User interface and methods
First Claim
1. A user interface, comprising:
- a substrate;
a tactile layer comprising a tactile surface, a deformable region of the tactile layer cooperating with the substrate to define a cavity, and a peripheral region of the tactile layer coupled to the substrate adjacent a perimeter of the cavity;
a volume of fluid arranged within the cavity;
a displacement device configured to manipulate the volume of fluid to transition the deformable region from a retracted setting to an expanded setting, the deformable region flush with the peripheral region at the tactile surface in the retracted setting and offset from the peripheral region at the tactile surface in the expanded setting;
a sensor comprising a set of sensing elements, each sensing element in the set of sensing elements configured to sense a capacitance value across a portion of the tactile layer; and
a processor configured to detect an input on the tactile surface at the deformable region in the retracted setting according to an output of the sensor and a retracted setting sensor input threshold, the processor further configured to detect an input on the tactile surface at the deformable region in the expanded setting according to an output of the sensor and an expanded setting sensor input threshold that differs from the retracted setting sensor input threshold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One variation of a method for controlling a dynamic tactile user interface includes: sensing a first capacitance value across a portion of a cavity in a retracted setting; sensing a second capacitance value across a peripheral region; generating a capacitance map according to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value; modifying a fluid pressure within the cavity to transition the cavity into an expanded setting, the deformable region elevated above the peripheral region in the expanded setting; sensing a third capacitance value across the portion of the cavity in the expanded setting; updating the capacitance map according to the third capacitance value; and detecting an input on the tactile surface at the deformable region according to a comparison between a sensed capacitance value across the portion of the cavity and the capacitance map.
579 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A user interface, comprising:
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a substrate; a tactile layer comprising a tactile surface, a deformable region of the tactile layer cooperating with the substrate to define a cavity, and a peripheral region of the tactile layer coupled to the substrate adjacent a perimeter of the cavity; a volume of fluid arranged within the cavity; a displacement device configured to manipulate the volume of fluid to transition the deformable region from a retracted setting to an expanded setting, the deformable region flush with the peripheral region at the tactile surface in the retracted setting and offset from the peripheral region at the tactile surface in the expanded setting; a sensor comprising a set of sensing elements, each sensing element in the set of sensing elements configured to sense a capacitance value across a portion of the tactile layer; and a processor configured to detect an input on the tactile surface at the deformable region in the retracted setting according to an output of the sensor and a retracted setting sensor input threshold, the processor further configured to detect an input on the tactile surface at the deformable region in the expanded setting according to an output of the sensor and an expanded setting sensor input threshold that differs from the retracted setting sensor input threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification