Passive stiffness and active deformation haptic output devices for flexible displays

• US 9,971,409 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2016
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Modarres, Ali, Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Haley, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US15/196,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20160306427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• 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 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A system includes a flexible display configured to display an image and a sensor connected to the flexible display. The sensor is configured to sense an amount of flexure of the flexible display. A haptic output device is connected to the flexible display and is configured to change a resistance to movement of a first portion of the flexible display relative to a second portion of the flexible display upon receipt of a haptic control signal. The system includes a processor in signal communication with the flexible display, the sensor and the haptic output device. The processor is configured to receive an output signal from the sensor based on the amount of flexure and generate the haptic control signal based on the output signal from the sensor.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a flexible display;

a sensor connected to the flexible display, the sensor configured to sense an amount of flexure of the flexible display and transmit an output signal associated with the amount of flexure;

a haptic output device connected to the flexible display, the haptic output device configured to resist a movement of a first portion of the flexible display relative to a second portion of the flexible display in response to a haptic control signal;

a processor in signal communication with the flexible display, the sensor and the haptic output device; and

a memory on which instructions executable by the processor are stored to cause the processor to;

receive the output signal from the sensor;

determine a haptic effect to resist the flexure of the flexible display with an amount of resistance that is based on the output signal from the sensor;

generate the haptic control signal based on the haptic effect; and

transmit the haptic control signal to the haptic output device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to:

cause the haptic output device to change a stiffness of a hinge formed between the first portion and the second portion of the flexible display in response to at least one of the two portions being moved towards the other of the two portions.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to:

cause the haptic output device to lock the hinge in response to the first portion and the second portion being separated by a predetermined amount of space so that the two portions cannot move relative to each other.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to:

determine a haptic effect to assist with the flexure of the flexible display in response to the output signal from the sensor indicating that the flexible display has been flexed.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to:

determine the haptic effect to resist the flexure of the flexible display in response to the output signal from the sensor indicating that the flexible display has been flexed.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the haptic output device comprises a smart gel and an activation element constructed and arranged to change a stiffness of the smart gel in response to the haptic control signal.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the haptic output device comprises a rheological fluid and an activation element constructed and arranged to change a viscosity or damping property of the rheological fluid in response to the haptic control signal.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the haptic output device comprises a shape memory alloy and an activation element configured to change a temperature of the shape memory alloy to return the shape memory alloy to its original shape in response to the haptic control signal.

25. The system according to claim 2, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to:

transmit a haptic signal to another haptic output device configured to modulate a coefficient of friction associated with the hinge by applying ultrasonic vibrations to the hinge.

26. The system according to claim 1, wherein the haptic effect comprises gradually increasing or gradually decreasing a damping factor of the flexible display in an amount associated with the amount of flexure of the flexible display.

27. The system according to claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to:

determine that an input detected by the sensor is an intentional input or an inadvertent input based on the output signal from the sensor.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, from a sensor and by a processor, an output signal associated with an amount of flexure of a flexible display;

determining, by the processor, a haptic effect to resist the flexure of the flexible display with an amount of resistance that is based on the output signal from the sensor;

generating, by the processor, a haptic control signal based on the haptic effect; and

transmitting, by the processor, the haptic control signal to a haptic output device configured to resist a movement of a first portion of the flexible display relative to a second portion of the flexible display in response to the haptic control signal.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising resisting the movement of the first portion relative to the second portion by changing a stiffness of a hinge formed between the first portion and the second portion of the flexible display in response to at least one of the two portions being moved towards the other of the two portions.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising locking the hinge in response to the first portion and the second portion being separated by a predetermined amount of space so that the two portions cannot move relative to each other.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising determining a haptic effect to assist with the flexure of the flexible display in response to the sensor sensing that the flexible display has been flexed.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising determining the haptic effect to resist the flexure of the flexible display in response to the sensor sensing the flexible display has been flexed.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the haptic output device comprises a smart gel and an activation element, and wherein changing a resistance to movement comprises causing the smart gel to stiffen in response to the haptic control signal by the activation element.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the haptic output device comprises a rheological fluid and an activation element, and wherein changing a resistance to movement comprises causing a viscosity or damping property of the rheological fluid to change in response to the haptic control signal by the activation element.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein the haptic output device comprises a shape memory alloy and an activation element, and wherein changing a resistance to movement comprises causing the shape memory alloy to return to its original shape in response to the haptic control signal by the activation element.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code, which when executed by a processor is configured to cause the processor to:

receive, from a sensor, an output signal associated with an amount of flexure of a flexible display;

determine a haptic effect to resist the flexure of the flexible display with an amount of resistance that is based on the output signal from the sensor;

generate a haptic control signal based on the haptic effect; and

transmit the haptic control signal to a haptic output device configured to resist a movement of a first portion of the flexible display relative to a second portion of the flexible display in response to the haptic control signal.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising program code which when executed by the processor is configured to cause the processor to

cause the haptic output to change a stiffness of a hinge formed between the first portion and the second portion of the flexible display in response to at least one of the two portions being moved towards the other of the two portions.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising program code which when executed by the processor is configured to cause the processor to:

cause the haptic output device to lock the hinge in response to the first portion and the second portion being separated by a predetermined amount of space so that the two portions cannot move relative to each other.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising program code which when executed by the processor is configured to cause the processor to:

determine a haptic effect to assist with the flexure of the flexible display in response to the output signal from the sensor indicating that the flexible display has been flexed.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising program code which when executed by the processor is configured to cause the processor to:

determine the haptic effect to resist the flexure of the flexible display in response to the output signal from the sensor indicating that the flexible display has been flexed.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the haptic output device comprises a smart gel and an activation element constructed and arranged to change a stiffness of the smart gel in response to the haptic control signal.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the haptic output device comprises a rheological fluid and an activation element constructed and arranged to change a viscosity or damping property of the rheological fluid in response to the haptic control signal.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the haptic output device comprises a shape memory alloy and an activation element configured to change a temperature of the shape memory alloy to return the shape memory alloy to its original shape in response to the haptic control signal.