Electronic device with haptic feedback

• US 8,378,979 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Frid, Marcos, Ghanta, Rajiv Kotesh, Hebenstreit, Joseph J., Kim, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, MY CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US12/360,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/168, 345/169, 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0291 for reading, e.g. e-books constructional details of portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/015 Force feedback applied to a joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/14 Electronic books and readers

Abstract

Haptic feedback may be provided to a user of an electronic device, such as an electronic book reader device, to confirm receipt of user input or otherwise convey information to the user. The haptic feedback may be provided more quickly than a display update time of a display of the electronic device. Different patterns, durations, and/or intensities of haptic feedback may be used in response to different events.

Claims

1. A portable electronic book reader device comprising:

a housing;

an electronic paper display screen disposed in the housing, the electronic paper display screen having a display update time;

a user interface coupled to the housing and configured to receive user input to be rendered on the display; and

a haptic feedback device coupled to the housing and configured to provide haptic feedback in response to receipt of input to the user interface, the haptic feedback device having a response time that is less than the display update time.

2. The portable electronic book reader device of claim 1, further comprising:

memory storing a plurality of haptic profiles, each haptic profile defining a haptic signature to be used in response to a given user input event; and

a haptic feedback device driver configured to drive the haptic feedback device to provide haptic feedback according to one of the plurality of haptic profiles.

3. The portable electronic book reader device of claim 2, wherein the haptic feedback device comprises an electric field generator and a magnetic mass, the electric field generator being actuatable to drive the mass to generate a vibration.

4. An electronic device comprising:

a display having a display update time;

a user interface configured to receive user input; and

a haptic feedback device configured to provide haptic feedback in response to user input received at the user interface, the haptic feedback device having a responsiveness that is faster than the display update time of the display.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the display comprises an electronic paper display.

6. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the display has a display update time greater than about 15 milliseconds, and wherein the haptic feedback device has a response time of at most about 15 milliseconds.

7. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the haptic feedback device is configured to provide haptic feedback in response to one or more of the following user inputs:

user input to highlight an object on the display;

user input to select an object on the display;

user input to turn a page presented on the display;

user input to open a menu on the display;

user input to delete an item from memory of the device;

user input invoking a search function;

user input to clip text on the display; and

user input to activate a link on the display.

8. The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising memory storing a plurality of haptic profiles, each haptic profile defining a haptic signature to be used in response to a given user input.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein each haptic signature defines a duration, amplitude, and pattern of haptic feedback provided.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising a haptic feedback device driver configured to drive the haptic feedback device to provide haptic feedback according to one of the plurality of haptic profiles.

11. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the haptic feedback device is configured to provide haptic feedback according to one or more haptic profiles.

12. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the haptic feedback device is configured to provide one or more of the following forms of feedback:

vibration feedback, force feedback, motion feedback.

13. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the haptic feedback device comprises an electric field generator and a magnetic mass, the electric field generator being selectively activatable to drive the mass to generate a vibration.

14. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the haptic feedback device comprises an unbalanced rotatable mass and a motor to drive the unbalanced rotatable mass.

15. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the haptic feedback device comprises a piezoelectric actuator.

16. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the haptic feedback device comprises a shape memory alloy or a shape memory polymer.

17. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the haptic feedback device is fixed to a housing of the electronic device to impart the haptic feedback to the housing.

18. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the haptic feedback device is coupled to a particular user input device of the user interface, such that the haptic feedback is localized to the particular user input device.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the haptic feedback device is coupled to a joystick of the electronic device to provide localized haptic feedback to the joystick.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, further comprising an audio output device configured to output a sound in response to received user input.

21. One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, are configured to perform acts comprising:

receiving a signal from a user interface of an electronic device, the signal designating a specific user input;

comparing the signal received from the user interface to a haptic profile stored in memory of the electronic device, the haptic profile comprising a haptic signature corresponding to the signal received from the user interface;

determining the haptic signature to use in response to the received signal from the user interface, based on the comparison; and

driving a haptic feedback device of the electronic device to provide haptic feedback according to the haptic signature determined to be used.

22. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the haptic signature defines a duration, amplitude, and pattern of haptic feedback provided.

23. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 21, storing instructions configured to perform the further act of updating a display of the electronic device based on the signal received from the user interface, wherein the haptic feedback mechanism has a shorter response rate than a display update time of the display, such that driving the haptic feedback mechanism is configured to occur prior to updating the display.

24. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the received signal designates one or more of the following user inputs:

user input to highlight an object on the display;

user input to select an object on the display;

user input to turn a page presented on the display;

user input to open a menu on the display;

user input to delete an item from memory of the device;

user input invoking a search function;

user input to clip text on the display; and

user input to activate a link on the display.

25. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 21, storing instructions configured to perform the further act of outputting a sound based on the signal received from the user interface.