METHOD OF PROVIDING TACTILE FEEDBACK AND APPARATUS

• US 20110210926A1
• Filed: 03/01/2010
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Defazio, Michael, Griffin, Jason Tyler, PASQUERO, Jerome, Walker, David Ryan
• Granted Patent: US 9,361,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method includes detecting a query gesture and actuating, in response to the query gesture, an actuator to provide tactile feedback including information associated with the query gesture. The query gesture may be detected on a touch-sensitive display of a portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a query gesture;

actuating, in response to the query gesture, an actuator to provide tactile feedback including information associated with the query gesture.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a characteristic of the tactile feedback is based, at least in part, on a characteristic of the query gesture.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tactile feedback is based on the force of the touch.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the tactile feedback is based on a location along a path of the query gesture.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, entering a mode that monitors for the query gesture.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relates to a current time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the query gesture comprises a generally circular path, and wherein the tactile feedback communicates at least one of a first time component that is provided at a first location along the path and a second time component that is provided at a second location along the path.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the path of the query gesture extends more than 360 degrees in an angular direction, and wherein the tactile feedback communicates a first time component before the path extends 360 degrees and a second time component after the path extends more than 360 degrees in the angular direction.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring for the query gesture in an area of a touch-sensitive display.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relates to meeting information from a calendar application.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relates to an email message statistic.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is provided in the tactile feedback in at least one group representing a plurality of minutes.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the query gesture is not associated with an element displayed on a touch-sensitive display.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the query gesture is detected on a touch-sensitive display.

15. A computer readable medium having stored instructions executed by a processor of a portable electronic device and causing the portable electronic device to implement the method of claim 1.

16. A portable electronic device comprising:

an actuator;

a microprocessor configured to;

detect a query gesture;

in response to detecting the query gesture, actuate the actuator to provide tactile feedback including information associated with the query gesture.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the tactile feedback is based on the force of the touch.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the tactile feedback occurs at a location along a path of the query gesture.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 16, further comprising a holster having a guide associated with an area of a touch-sensitive display, which area is monitored for the query gesture.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 16, further comprising a touch-sensitive display, wherein the query gesture is detected on the touch-sensitive display.