Input device, portable electronic apparatus, remote control device, and piezoelectric actuator driving controlling method in input device
First Claim
1. An input apparatus that outputs coordinate values of an operation surface that the user has pressed as an input operation, deforms the operation surface, and causes the user to feel a force sense as a feedback with the deformed operation surface, comprising:
- a deformation mechanism portion that uses a piezoelectric actuator composed of a piezoelectric bi-morph device and that deforms the operation surface;
a press force detection portion that detects whether the operation surface has been pressed; and
a control portion that controls said deformation mechanism portion to start driving the piezoelectric actuator to gradually deform the operation surface in one direction and then in the reverse direction so that the period for which the operation surface is deformed in one direction is sufficiently larger than the period for which the operation surface is deformed in the reverse direction when said press force detection portion detects that the operation surface has been pressed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to an input apparatus that causes the user to feel a force sense as a feedback from an operation surface that he or she has pressed. When the input apparatus is in the standby state for the user to press the operation surface, a drive voltage is not supplied to a piezoelectric actuator. When the operation surface is pressed at timing T401, the drive voltage is gradually increased. At this point, as the piezoelectric actuator is curved, the operation surface is gradually raised. After predetermined period T1 has elapsed, at timing T402, the piezoelectric actuator is quickly curved in the reverse direction. At timing T403, the operation surface is deformed to the lowest position. This position of the operation surface is kept until the operation surface has been pressed at T404. When period T1 is sufficiently larger than period T2, immediately after the operation surface is pressed, it is deformed. Thereafter, since the operation surface is deformed in the reverse direction, the user can feel a strong force sense. When the operation surface is deformed in the reverse direction, since the piezoelectric actuator is curved in the reverse direction, the deformation amount becomes large. Thus, an input apparatus that has a force sense feedback function causing the user to feel a more natural operational sense than the related art does can be provided while the apparatus has low power consumption and long life.
83 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An input apparatus that outputs coordinate values of an operation surface that the user has pressed as an input operation, deforms the operation surface, and causes the user to feel a force sense as a feedback with the deformed operation surface, comprising:
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a deformation mechanism portion that uses a piezoelectric actuator composed of a piezoelectric bi-morph device and that deforms the operation surface;
a press force detection portion that detects whether the operation surface has been pressed; and
a control portion that controls said deformation mechanism portion to start driving the piezoelectric actuator to gradually deform the operation surface in one direction and then in the reverse direction so that the period for which the operation surface is deformed in one direction is sufficiently larger than the period for which the operation surface is deformed in the reverse direction when said press force detection portion detects that the operation surface has been pressed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A piezoelectric actuator drive control method for an input apparatus that outputs coordinate values of an operation surface that the user has pressed as an input operation, deforms the operation surface with a piezoelectric actuator composed of a piezoelectric bi-morph device, and causes the user to feel a force sense as a feedback with the deformed operation surface, comprising the step of:
starting applying a voltage to the piezoelectric actuator and driving the piezoelectric actuator to gradually deform the operation surface in one direction and then in the reverse direction so that the period for which the operation surface is deformed in one direction is sufficiently larger than the period for which the operation surface is deformed in the reverse direction when it is detected that the operation surface has been pressed.
Specification