Touch surface for simulating materials
First Claim
1. A method of simulating a material using a touch-sensitive surface, comprising:
- locally controlling a temperature of a portion of the touch-sensitive surface using a temperature control device positioned directly beneath the touch-sensitive surface; and
vibrating the portion of the touch-sensitive surface using one of a set of actuators that are positioned directly beneath the touch-sensitive surface in contact with the touch-sensitive surface;
wherein a temperature and vibration of the portion of the touch-sensitive surface simulates a temperature and feel of the material.
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Abstract
A system for simulating materials using touch surfaces includes a touch surface, an actuator and/or an temperature control device, and a control unit. The control unit controls the actuator or the temperature control device to cause at least a portion of the touch surface to simulate a material. Such control may include utilizing the actuator to vibrate the surface to simulate the tactile sensation of texture. Such control may also include utilizing the temperature control device (such as a Peltier device) to control the temperature of the surface in order to simulate the thermal conductivity of a material. In some cases, the temperature control may be performed utilizing a temperature sensor to adjust the temperature of the surface. In various cases, the vibration and/or temperature may be varied over time, such as in response to one or more touches detected using one or more touch sensors.
495 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of simulating a material using a touch-sensitive surface, comprising:
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locally controlling a temperature of a portion of the touch-sensitive surface using a temperature control device positioned directly beneath the touch-sensitive surface; and vibrating the portion of the touch-sensitive surface using one of a set of actuators that are positioned directly beneath the touch-sensitive surface in contact with the touch-sensitive surface;
wherein a temperature and vibration of the portion of the touch-sensitive surface simulates a temperature and feel of the material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An electronic device, comprising:
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a touch-sensitive surface; a group of temperature control devices operably connected to, and positioned directly beneath, the touch-sensitive surface, each of the group of temperature control devices associated with different unique regions of the touch-sensitive surface; a group of actuators directly coupled to, and positioned directly beneath, the touch-sensitive surface; and a processing unit that simulates a material on a designated region of the touch-sensitive surface located above at least one of the group of temperature control devices and at least one of the group of actuators, the processing unit configured to execute instructions that; controls a temperature of the designated region of the touch-sensitive surface using the at least one of the group of temperature control devices; and vibrates the designated region of the touch-sensitive surface using at least one of the actuators that is located beneath the designated region. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electronic device, comprising:
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a touch-sensitive surface; a group of temperature control devices that are each positioned directly below unique areas of the touch-sensitive surface; a group of actuators that contact the touch-sensitive surface directly below the unique areas; and a processing unit configured to execute instructions that simulate a material using a selected area of the touch-sensitive surface by; controlling a temperature of the selected area of the touch surface using one of the group of temperature control devices; vibrating the selected area of the touch-sensitive surface using one of the group of actuators. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification