Touch Surface for Simulating Materials

• US 20160216766A1
• Filed: 04/05/2016
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Puskarich, Paul G.
• Granted Patent: US 10,459,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

A system for simulating materials using touch surfaces includes a touch surface, an actuator and/or an temperature control device, and a control unit. The control unit controls the actuator or the temperature control device to cause at least a portion of the touch surface to simulate a material. Such control may include utilizing the actuator to vibrate the surface to simulate the tactile sensation of texture. Such control may also include utilizing the temperature control device (such as a Peltier device) to control the temperature of the surface in order to simulate the thermal conductivity of a material. In some cases, the temperature control may be performed utilizing a temperature sensor to adjust the temperature of the surface. In various cases, the vibration and/or temperature may be varied over time, such as in response to one or more touches detected using one or more touch sensors.

Claims

1. A method of simulating a material using a touch surface, comprising:

controlling a temperature of a portion of the touch surface using a temperature control device;

vibrating the portion of the touch surface using an actuator; and

compensating for heat produced by the actuator using the temperature control device when the heat from the actuator is interfering with the control of the temperature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the portion of the touch surface comprises a range of temperatures.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling the temperature of the portion of the touch surface and vibrating the portion of the touch surface are performed in response to detection of a touch on the portion of the touch surface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring the temperature of the portion of the touch surface prior to compensating for the heat produced by the actuator.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said control of the temperature of the portion of the touch surface comprises:

heating a first part of the portion of the touch surface; and

cooling a second part of the portion of the touch surface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said compensating for the heat using the temperature control device comprises dissipating or diffusing the heat.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising vibrating an additional portion of the touch surface differently than the portion of the touch surface.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch surface;

a temperature control device operably connected to the touch surface;

an actuator operably connected to the touch surface; and

a processing unit that simulates a material using a portion of the touch surface, the processing unit configured to execute instructions that;

controls a temperature of the portion of the touch surface using the temperature control device;

vibrates the portion of the touch surface using the actuator; and

compensates for heat produced by the actuator using the temperature control device when the heat from the actuator is interfering with the control of the temperature of the portion of the surface.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the touch surface that measures a temperature of the portion of the touch surface.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the touch surface comprises a capacitive touch screen.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the touch surface comprises a capacitive trackpad.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the actuator comprises a piezoelectric actuator.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising a touch sensor coupled to the touch surface wherein the processing unit simulates the material using the portion of the touch surface based at least on data from the touch sensor regarding a touch to the portion of the touch surface.

14. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the actuator is operable to move horizontally with respect to the touch surface.

15. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch surface; and

a processing unit configured to execute instructions that simulate a material using a portion of the touch surface by;

controlling a temperature of the portion of the touch surface;

vibrating the portion of the touch surface; and

compensating for heat produced by the vibration of the portion of the touch surface by altering the temperature of the portion of the touch surface when the heat is interfering with the control of the temperature of the portion of the touch surface.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the processing unit controls the temperature of the portion of the touch surface and vibrates the portion of the touch surface using a combined temperature control and actuator component.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the combined temperature control and actuator component comprises a temperature control component laminated to an actuator.

18. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is operable to simulate an additional material using an additional portion of the touch surface.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the processing unit is operable to simulate the additional material using the additional portion of the touch surface simultaneously with simulating the material using the portion of the touch surface.

20. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the touch surface is optically transparent approximately between ultraviolet and far infrared.