METHOD FOR PROVIDING HUMAN INPUT TO A COMPUTER

• US 20110032089A1
• Filed: 10/04/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tactile Feedback Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Timothy R. Pryor
• Inventors: Pryor, Timothy R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,072,440 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• 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 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• 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

Abstract

The invention provides a method for providing human input to a computer which allows a user to interact with a display connected to the computer. The method includes the steps of placing a first target on a first portion of the user'"'"'s body, using an electro-optical sensing means, sensing data related to the location of the first target and data related to the location of a second portion of the user'"'"'s body, the first and second portions of the user'"'"'s body being movable relative to each other, providing an output of the electro-optical sensing means to the input of the computer, determining the location of the first target and the location of the second portion of the user'"'"'s body, and varying the output of the computer to the display based upon the determined locations for contemporaneous viewing by the user.

Claims

1. A touch interface comprising:

a touch surface adapted to detect a touch input; and

a transducer adapted to vibrate the touch surface in a direction generally perpendicular to the touch surface in response to the touch input.

2. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the touch surface is adapted to determine a characteristic of the touch input.

3. The touch interface of claim 2 wherein the transducer is operable to vibrate the touch surface with a force feedback signal having a frequency selected as a function of the characteristic of the touch input.

4. The touch interface of claim 2 wherein the transducer is operable to vibrate the touch surface with a force feedback signal having an intensity selected as a function of the characteristic of the touch input.

5. The touch interface of claim 2 wherein the transducer is operable to vibrate the touch surface with a force feedback signal having a pulse sequence selected as a function of the characteristic of the touch input.

6. The touch interface of claim 2 wherein the characteristic includes the location of the touch input on the touch surface.

7. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the vibration is defined by a pulse imparted to the rear of the touch surface.

8. The touch interface of claim 7 wherein the pulse is directed to a portion of the touch surface underlying the touch input.

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

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

11. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the touch surface is located on an automobile dashboard.

12. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the touch surface is adapted to receive vehicle input commands.

13. A computer implemented method for providing tactile feedback in response to input received from a user, the method comprising:

providing a touch surface;

detecting a first touch input on the touch surface; and

vibrating the touch surface in a directional generally perpendicular to the touch surface in response to the first touch input.

14. The method according to claim 13 further including determining a characteristic of the first touch input.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the actuating step includes vibrating the touch surface with a force feedback signal having a frequency selected as a function of the characteristic of the touch input.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein the actuating step includes vibrating the touch surface with a force feedback signal having an intensity selected as a function of the characteristic of the touch input.

17. The method according to claim 14 wherein the actuating step includes vibrating the touch surface with a force feedback signal having a pulse sequence selected as a function of the characteristic of the touch input.

18. The method according to claim 14 wherein the characteristic of the first touch input includes the location of the first touch input on the touch surface.

19. The method according to claim 13 wherein the actuating step includes generating a force perpendicular to the touch surface.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the force is defined by a pulse imparted to a rearward facing portion of the touch surface.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the pulse is generated by a piezoelectric crystal.

22. The method according to claim 13 wherein the first force feedback signal indicates a function selected or selectable by the user.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein the function is a vehicle function.

24. The method according to claim 13 wherein the touch surface is a touch screen operable to display visually observable data.

25. A touch interface comprising:

a display screen including a touch surface defining a first plane;

a touch sensor operable to detect a touch input on the touch surface; and

an actuator operable to vibrate the touch surface in a direction perpendicular to the first plane in response to the touch input.

26. The touch interface of claim 25 wherein the touch sensor is operable to determine a characteristic of the touch input.

27. The touch interface of claim 26 wherein the actuator is operable to vibrate the touch surface with a force feedback signal having at least one of a frequency, an intensity, and a pulse sequence based, at least in part, on the characteristic of the touch input.

28. The touch interface of claim 26 wherein the characteristic includes the location of the touch input.

29. The touch interface of claim 27 wherein the force feedback signal is defined by a pulse imparted to the display screen.

30. The touch interface of claim 29 wherein the pulse is directed to a portion of the display screen underlying the touch input.

31. The touch interface of claim 25 wherein the touch input includes one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the touch surface.

32. The touch interface of claim 25 wherein the actuator includes a piezoelectric crystal.

33. The touch interface of claim 25 wherein the display screen is located in an automobile passenger compartment.

34. The control interface of claim 25 wherein the display screen is located on an automobile dashboard.

35. The control interface of claim 25 wherein the touch surface is operable to receive vehicle input commands.

36. A computer implemented method for providing force feedback in response to input received from a user, the method comprising:

providing a display screen including a touch surface;

detecting a first touch input on the touch surface;

determining the location of the first touch input on the touch surface; and

vibrating the touch surface in a direction generally perpendicular to the touch surface in response to the determining step to provide a first force feedback signal to a user.

37. The method according to claim 36 wherein the display screen is operable to display visually observable data.

38. The method according to claim 36 wherein the first force feedback signal includes at least one of a frequency, an intensity, and a pulse sequence selected as a function of the location of the first touch input.

39. The method according to claim 36 including providing an actuator.

40. The method according to claim 39 wherein the actuator includes a piezoelectric crystal.

41. The method according to claim 36 wherein the first force feedback signal indicates a function selected by the user.

42. The method according to claim 41 wherein the function selected by the user is a vehicle control function.

43. The method according to claim 36 wherein the first touch input includes one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the touch screen front surface.

44. The method according to claim 36 further including:

detecting a second touch input on the touch surface;

determining the location of the second touch input different from the location of the first touch input; and

vibrating the display screen in a direction perpendicular to the touch surface to provide a second force feedback signal different from the first force feedback signal.

45. The method according to claim 44 wherein the second touch input includes one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the display screen.

46. The method according to claim 44 wherein the second force feedback signal is directed to a portion of the display screen underlying the second touch input.

47. The method according to claim 44 wherein the second force feedback signal includes at least one of a frequency, intensity, and pulse sequence selected as a function of the location of the second touch input.

48. The method according to claim 44 wherein:

the first force feedback signal includes a first frequency; and

the second force feedback signal includes a second frequency different from the first frequency.

49. The method according to claim 44 wherein:

the first force feedback signal includes a first intensity; and

the second force feedback signal includes a second intensity different from the first intensity.

50. The method according to claim 44 wherein:

the first force feedback signal includes a first pulse sequence; and

the second force feedback signal includes a second pulse sequence different from the first pulse sequence.

51. The method according to claim 44 wherein:

the first force feedback signal indicates a first function selected by the user; and

the second force feedback signal indicates a second function selected by the user different from the first function selected by the user.

52. The method according to claim 36 wherein the display screen is located in an automobile passenger compartment.

53. The control interface of claim 36 wherein the display screen is located on an automobile dashboard.