Tactile feedback in an electronic device

• US 8,400,283 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2012
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony, Hodge, Andrew Bart, Zadesky, Stephen, Lindahl, Aram, Guetta, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/411,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20120249312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.2, 340/686.1, 340/815.47, 340/815.48, 340/815.6, 340/407.1
• US Class Current: 340/407.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication

Abstract

An electronic device for providing tactile feedback is provided. The electronic device may provide tactile feedback using any suitable approach, including for example vibration, heat, electrical, visual, or any other type of feedback. The electronic device may provide tactile feedback in response to detecting any particular status of the electronic device, receiving any particular input, or detecting any suitable communication received by the electronic device. For example, the electronic device may provide tactile feedback in response to identifying the current network of the device, the status of a particular electronic device component, or any other electronic device status. As another example, the electronic device may provide tactile feedback in response to receiving a particular type of communication, or in response to receiving a communication from a particular contact.

Claims

1. A method for providing feedback to a user of an electronic device, the method comprising:

performing with the electronic device a communications operation;

during the performing, monitoring a current status of the ongoing communications operation;

when the monitored current status is a first current status, providing with the electronic device a first tactile feedback associated with the first current status; and

when the monitored current status is a second current status, providing with the electronic device a second tactile feedback associated with the second current status;

wherein;

the current status comprises the current amount of communications credit remaining on an account associated with at least one of the user and the electronic device;

the first current status comprises a first amount of communications credit remaining on the account; and

the second current status comprises a second amount of communications credit remaining on the account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the second tactile feedback is more pronounced than the first tactile feedback.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the current amount of communications credit remaining on the account is configured to decrease from the first amount to the second amount based on the performing the ongoing communications operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ongoing communications operation comprises at least one of receiving data with the electronic device, sending data with the electronic device, and conducting a telephone call with the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first tactile feedback and the second tactile feedback comprises at least one of changing the temperature of the electronic device and providing an electrical charge to the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tactile feedback is different than the second tactile feedback.

7. An electronic device, comprising:

at least one processing unit;

at least one communications circuit coupled to the at least one processing unit; and

at least one tactile feedback component coupled to the at least one processing unit;

wherein;

the at least one processing unit performs a communications operation utilizing the at least one communications circuit and monitors a current status of the communications operation during performance of the communications operation;

the at least one processing unit provides a first tactile feedback associated with a first current status when the monitored current status is the first current status and a second tactile feedback associated with a second current status when the monitored current status is the second current status; and

the current status comprises the current amount of communications credit remaining on an account associated with at least one of the user and the electronic device, the first current status comprises a first amount of communications credit remaining on the account, and the second current status comprises a second amount of communications credit remaining on the account.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the second tactile feedback is more pronounced than the first tactile feedback.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the current amount of communications credit remaining on the account is configured to decrease from the first amount to the second amount based on the performing the communications operation.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the communications operation comprises at least one of receiving data with the electronic device, sending data with the electronic device, and conducting a telephone call with the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first tactile feedback and the second tactile feedback comprises at least one of changing the temperature of the electronic device and providing an electrical charge to the user.

12. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first tactile feedback is different than the second tactile feedback.

13. A non-transitory storage medium, comprising:

a first set of instructions stored in the non-transitory storage medium executable by at least one processing unit to perform a communications operation utilizing an electronic device;

a second set of instructions stored in the non-transitory storage medium executable by the at least one processing unit to monitor a current status of the communications operation during performance of the communications operation;

a third set of instructions stored in the non-transitory storage medium executable by the at least one processing unit to provide a first tactile feedback associated with a first current status when the monitored current status is the first current status;

a fourth set of instructions stored in the non-transitory storage medium executable by the at least one processing unit to provide a second tactile feedback associated with a second current status when the monitored current status is the second current status;

wherein the current status comprises the current amount of communications credit remaining on an account associated with at least one of the user and the electronic device, the first current status comprises a first amount of communications credit remaining on the account, and the second current status comprises a second amount of communications credit remaining on the account.

14. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 13, wherein the second tactile feedback is more pronounced than the first tactile feedback.

15. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 13, wherein the current amount of communications credit remaining on the account is configured to decrease from the first amount to the second amount based on the performing the communications operation.

16. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 13, wherein the communications operation comprises at least one of receiving data with the electronic device, sending data with the electronic device, and conducting a telephone call with the electronic device.

17. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first tactile feedback and the second tactile feedback comprises at least one of changing the temperature of the electronic device and providing an electrical charge to the user.

18. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first tactile feedback is different than the second tactile feedback.