HUMAN INTERFACES FOR VEHICLES, HOMES, AND OTHER APPLICATIONS

• US 20110018831A1
• Filed: 10/04/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tactile Feedback Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Tactile Feedback Technology LLC
• Inventors: Pryor, Timothy R.
• Application Number:
  US12/897,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018831A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04109 FTIR in optical digitiser, i.e. touch detection by frustrating the total internal reflection within an optical waveguide due to changes of optical properties or deformation at the touch location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0428 by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

The disclosed invention concerns novel methods and apparatus for controlling computer systems using both touch screens and physical controls, and is useful in many applications such as vehicles, homes and the like. Physical controls and virtual displayed controls on single and multipoint touch screens are used, separately or in combination to enable higher visibility and understanding of control information and easier operation of controls, particularly useful in stressful situations.

Claims

1. A touch interface comprising:

a touch surface defining a touch input area;

a memory storing a force feedback profile reconfigurable by a user; and

a transducer configured to actuate the touch surface with a force feedback signal based, at least in part, on the force feedback profile.

2. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the force feedback profile is selectable by a user from among a plurality of force feedback profiles.

3. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the force feedback profile can be downloaded from a remote source.

4. The touch interface of claim 3 wherein the remote source includes at least one of the internet and a personal computer.

5. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the touch surface is operable to display visually observable data.

6. The touch interface of claim 5 wherein the memory includes a display profile, the display profile being reconfigurable by a user.

7. The touch interface of claim 1 further including a touch sensor adapted to identify a characteristic of a touch input.

8. The touch interface of claim 7 wherein the characteristic includes at least one of the position and the force of the touch input.

9. The touch interface of claim 7 wherein the force feedback signal includes at least one of a frequency, an amplitude, and a pulse sequence selected as a function of the characteristic of the touch input.

10. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the force feedback signal indicates a function selected by the user.

11. The touch interface of claim 10 wherein the function selected by the user is a vehicle control function.

12. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the transducer includes a piezoelectric crystal.

13. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the touch surface is located in an automobile passenger compartment.

14. The touch interface of claim 12 wherein the touch surface is located on one of a center console, a center stack, a steering wheel, and a dash board within the automobile passenger compartment.

15. A method comprising:

providing a touch device including a touch input area and a computer readable memory;

storing a first force feedback profile from a remote source to the computer readable memory;

detecting a touch input on the touch input area; and

generating a force feedback signal in response to the detecting step and based, at least in part, on the force feedback profile.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the first force feedback profile is selectable by a user from among a plurality of force feedback profiles.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein the remote source includes at least one of the internet and a personal computer.

18. The method according to claim 15 wherein the detecting step further includes detecting a characteristic of the touch input on the touch input area.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the force feedback signal includes at least one of a frequency, an amplitude, and a pulse sequence selected as a function of the characteristic of the touch input.

20. The method according to claim 18 wherein the characteristic includes the location of the touch input on the touch input area.

21. The method according to claim 18 wherein the characteristic includes the force of the touch input on the touch input area.

22. The method according to claim 15 further including storing a second force feedback profile different from the first force feedback profile to the computer readable memory.

23. The method according to claim 15 wherein the touch input area is operable to display visually observable data.

24. The method according to claim 15 wherein the first force feedback signal indicates a function selected by the user.

25. The method according to claim 15 wherein the touch input includes one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the touch surface.

26. The method according to claim 15 wherein the generating step includes vibrating the touch input area in a direction parallel to the touch input area.

27. The method according to claim 15 wherein the generating step includes vibrating the touch input area in a direction perpendicular to the touch input area.

28. The method according to claim 15 further including locating the touch device in an automobile passenger compartment.

29. The method according to claim 28 further including locating the touch device on one of a center console, a center stack, a steering wheel, and a dash board within the automobile passenger compartment.

30. A touch interface comprising:

a touch screen operable to display visually observable data;

a touch sensor operable to detect a touch input on the touch screen;

a memory storing at least one force feedback profile, the force feedback profile being reconfigurable by a user; and

a transducer operable to actuate the touch screen with a force feedback signal based, at least in part, on the force feedback profile.

31. The touch interface of claim 30 wherein the touch screen includes a physical selection device.

32. The touch interface of claim 30 wherein the memory includes a display profile, the display profile being reconfigurable by a user.

33. The touch interface of claim 30 wherein the force feedback profile is selectable by a user from among a plurality of force feedback profiles.

34. The touch interface of claim 30 wherein the force feedback profile can be downloaded from a remote source.

35. The touch interface of claim 34 wherein the remote source includes at least one of the internet and a personal computer.

36. The touch interface of claim 30 wherein the touch sensor is adapted to identify the position of the touch input on the touch screen.

37. The touch interface of claim 36 wherein the force feedback signal includes at least one of a frequency, amplitude, and pulse sequence selected as a function of the position of the touch input.

38. The touch interface of claim 30 wherein the force feedback signal indicates a function selected by the user.

39. The touch interface of claim 30 wherein the transducer includes a piezoelectric crystal.

40. The touch interface of claim 30 wherein the touch input includes one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the touch screen.

41. The touch interface of claim 30 wherein the touch screen is located in an automobile passenger compartment.

42. The touch interface of claim 41 wherein the touch screen is located on one of a center console, a center stack, a steering wheel, and a dash board within the automobile passenger compartment.