Haptic feedback for button and scrolling action simulation in touch input devices

• US 20060109256A1
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Heubel, Robert W., Gregorio, Pedro, Grant, Danny A., Ramstein, Christophe
• Granted Patent: US 8,232,969 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• 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

A planar touch control is used to provide input to a computer and haptic feedback is provided thereto. A touch control includes a touch input device with a planar touch surface that inputs a position signal to a processor associated with the computer based on a location of user implemented contact on the touch surface. The computer can position or modify a cursor or image in a displayed graphical environment based at least in part on the position signal, or perform a different function. At least one actuator is also coupled to the touch input device and outputs a force to provide a haptic sensation to the user via the touch surface.

Claims

1. A haptic feedback touch control for inputting signals to a computer and for outputting forces to a user of the touch control, the touch control comprising:

a touch input device including a touch surface operative to input a position signal to a processor of said computer based on a location on said touch surface which said user contacts; and

at least one actuator coupled to said touch input device, said actuator outputting a force on said touch input device to provide a haptic sensation to said user contacting said touch surface, wherein said actuator outputs said force based on a single-discontinuity waveform.

2. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 1, wherein the single-discontinuity waveform is associated with one of a button press or button release.

3. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 2, further comprising moving the touch screen in accordance with a second single-continuity waveform associated with the other of the button press or button release.

4. The control of claim 3, wherein the first second single-continuity waveforms are different from one another.

5. The control of claim 3, wherein the first second single-continuity waveforms are substantially identical to one another.

6. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 1, wherein the single-discontinuity waveform is symmetrical.

7. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 1, wherein the single-discontinuity waveform is asymmetrical.

8. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 1, wherein the touch surface is a touchscreen.

9. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 1, wherein the touch surface is a touchpad.

10. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 1, wherein said contact is effected by a body portion of an operator.

11. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 1, wherein said contact is effected by a stylus manipulated by an operator.

12. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises:

a first structural element having mounting structure mountable to a first component;

a second structural element having mounting structure mountable to a second component;

a first biasing element coupling the first structural element to the second structural element;

a first magnetic device carried by the first structural element, the first magnetic device including a first pole piece; and

a second magnetic device carried by the second structural element, the second magnetic device including a second pole piece;

a first coil disposed about at least one of said first pole piece and said second pole piece;

wherein the first biasing element is arranged to provide a biasing force opposing an attractive magnetic force urging the first and second pole pieces together when current is applied to the first coil and electric current applied to the first coil causes a haptic effect to be generated between the first component on the second component.

13. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 12, wherein the second magnetic device includes a second coil disposed about at least one of said first pole piece and said second pole piece.

14. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 12, further comprising a second biasing element, wherein the second biasing element is arranged to provide a biasing force opposing an attractive magnetic force urging the first and second pole pieces together when current is applied to the first coil.

15. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 12, wherein the first biasing element comprises a spring.

16. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 12, wherein the first biasing element comprises an elastomeric element.

17. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 12, wherein the first biasing element comprises a foam material.

18. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 12, wherein the first and second structural element and the first biasing element are all formed from the same material and the first biasing element is formed thinner than the first and second structural elements so that it is free to flex when perturbed.

19. A haptic feedback touch control for inputting signals to a computer and for outputting forces to a user of the touch control, the touch control comprising:

a touch input device including a touch surface operative to input a position signal to a processor of said computer based on a location on said touch surface which said user contacts, said location being associated with a location of a cursor displayed on a display screen upon which a graphical object is also displayed; and

at least one actuator coupled to said touch input device, said actuator outputting a force on said touch input device to provide a haptic sensation to said user contacting said touch surface, wherein said actuator outputs said force as long as the location of the cursor on the display screen assumes a predetermined relationship with the location of the graphical object on the touch screen.

20. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 19, wherein the predetermined relationship is coincidence of location.

21. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 19, wherein the actuator comprises:

a first structural element having mounting structure mountable to a first component;

a second structural element having mounting structure mountable to a second component;

a first biasing element coupling the first structural element to the second structural element;

a first magnetic device carried by the first structural element, the first magnetic device including a first pole piece; and

a second magnetic device carried by the second structural element, the second magnetic device including a second pole piece;

a first coil disposed about at least one of said first pole piece and said second pole piece;

wherein the first biasing element is arranged to provide a biasing force opposing an attractive magnetic force urging the first and second pole pieces together when current is applied to the first coil and electric current applied to the first coil causes a haptic effect to be generated between the first component on the second component.

22. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 21, wherein the second magnetic device includes a second coil disposed about at least one of said first pole piece and said second pole piece.

23. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 21, further comprising a second biasing element, wherein the second biasing element is arranged to provide a biasing force opposing an attractive magnetic force urging the first and second pole pieces together when current is applied to the first coil.

24. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 21, wherein the first biasing element comprises a spring.

25. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 21, wherein the first biasing element comprises an elastomeric element.

26. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 21, wherein the first biasing element comprises a foam material.

27. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 21, wherein the first and second structural element and the first biasing element are all formed from the same material and the first biasing element is formed thinner than the first and second structural elements so that it is free to flex when perturbed.

28. A haptic feedback touch control for inputting signals to a computer and for outputting forces to a user of the touch control, the touch control comprising:

a touch input device including a touch surface operative to input a position signal to a processor of said computer based on a location on said touch surface which said user contacts, said location being associated with a location of a cursor displayed on a display screen upon which a graphical object is also displayed; and

at least one actuator coupled to said touch input device, said actuator outputting a force on said touch input device to provide a haptic sensation to said user contacting said touch surface, wherein said actuator outputs said force based on an extent to which an action is triggered by a relative location of the cursor and the graphical object.

29. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 28, wherein the action is scrolling.

30. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 28, wherein the haptic feedback is based on a repetitive waveform whose frequency increases corresponding to the extent of the action.

31. A device for simulating a button press using haptic feedback imparted through a touch surface, comprising:

means for sensing a contact with said touch surface; and

means for moving the touch screen responsive to said contact in accordance with a first single-discontinuity waveform.

32. A device for providing haptic feedback representative of the relative location of a cursor and a graphical object displayed on a display screen, comprising:

means for associating the location of the cursor in the display screen with a contact location on a touch screen; and

means for providing haptic feedback by way of the touch screen as long as the location of the cursor on the display screen assumes a predetermined relationship with the location of the graphical object on the touch screen.

33. A device for providing haptic feedback representative of the extent to which an action triggered by manipulation of a cursor relative to a graphical object displayed on a display screen is occurring comprising:

means for associating the location of the cursor in the display screen with a contact location on a touch screen; and

means for providing haptic feedback by way of the touch screen, said haptic feedback having an extent corresponding to the extent of the action.

34. A device for providing haptic feedback in response to a manipulation of a graphical object, comprising:

means for correlating a characteristic of the manipulation of the graphical object with a characteristic of a contact of a touch screen; and

means for imparting a force to the touch screen at an extent which varies in accordance with the characteristic of the manipulation.

35. A haptic feedback touch control for inputting signals to a computer and for outputting forces to a user of the touch control, the input signals manipulating a graphical object, the touch control comprising:

a touch input device including a touch surface operative to input a position signal to a processor of said computer based on a location on said touch surface which said user contacts; and

at least one actuator coupled to said touch input device, said actuator outputting a force on said touch input device to provide a haptic sensation to said user contacting said touch surface, said force being a function of a characteristic of the manipulation of a graphical object, which is a function of a characteristic of the contact by said user.

36. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 35, wherein the characteristic of the manipulation is one or more of speed, acceleration, or deceleration.

37. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 36, wherein the force is repetitive and increases in frequency and/or magnitude with said one or more of speed, acceleration or deceleration.

38. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 35, wherein the force is repetitive and increases in frequency and/or magnitude based on the characteristic of the manipulation.

39. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 35, wherein the graphical object assumes multiple forms, and the characteristic of said manipulation is the rate at which said forms are assumed.

40. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 39, wherein the force is repetitive and increases in frequency and/or magnitude based on said rate.

41. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 35, wherein said graphical object is a scroll bar.

42. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 35, wherein said characteristic of a contact is the location of the contact.

43. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 35, wherein said characteristic of a contact is pressure imparted by the contact.

44. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 35, wherein said characteristic of a contact is a rate of change of contact position.

45. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 35, wherein said characteristic of a contact is a rate of change of contact speed.

46. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 35, wherein said characteristic of a contact is a rate of change of contact location.

47. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 35, wherein the actuator comprises:

a first structural element having mounting structure mountable to a first component;

a second structural element having mounting structure mountable to a second component;

a first biasing element coupling the first structural element to the second structural element;

a first magnetic device carried by the first structural element, the first magnetic device including a first pole piece; and

a second magnetic device carried by the second structural element, the second magnetic device including a second pole piece;

a first coil disposed about at least one of said first pole piece and said second pole piece;

wherein the first biasing element is arranged to provide a biasing force opposing an attractive magnetic force urging the first and second pole pieces together when current is applied to the first coil and electric current applied to the first coil causes a haptic effect to be generated between the first component on the second component.

48. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 47, wherein the second magnetic device includes a second coil disposed about at least one of said first pole piece and said second pole piece.

49. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 47, further comprising a second biasing element, wherein the second biasing element is arranged to provide a biasing force opposing an attractive magnetic force urging the first and second pole pieces together when current is applied to the first coil.

50. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 47, wherein the first biasing element comprises a spring.

51. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 47, wherein the first biasing element comprises an elastomeric element.

52. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 47, wherein the first biasing element comprises a foam material.

53. The haptic feedback touch control of claim 47, wherein the first and second structural element and the first biasing element are all formed from the same material and the first biasing element is formed thinner than the first and second structural elements so that it is free to flex when perturbed.