Thermal haptic alert notification

• US 9,672,702 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2016
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Porcella, John A., Coish, Robert L., Camp, John S., Nekimken, Kyle J., Damianakis, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US15/091,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20170084137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 3404071, 3404072
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations

Abstract

This application relates to computing devices that can incorporate thermal haptic feedback devices for providing feedback in the form of a temperature change. The thermal haptic feedback device can be incorporated into a watch, and a portion of the watch can change temperature when a notification is to be provided to a user. The thermal haptic feedback device can also be incorporated into a surface of a mobile phone and allow a user to receive notifications regarding incoming calls and messages using a temperature change of the surface. The thermal haptic feedback device can also change temperature based on information received from external computing devices.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a housing configured to support a logic circuit;

a power supply configured to power the logic circuit; and

a thermal haptic feedback (THF) device connected to the logic circuit, wherein the THF device is configured to change temperature based on a signal received from the logic circuit, wherein the computing device is a watch that includes a strap, wherein the THF device is incorporated into the strap and is configured to change a temperature of the strap, wherein the THF device includes an array of thermoelectric elements disposed within the strap, and wherein the signal is configured to cause each thermoelectric element of the array of thermoelectric elements to activate at different times.

2. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless transmitter configured to connect to an external computing device, wherein the logic circuit is configured to control the THF device based on data received from the external computing device.

3. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising a spacer within the strap, wherein the spacer is interposed between at least two thermoelectric elements of the array of thermoelectric elements.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the THF device is a peltier device and the signal is a voltage signal.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the THF device is a resistive heating element.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein each thermoelectric element of the array of thermoelectric elements is configured to activate at different times in response to a wireless signal from an external computing device.

7. A system comprising:

a thermal haptic feedback device comprising an array of thermoelectric elements;

a logic circuit configured to control an activation of each thermoelectric element of the array of thermoelectric elements according to a predetermined pattern; and

a watch body and a watch strap connected to the watch body, wherein the array of thermoelectric elements are disposed across a length of the watch strap, and wherein the predetermined pattern is configured to cause sections of the watch strap to sequentially change temperature.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the array of thermoelectric elements includes resistive heating elements.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the array of thermoelectric elements includes a device that operates according to the peltier effect.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the sections of the watch strap sequentially change temperature in response to a signal from an external computing device.

11. A method for operating a thermal haptic feedback (THF) device connected to a computing device, the method comprising:

by a logic circuit of the computing device;

determining that feedback is to be provided by the computing device;

generating a feedback signal for the THF device; and

causing the THF device to change temperature based on the feedback signal, wherein the feedback signal is configured to cause the THF device to periodically turn off and on according to a predetermined pattern.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a signal from an external computing device, wherein the feedback signal is based on the signal from the external computing device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the THF device is incorporated into a housing of the computing device and the feedback signal causes an edge of the housing to gradually change temperature.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the computing device is a watch that includes a strap, and wherein causing the THF device to change temperature comprises gradually changing the temperature from a first point on the strap to a second point on the strap.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the THF device is a resistive heating element that extends from the first point on the strap to the second point on the strap.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the THF device periodically turns off and on according to a predetermined pattern in response to a wireless signal from an external computing device, and wherein the logic circuit generates the feedback signal in response to the wireless signal.