A user interface system comprising:

a layer defining a surface and an attachment surface and comprising a deformable portion;

a first substrate comprising a particular portion, defining a first fluid vessel, and coupled to the layer at the attachment surface, the deformable portion of the layer and the first substrate cooperating to define a first cavity at a first depth from the surface and fluidly coupled to the first fluid vessel;

a second substrate coupled to the first substrate and defining a second fluid vessel, the first substrate and the second substrate cooperating with the particular portion of the first substrate to define a second cavity at a second depth from the surface and fluidly coupled to the second fluid vessel, the second cavity substantially horizontally offset from the first cavity;

a displacement device fluidly coupled to the first fluid vessel and the second fluid vessel and displacing fluid into the first cavity to transition the deformable portion of the layer from a retracted setting to an expanded setting tactilely distinguishable from the surface, and selectively manipulating fluid in the second fluid vessel into the second cavity to deform the particular portion and the deformable portion from the retracted setting to a second expanded setting.

20. The user interface system of claim 19, further comprising a support structure arranged below the layer and supporting the layer against inward deformation of the particular region into the first cavity.

21. The user interface system of claim 19, further comprising a support structure arranged in the second cavity and supporting the first substrate against inward deformation into the second cavity.