Electrical haptic output array

• US 10,416,772 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sen, Yi-Heng, Owens, Travis N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, David
• Application Number:
  US15/696,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20190073033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• 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 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

An electronic device that is operable to provide electrical haptic output includes a touch surface and multiple haptic cells disposed on the touch surface. The multiple haptic cells include capacitors that are operable to store charges independently of each other and independently provide haptic output when touched by a body by discharging the stored charge to create a current. In this way, a wide variety of dynamically configurable haptic outputs can be provided without moving parts and without consuming the space and/or power used for haptic actuators that vibrate and/or otherwise move a mass.

Claims

1. A haptic output device, comprising:

a cover layer having an exterior surface and an interior surface;

a display layer coupled to the interior surface;

a touch sensing layer coupled to the display layer;

multiple capacitors that each include a pair of transparent electrodes disposed on the exterior surface and connected to a voltage source via conductive material that extends across and off of the exterior surface; and

control circuitry coupled to the multiple capacitors operable to independently charge each of the multiple capacitors using the voltage source;

wherein a touch of a body on the pair of transparent electrodes of a respective capacitor of one of the multiple capacitors conductively provides a haptic output by discharging the respective capacitor to create a current while the respective capacitor is electrically disconnected from the voltage source.

2. The haptic output device of claim 1, wherein the pair of transparent electrodes comprises indium tin oxide.

3. The haptic output device of claim 1, further comprising transparent conductive wires disposed on or under the cover layer and that connect each of the multiple capacitors to the control circuitry.

4. The haptic output device of claim 1, further comprising a frame that:

forms a portion of the exterior surface of the haptic output device; and

functions as a ground for each of the multiple capacitors.

5. The haptic output device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is operable to charge at least one of the multiple capacitors based on a detected touch determined by the touch sensing layer.

6. The haptic output device of claim 1, further comprising multiple resistors that each connect the control circuitry to one of the multiple capacitors.

7. The haptic output device of claim 1, further comprising multiple amplifiers that each connect the control circuitry to one of the multiple capacitors.

8. A haptic output device, comprising:

a touch surface of a display;

multiple haptic cells that each include a pair of conductive materials disposed on an exterior of the touch surface and connected to a voltage source via a conductor that extends across and off of the exterior of the touch surface; and

switching circuitry coupled to the multiple haptic cells and the voltage source operable to independently store charge at each of the multiple haptic cells using the voltage source;

wherein each of the multiple haptic cells is operable to conductively provide a haptic output by discharging the stored charge to create a current when the pair of conductive materials is touched by a body while the pair of conductive materials is disconnected from the voltage source.

9. The haptic output device of claim 8, wherein the multiple haptic cells discharge the stored charge into the body.

10. The haptic output device of claim 8, further comprising anisotropic conductive film disposed on the touch surface that connects the switching circuitry to the multiple haptic cells.

11. The haptic output device of claim 8, wherein each of the multiple haptic cells are operable to have a different voltage level from each other.

12. The haptic output device of claim 8, wherein the touch surface comprises a cover glass.

13. The haptic output device of claim 8, wherein the current simulates a rougher texture than the touch surface when the body moves across the touch surface.

14. The haptic output device of claim 8, wherein a ground connected to the multiple haptic cells and the body has a same potential.

15. A haptic output device, comprising:

a touch surface having an exterior surface and an interior surface;

a display positioned under the interior surface of the touch surface;

multiple pairs of electrodes disposed on the exterior surface and connected to a voltage source via conductive material that extends across and off of the exterior surface; and

circuitry coupled to the multiple pairs of electrodes operable to independently store charge at each of the multiple pairs of electrodes using the voltage source;

wherein a touch of a body on a respective one of the multiple pairs of electrodes conductively produces a current by discharging the stored charge while the respective one of the multiple pairs of electrodes is electrically disconnected from the voltage source.

16. The haptic output device of claim 15, wherein a portion of the exterior surface around an electrode of the multiple pairs of electrodes has a different voltage than the electrode.

17. The haptic output device of claim 16, wherein the different voltage is a zero voltage.

18. The haptic output device of claim 15, wherein the touch surface is a transparent cover.

19. The haptic output device of claim 15, wherein the current causes the exterior surface to simulate a texture of a material different from the touch surface.

20. The haptic output device of claim 15, wherein the current is perceptible to the body as a haptic output when the body moves across the touch surface.