Touch interface device and methods for applying controllable shear forces to a human appendage

• US 9,811,194 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2015
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northwestern University
• Original Assignee: Northwestern University
• Inventors: Peshkin, Michael A., Colgate, J. Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sarma, Abhishek
• Application Number:
  US14/734,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20150301673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04113 Peripheral electrode pattern in resistive digitisers, i.e. electrodes at the periphery of the resistive sheet are shaped in patterns enhancing linearity of induced field
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A touch interface device including a touch surface, a sensor, one or more actuators, and a plurality of electrodes is disclosed. The sensor measures a plurality of locations when the touch surface is touched by a plurality of appendages of an operator. The one or more actuators are coupled with the touch surface and move the touch surface in a swirling motion. The electrodes are disposed below the touch surface. An electronic controller controls voltage on the electrodes and the voltage of each electrode is changeable over a portion of the swirling motion causing a change in electrostatic force acting in a direction normal to the touch surface on each of the plurality of appendages that touch the touch surface near the electrodes, and wherein distinct persistent shear force is applied to each of the respective plurality of appendages.

Claims

1. A touch interface device comprising:

a touch surface;

a sensor that measures a plurality of locations when the touch surface is touched by a plurality of appendages of an operator;

one or more actuators coupled with the touch surface that move the touch surface in a swirling motion;

a plurality of electrodes disposed below the touch surface and an insulating layer on the electrodes;

an electronic controller that controls voltage on the electrodes;

wherein an electrostatic normal force acts on each of the plurality of appendages, the electrostatic normal force being controlled by adjusting the voltage applied to each of the plurality of appendages by each electrode lying beneath the appendage,

wherein the electrostatic normal force generated by the voltage applied to each of the plurality of appendages is synchronized with the swirling motion by basing a frequency of the swirling motion on the frequency of application of the electrostatic normal force such that a distinct persistent shear force is simultaneously applied to each of the respective plurality of appendages.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the swirling motion is elliptical.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the swirling motion is non-circular.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein a change in an electrostatic force is an increase.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the persistent shear forces acts in a different direction.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor uses capacitive sensing.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor uses optical sensing.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuator is piezoelectric.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuator is electromagnetic.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein, the swirling motion occurs at a frequency that is above the bandwidth of tactile perception.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the swirling motion occurs at an ultrasonic frequency.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the swirling motion occurs at a frequency of at least 1 kHz.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein a reaction plate is coupled to the actuator.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a resonant system.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes form a lattice pattern.