Audio and tactile feedback based on visual environment

• US 20090167701A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ronkainen, Sami P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,170,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 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

Disclosed herein is an apparatus. The apparatus includes a housing section, electronic circuitry, a touch screen, and a user sensory feedback system. The electronic circuitry is mounted within the housing section. The touch screen is on the housing section. The touch screen is configured to sense a touch at an area of the touch screen. The electronic circuitry is configured to analyze a feature displayed at the area of the touch screen. The user sensory feedback system is proximate the housing section. The user sensory feedback system is configured to perform an operation based, at least partially, upon the touch at the area of the touch screen and upon an image analysis of the feature at the area of the touch screen.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing section;

electronic circuitry mounted within the housing section;

a touch screen on the housing section, wherein the touch screen is configured to sense a touch at an area of the touch screen, and wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to analyze a feature displayed at the area of the touch screen; and

a user sensory feedback system proximate the housing section, wherein the user sensory feedback system is configured to perform an operation based, at least partially, upon the touch at the area of the touch screen and upon an image analysis of the feature at the area of the touch screen.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the user sensory feedback system comprises an electroacoustic transducer and/or an electromechanical transducer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the user sensory feedback system is configured to provide an audio and/or tactile feedback to a user at the area of the touch screen.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the touch screen is configured to display a still image, a moving picture, or a video at the area of the touch screen.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises a portable communication device.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a housing section;

electronic circuitry mounted within the housing section;

a touch screen on the housing section, wherein the touch screen is configured to sense a touch at an area of the touch screen, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to determine a first texture direction of a feature displayed at the area of the touch screen, and wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to determine a second different texture direction of the feature displayed at the area of on the touch screen; and

a user sensory feedback system proximate the housing section, wherein the user sensory feedback system is configured to operate in a first mode in response to the touch at the area of the touch screen and the first texture direction of the feature displayed at the area of the touch screen, and wherein the user sensory feedback system is configured to operate in a second different mode in response to the touch at the area of the touch screen and the second texture direction of the feature displayed at the area of the touch screen.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the user sensory feedback system comprises a transducer.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the transducer is disposed proximate the touch screen.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the user sensory feedback system comprises an electroacoustic transducer and/or an electromechanical transducer and wherein the user sensory feedback system is configured to provide an audio and/or tactile feedback to a user at the area of the touch screen.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the user sensory feedback system comprises a piezoelectric actuator.

11. A method comprising:

sensing a touch at an area of a touch screen;

analyzing a feature displayed at the area of the touch screen; and

operating a user sensory feedback system in response to the touch at the area of the touch screen and an image analysis of the feature at the area of the touch screen.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the user sensory feedback system comprises at least one transducer.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the operating the user sensory feedback system further comprises rendering the at least one transducer inactive for a change of the feature.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the user sensory feedback system comprises an electroacoustic transducer and/or an electromechanical transducer.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the operating of the user sensory feedback system further comprises operating the user sensory feedback system in response to a touch at another area of the touch screen.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the operating of the user sensory feedback system further comprises operating the user sensory feedback system in response to the touch at the area of the touch screen, wherein the area comprises at least one border of the touch screen, and wherein the user sensory feedback system provides an audio or tactile feedback.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the method can be implemented in a portable communication device.

18. A method comprising:

sensing a touch at an area of a touch screen;

determining a first texture direction of a feature displayed at the area of the touch screen;

determining a second different texture direction of the feature displayed at the area of the touch screen;

operating a user sensory feedback system in a first mode in response to the touch at the area of the touch screen and the first texture direction of the feature displayed at the area of the touch screen; and

operating the user sensory feedback system in a second different mode in response to the touch at the area of the touch screen and the second texture direction of the feature displayed at the area of the touch screen.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the user sensory feedback system comprises an electroacoustic transducer and/or an electromechanical transducer.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the operating of the user sensory feedback system further comprises providing an audio and/or tactile feedback to a user at a moment of the touch on the touch screen.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the determining of the first and second texture directions of the feature further comprises determining a color, intensity, sharpness, brightness, and/or contrast of the feature displayed at the area of the touch screen.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the operating of the user sensory feedback system further comprises providing an audio or tactile feedback at the area of the touch screen in response to a color, intensity, sharpness, brightness, or contrast of the feature displayed at the area of the touch screen.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the feature comprises a still image, a moving picture, or a video.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein the feature comprises regions, icons, text and/or figures.

25. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations to provide feedback based on a feature displayed on a touch screen, the operations comprising:

sensing a touch at an area of the touch screen;

analyzing a feature displayed at the area of the touch screen; and

operating a user sensory feedback system based, at least partially, upon the sensed touch at the area of the touch screen and upon a determined texture direction and/or or a graphical change, at the analyzed feature displayed at the area of the touch screen.