Feedback mechanism for user detection of reference location on a sensing device

• US 9,292,091 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Grivna, Edward L., Wright, David G., Sartore, Ronald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Osorio, Ricardo L
• Application Number:
  US14/029,381
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/169, 345/168
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing an active feedback of a position of a conductive object, manipulated by a user on a sensing device, to allow detection of a reference location on the sensing device by the user. The apparatus may include a sensing device to detect a presence of a conductive object, manipulated by a user on the sensing device, a processing device coupled to the sensing device, the processing device to determine a position of the conductive object on the sensing device, and a feedback mechanism coupled to the processing device to provide an active feedback to the user to allow detection of a reference location on the sensing device by the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a first position of a conductive object, manipulated by a user, proximate to a touch-screen;

determining a proximity of the first position to a reference location of the touch-screen;

determining, by a processing device, a first active feedback attribute based on the proximity of the first position to the reference location, wherein an active feedback attribute is variable according to a proximity of the conductive object and the reference location; and

providing a first active feedback having the first active feedback attribute to the user to allow detection of the reference location on the touch-screen by the user, wherein providing the first active feedback includes providing at least a portion of the first active feedback prior to a key activation associated with the reference location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first active feedback attribute comprises at least one of a magnitude, frequency, or duration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first active feedback comprises at least one of a vibrational feedback, an audio feedback, or an illuminating feedback.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first position comprises determining the first position of the conductive object without generating a signal indicating a button activation with the touch screen.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first position of the conductive object comprises determining one of a plurality of feedback zones and wherein determining the first active feedback attribute based on the proximity of the position to the reference location comprises determining an active feedback attribute corresponding to the one of the plurality of feedback zones.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a second position of the conductive object on the touch-screen, wherein the second position is closer to the reference location than the first position;

determining a second active feedback attribute based on the proximity of the second position to the reference location of the touch-screen; and

providing a second active feedback having the second active feedback attribute.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the second active feedback attribute comprises gradually or incrementally increasing the first active feedback attribute.

8. A system comprising:

a touch screen;

at least one processing device coupled to the touch-screen, the at least one processing device to determine a first position of a conductive object proximate to the touch-screen, to determine a proximity of the first position to a reference location of the touch-screen, and to determine a first active feedback attribute based on the proximity of the first position to the reference location, wherein an active feedback attribute is variable according to a proximity of the conductive object and the reference location; and

a feedback device coupled to the at least one processing device, the feedback device to provide a first active feedback having the first active feedback attribute to the user to allow detection of the reference location on the touch-screen by the user, wherein the feedback device to provide the first active feedback prior to the processing device generating a signal indicating a button activation associated based on the determined first position.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first active feedback attribute comprises at least one of a magnitude, frequency, or duration.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first active feedback comprises at least one of a vibrational feedback, an audio feedback, or an illuminating feedback.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processing device is to determine the first position without generating a signal indicating a button activation of the touch-screen.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processing device is to determine one of a plurality of feedback zones and determine the first active feedback attribute by determining an active feedback attribute corresponding to the one of the plurality of feedback zones.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the at least one processing device is to determine a second position of the conductive object proximate to the touch screen, wherein the second position is closer to the reference location than the first position; and

the at least one processing device is to determine a second active feedback attribute based on the proximity of the second position to the reference location of the touch screen; and

wherein the feedback device is to provide a second active feedback having the second active feedback attribute.

14. The system of claim 8, where the system comprises a hand-held device comprising the touch-screen, the at least one processing device, and the feedback device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the hand-held device is a mobile phone.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the feedback device comprises at least one of a vibrator, a speaker, or a light source.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a processing device to;

receive first signals and second signals from a sensing device;

determine a first position of a conductive object manipulated by a user proximate to the touch-screen based on the first received signals;

determine a proximity of the first position to a reference location of the sensing device;

determine a first active feedback attribute based on the proximity of the first position to the reference location, wherein an active feedback attribute is variable according to a proximity of the conductive object and the reference location;

transmit a first signal indicative of the first active feedback attribute; and

change a state of an item displayed by the touch-screen based on the second received signals.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first active feedback attribute comprises at least one of a magnitude, frequency, or duration.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processing device is further to:

determine a second position of the conductive object proximate to the touch-screen based on the received signals, wherein the second position is closer to the reference location than the first position;

determine a second active feedback attribute based on the proximity of the second position to the reference location of the touch-screen; and

transmit a second signal indicative of the second active feedback attribute.