User Interface System

• US 20110157080A1
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tactus Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tactus Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Ciesla, Craig Michael, Saal, Nathaniel Mark, Yairi, Micah B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,922,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• 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 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting

Abstract

Disclosed is a user interface system that includes a sheet that defines a surface and at least partially defines a fluid vessel arranged underneath the surface, a volume of fluid within the fluid vessel, a displacement device that influences the volume of the fluid within the fluid vessel to expand and contract at least a portion of the fluid vessel, thereby deforming a particular region of the surface, and a sensor system that is configured to receive a user input on the surface with a first sensitivity and configured to receive a user input substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface at with second sensitivity higher than the first sensitivity.

Claims

1. A user interface system, comprising:

a sheet that defines a surface and at least partially defines a fluid vessel arranged underneath the surface;

a volume of fluid within the fluid vessel;

a displacement device that influences the volume of the fluid within the fluid vessel to expand and contract at least a portion of the fluid vessel, thereby deforming a particular region of the surface; and

a sensor system configured to receive a user input on the surface with a first sensitivity and configured to receive a user input substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface at with second sensitivity higher than the first sensitivity.

2. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the first sensitivity is of a first location sensitivity and the second sensitivity is of a second location sensitivity higher than the first location sensitivity.

3. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the first sensitivity is of a first height sensitivity to the height of the surface at the particular region and the second sensitivity is of a second height sensitivity higher than the first height sensitivity of the surface at the particular region.

4. The user interface system of claim 1, further comprising a display coupled to the sheet that outputs images to the user.

5. The user interface system of claim 4, wherein the sensor system cooperates with the volume of fluid and the sheet to transmit an image through the sheet without substantial obstruction.

6. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the sensor system includes a first sensor portion that receives a user input on the surface at the first sensitivity and a second sensor portion arranged substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface that receives a user input at the particular region of the surface at the second sensitivity.

7. The user interface system of claim 6, wherein the second sensor portion operates substantially independently from the first sensor portion.

8. The user interface system of claim 6, wherein the first sensor portion is configured to receive a user touch on the surface at the first sensitivity and the second sensor portion cooperates with the first sensor portion to increase the sensitivity substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface to the second sensitivity.

9. The user interface system of claim 6, wherein the sensor system is a capacitive sensor system and the capacitive sensor system includes a plurality of conductors, and wherein the first sensor portion includes a conductor to receive a user input provided on the surface at the first sensitivity and wherein the second sensor portion includes a conductor located substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface to receive a user input provided at the particular region of the surface at the second sensitivity.

10. The user interface system of claim 9, wherein the displacement device influences the volume of fluid within the fluid vessel to deform a plurality of particular regions of the surface and wherein the second sensor portion includes a conductor located substantially proximal to each of the particular regions of the surface to receive a user input provided at each of the particular regions of the surface at the second sensitivity.

11. user interface system of claim 9, wherein the conductors of the first and second sensor portions emit a first and second electric field, respectively, and wherein fluctuations in the first and second electric fields are detected to receive a user input on the surface.

12. The user interface system of claim 11, wherein the first and second electric fields are configured to fluctuate with the presence of a finger of the user substantially within the electric field.

13. The user interface system of claim 11, wherein the second sensor portion includes a first conductor and a second conductor that are both arranged substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface, and wherein the second electric field is configured to fluctuate with a change in distance between the first conductor and the second conductor as an input is provided substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface.

14. The user interface system of claim 13, wherein the first and second conductors of the second sensor portion are arranged within the fluid vessel substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface.

15. The user interface system of claim 11, wherein the second sensor portion includes a density of conductors that produces a higher number of detectable electric field fluctuations than the first sensor portion.

16. The user interface system of claim 15, further comprising a processor that distinguishes between electric field fluctuations in the second sensor portion and determines the location of the user input relative to the particular region based on the detected fluctuations.

17. The user interface system of claim 11, further comprising a processor, and wherein the fluctuation in the first electric field is substantially distinguishable from a fluctuation in the second electric field, and wherein the processor is configured to determine the location of the user input based on the fluctuation of the first electric field relative to the fluctuation in the second electric field.

18. The user interface system of claim 17, wherein the first electric field is of a first frequency and the second electric field is of a second frequency.

19. The user interface system of claim 1, further comprising a processor that detects the user touch and interprets the user touch.

20. The user interface system of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to detect a user input at the second sensitivity when the displacement device deforms the particular region of the surface.

21. The user interface system of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to activate the second sensitivity of the capacitive sensor system.

22. The user interface system of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to operate in a first mode that gives substantially equal weight to a user input proximal to the particular region of the surface a user input received substantially concurrently at another region of the surface and a second mode wherein the processor prioritizes a user input received at the particular region of the surface over a user input received substantially concurrently at the other region of the surface.

23. The user interface system of claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to operate in the second mode when the displacement device deforms the particular region of the surface.

24. A method for receiving a user input, comprising:

providing a tactile interface layer that receives a user input that defines a surface and includes a volume of fluid and a displacement device that manipulates the volume of fluid to deform a particular region of the surface into a tactilely distinguishable formation;

providing a capacitive sensor system with a plurality of conductors that emits an electromagnetic field that receives and detects the location of a user input on the surface;

configuring the capacitive sensor system to detect a user input on the surface at a first sensitivity; and

configuring the capacitive sensor system to detect a user input substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface at a second sensitivity higher than the first sensitivity.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the steps of configuring the capacitive sensor system to detect a user input at the first and second sensitivity includes configuring the capacitive sensor system to detect more than one substantially concurrent user inputs at the first and second sensitivities.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of prioritizing a user input detected substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface over a user input substantially concurrently detected at another region of the surface.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of prioritizing a user input detected substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface includes prioritizing a user input detected substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface when the particular region of the surface is deformed into a tactilely distinguishable formation.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of providing a capacitive sensor system includes emitting an electric field from the conductors and detecting a fluctuation in the electric field to detect a user input.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein emitting an electric field includes emitting a first electric field and a second electric field that is substantially distinguishable from the first electric field and detecting the location of the user input based on the detected fluctuations in the first and second electric fields.

30. method of claim 29, wherein the step of emitting substantially distinguishable first and second electric fields includes emitting the first electric field at a first frequency and the second electric field at a second frequency.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein configuring the capacitive sensor to detect a user input substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface at a second sensitivity higher than the first sensitivity includes arranging a higher density of conductors substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface relative to the rest of the surface to detect a user input substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface at the second sensitivity.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein configuring the capacitive sensor to detect a user input substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface at a second sensitivity higher than the first sensitivity includes arranging the volume of fluid within the tactile interface layer to manipulate the electromagnetic field of the conductors of the capacitive sensor to increase the sensitivity substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein configuring the capacitive sensor to detect a user input substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface at a second sensitivity higher than the first sensitivity includes arranging a conductor substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface that detects a user input substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface at the second sensitivity.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of arranging a conductor at the particular region includes arranging a first and second conductor substantially proximal to the particular region and allowing the distance between the first and second conductors to substantially change when a user input is provided at the particular region of the surface to detect a user input at the second sensitivity.

35. A user interface system, comprising:

a sheet that defines a surface and at least partially defines a fluid vessel arranged underneath the surface;

a volume of fluid within the fluid vessel;

a displacement device that influences the volume of the fluid within the fluid vessel to expand and contract at least a portion of the fluid vessel, thereby deforming a particular region of the surface; and

an arrangement of conductors arranged substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface that detects both a user input that deforms the deformed particular region of the surface and a user input provided on other regions of the surface.

36. The user interface system of claim 35, wherein the displacement device influences the volume of the fluid vessel to expand and contract a plurality of portions of the fluid vessel, thereby deforming a plurality of particular regions of the surface, and wherein the arrangement of conductors includes an arrangement of conductors arranged substantially proximal to each particular region of the surface that each detect a user input that deforms the deformed particular region and cooperate to detect a user input provided on other regions of the surface.

37. The user interface system of claim 36, wherein the arrangement of conductors substantially proximal to each particular region of the surface cooperate to emit an electromagnetic field that fluctuates with the presence of an user input, and wherein the arrangement of conductors substantially proximal to each particular region of the surface cooperate to detect a user input provided on other regions of the surface each by detecting the fluctuation in the electromagnetic field and calculating the location of the user input based on the detected fluctuation.