Input device with haptic feedback

• US 10,613,678 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2018
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sen, Yi-Heng, Speltz, Alex J., Lee, Alex M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sharifi-Tafreshi, Koosha
• Application Number:
  US16/133,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20200089360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• 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 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

Haptic feedback can be provided to a user via an input device to give a user a richer interaction experience with the input device and host device. The input device can include a magnet and a host device can include an array of coils. The coils can be driven to generate a magnetic field (or one or more magnetic fields) that can exert a force on the input device to provide haptic feedback. In some examples, the haptic feedback can be a push force pushing the input device away from the device or a pull force pulling the input device toward the device. In some examples, the haptic feedback can guide the input device using lateral forces. The haptic feedback described herein can be used for writing, drawing or actuating virtual input controls in a user interface.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a touch screen;

an array of coils disposed beneath the touch screen; and

processing circuitry configured to;

display a user interface on the touch screen;

measure capacitive coupling between an input device and the touch screen;

in accordance with a determination that the input device is within a threshold distance of the touch screen, drive one or more coils in the array of coils with one or more signals to generate one or more magnetic fields, the one or more magnetic fields exerting a force on the input device touching or proximate to the touch screen, wherein driving the one or more coils in the array of coils comprises driving the one or more coils corresponding to one or more user interface elements in the user interface displayed on the touch screen; and

in accordance with a determination that the input device is not within the threshold distance of the touch screen, forgo driving the one or more coils in the array of coils with the one or more signals.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein driving the one or more coils with the one or more signals to generate the one or more magnetic fields comprises driving a plurality of coils in the array of coils with a plurality of signals having different magnitudes to generate a magnetic field gradient, the magnetic field gradient exerting a lateral force on the input device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the force comprises a pull force on the input device or a push force on the input device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein driving the one or more coils with the one or more signals to generate the one or more magnetic fields comprises driving a first coil of the array of coils with a first current having a first amplitude and concurrently driving a second coil of the array of coils with a second current having a second amplitude different from the first amplitude.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein driving the one or more coils with the one or more signals to generate the one or more magnetic fields comprises driving a first coil of the array of coils with a first current having a first frequency and concurrently driving a second coil of the array of coils with a second current having a second frequency different from the first frequency.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein driving the one or more coils with the one or more signals to generate one or more magnetic fields comprises driving a first coil of the array of coils with a first current having a first amplitude and forgoing driving a second coil of the array of coils.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein driving the one or more coils with the one or more signals comprises driving a plurality of coils in a sequence to guide the input device.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a character and wherein driving the one or more coils corresponding to the user interface comprises driving a plurality of coils corresponding to the character in a sequence to guide the input device to trace the character.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a user interface control including a first button and a second button, and wherein driving the one or more coils corresponding to the user interface comprises driving coils corresponding to the first button to exert a push force on the input device touching or proximate to the first button and driving coils corresponding to the second button to exert a pull force on the input device touching or proximate to the second button.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a user interface control including a first button and a second button, and wherein driving the one or more coils corresponding to the user interface comprises driving coils corresponding to the first button to exert a lateral force in a first direction on the input device touching or proximate to the first button and driving coils corresponding to the second button to exert a lateral force in a second direction, opposite the first direction, on the input device touching or proximate to the second button.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a virtual keyboard including one or more virtual keys and wherein driving the one or more coils corresponding to the user interface comprises driving the one or more coils based on a predicted next virtual key and to guide the input device toward the predicted next virtual key.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, the processing circuitry further configured to:

estimate a location of the input device based on the capacitive coupling between the input device and the touch screen measured by the touch screen;

wherein the one or more coils in the array of coils are driven only while the input device is touching or within a threshold distance of the one or more user interface elements.

13. A method comprising:

displaying a user interface on a touch screen;

measuring capacitive coupling between an input device and the touch screen;

in accordance with a determination that the input device is within a threshold distance of the touch screen, driving one or more coils in an array of coils with one or more signals to generate one or more magnetic fields, the one or more magnetic fields exerting a force on the input device touching or proximate to the touch screen, wherein driving the one or more coils in the array of coils comprises driving the one or more coils corresponding to one or more user interface elements in the user interface displayed on the touch screen; and

in accordance with a determination that the input device is not within the threshold distance of the touch screen, forgoing driving the one or more coils in the array of coils with the one or more signals.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein driving the one or more coils with the one or more signals to generate the one or more magnetic fields comprises driving a plurality of coils in the array of coils with a plurality of signals having different magnitudes to generate a magnetic field gradient, the magnetic field gradient exerting a lateral force on the input device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein driving the one or more coils with the one or more signals comprises driving a plurality of coils in a sequence to guide the input device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the user interface comprises a first user interface element and a second user interface element, wherein driving the one or more coils with the one or more signals comprises driving coils corresponding to the first user interface element to exert a first force in a first direction on the input device touching or proximate to the first user interface element and driving coils corresponding to the second user interface element to exert a second force in a second direction, opposite the first direction, on the input device touching or proximate to the second user interface element.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more coils in the array of coils are driven only while the user interface is displayed on the touch screen.

18. The method of claim 13, the method further comprising:

estimating a location of the input device based on the capacitive coupling between the input device and the touch screen measured by the touch screen;

wherein the one or more coils in the array of coils are driven only while the input device is touching or within a threshold distance of the one or more user interface elements.

19. The method of claim 13, the method further comprising:

measuring one or more induced currents in the array of coils in response to movement of the input device over the touch screen; and

estimating a location of the input device based on the one or more induced currents measured in the array of coils.

20. A system comprising:

an input device comprising a magnet; and

a host device comprising;

a touch screen;

an array of coils disposed beneath the touch screen; and

processing circuitry configured to;

display a user interface on the touch screen;

measure capacitive coupling between the input device and the touch screen;

in accordance with a determination that the input device is within a threshold distance of the touch screen, drive one or more coils in the array of coils with one or more signals to generate one or more magnetic fields, the one or more magnetic fields exerting a force on the input device touching or proximate to the touch screen, wherein driving the one or more coils in the array of coils comprises driving the one or more coils corresponding to one or more user interface elements in the user interface displayed on the touch screen; and

in accordance with a determination that the input device is not within the threshold distance of the touch screen, forgo driving the one or more coils in the array of coils with the one or more signals.