Method for actuating a tactile interface layer

• US 9,298,261 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tactus Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tactus Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Parthasarathy, Radhakrishnan, Yairi, Micah
• Primary Examiner(s): ABDULSELAM, ABBAS I
• Application Number:
  US14/471,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20150077364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

One variation of the method includes registering interaction with a dynamic tactile interface including a tactile layer and a substrate, the tactile layer defining a tactile surface, a deformable region, and a peripheral region adjacent the deformable region and coupled to the substrate opposite the tactile surface, the method including: detecting an orientation of the device; predicting a location of an upcoming input related to a native application executing on the device; selecting a particular deformable region from a set of deformable regions, the particular deformable region substantially coincident the input location; selectively transitioning the particular deformable region from a retracted setting into an expanded setting, the deformable region substantially flush with the peripheral region in the retracted setting and tactilely distinguishable from the peripheral region in the expanded setting; and detecting an input, corresponding to the upcoming input, on the particular deformable region.

Claims

1. A method for registering interaction with a dynamic tactile interface comprising a tactile layer and a substrate, the tactile layer defining a tactile surface, a deformable region, and a peripheral region adjacent the deformable region and coupled to the substrate opposite the tactile surface, the method comprising:

predicting a location of an upcoming input related to a native application executing on the device;

selecting a particular deformable region from a set of deformable regions, the particular deformable region substantially coincident the input location;

selectively transitioning the particular deformable region from a retracted setting into an expanded setting, the deformable region substantially flush with the peripheral region in the retracted setting and tactilely distinguishable from the peripheral region in the expanded setting; and

detecting an input, corresponding to the upcoming input, on the particular deformable region.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the orientation of the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively transitioning the particular deformable region comprises displacing fluid into a variable volume adjacent the particular deformable region, the tactile layer cooperating with the substrate to define the variable volume, the fluid expanding the particular deformable region into the expanded setting.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein detecting the input on the particular deformable region comprises detecting an increase in fluid pressure within the variable volume corresponding to the particular deformable region.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the orientation of the device comprises detecting a surface of an external object proximal a second surface of the device opposite the tactile surface;

and wherein selecting the particular deformable region comprises selecting the particular deformable region coincident the tactile surface in response to detection of the external object proximal the second surface of the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein predicting the location of the upcoming input comprises identifying the location substantially coincident an input object contacting a surface of the device prior to the upcoming input;

and wherein selecting the particular deformable region comprises selecting the particular deformable region substantially coincident the location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the orientation comprises detecting the orientation of the device based on an output of an accelerometer integrated into the device;

and wherein predicting the location of the upcoming input comprises predicting the location of the upcoming input based on the orientation of the device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein predicting the location of the upcoming input comprises identifying the location substantially coincident an input object contacting a surface of the device prior to the upcoming input;

wherein predicting the location comprises identifying a native textual input application currently executing on the device and a virtual key of a portrait virtual keyboard rendered on a display incorporated into the device corresponding to the input object;

wherein selecting the particular deformable region comprises selecting a subset of deformable regions of the tactile layer, each particular deformable region in the subset of particular deformable region coincident a key in a subset of keys of the portrait virtual keyboard rendered on the display and proximal the input object contacting the surface of the device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein predicting the location of the upcoming input comprises identifying the location substantially coincident an input object contacting a surface of the device prior to the upcoming input;

wherein predicting the location comprises identifying a native textual input application currently executing on the device and a virtual key of a landscape virtual keyboard rendered on a display incorporated into the device corresponding to the input object;

wherein selecting the particular deformable region comprises selecting a set of particular deformable regions, each particular deformable region coincident a key of the landscape virtual keyboard and coincident the input object.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein predicting the location of the upcoming input comprises selecting an input location corresponding to a virtual shutter button rendered on a display incorporated into the device, the virtual shutter button triggering image capture within a native camera application executing on the device, and wherein selecting the particular deformable region comprises selecting the particular deformable region substantially coincident the virtual shutter button.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein selecting the input location corresponding to the virtual shutter button comprises selecting an input location corresponding to a virtual shutter button triggering image capture by a forward-facing camera integrated into the device;

wherein selecting the particular deformable region substantially coincident the virtual shutter button comprises selecting the particular deformable region adjacent the virtual shutter button location at a center of a touchscreen of the device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein predicting the location of the upcoming input comprises selecting an input location corresponding to a virtual shutter button rendered on a display incorporated into the device, the virtual shutter button triggering image capture within a native camera application executing on the device, and wherein selecting the particular deformable region comprises selecting the particular deformable region substantially coincident the input object;

wherein detecting the input comprises detecting depression of the particular deformable region and triggering image capture within the native camera application.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting the input location corresponding to the virtual shutter button comprises selecting an input location corresponding to a virtual shutter button triggering image capture by a rear-facing camera integrated into the device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein predicting the location of the upcoming input comprises:

identifying the input location substantially coincident an input object contacting a surface of the device prior to the upcoming input and predicting a future input for adjusting a volume output of the device; and

wherein selecting the particular deformable region comprises selecting the particular deformable region coincident the input object and assigning to a volume control to the particular deformable region.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the orientation of the device comprises detecting an input object proximal a surface of the device;

wherein identifying the upcoming input comprises;

identifying an input associated with the input object and defining the input location substantially coincident the input object.

16. A method for registering interaction with a dynamic tactile interface comprising a tactile layer and a substrate, the tactile layer defining a tactile surface, a deformable region, and a peripheral region adjacent the deformable region and coupled to the substrate opposite the tactile surface, the method comprising:

receiving a notification event at the device;

predicting a particular location of an input object contacting a surface of the device prior to an upcoming input;

in response to the notification event, rendering a virtual communication on a region of a display of the device adjacent the particular location, the virtual communication corresponding to the notification event;

selecting a particular deformable region from a set of deformable regions, the particular deformable region adjacent the particular location;

selectively transitioning the particular deformable region from a retracted setting into an expanded setting, the particular deformable region substantially flush with the peripheral region in the retracted setting and tactilely distinguishable from the peripheral region in the expanded setting; and

detecting an input on the particular deformable region.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein detecting the input comprises detecting depression of the deformable region.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the notification event at the device comprises receiving a text message;

wherein rendering the virtual communication comprises rendering a notification of receipt of the text message;

wherein predicting the particular location of the input object comprises specifying a gesture applied by the input object to the tactile layer at the particular location;

wherein selecting the particular deformable region comprises selecting the particular deformable region substantially coincident the particular location; and

wherein detecting the input comprises detecting the gesture at the particular deformable region.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein selectively transitioning the particular deformable region comprises displacing fluid into a variable volume adjacent the particular region, the tactile layer cooperating with the substrate to define the variable volume, the fluid expanding the particular deformable region into the expanded setting.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the notification event at the device comprises detecting a mode of the device;

wherein rendering a virtual communication comprises rendering a virtual representation of the mode of the device;

wherein selecting a particular deformable region comprises selecting the particular deformable region coincident the input object;

wherein detecting the input comprises detecting depression of the particular deformable from the expanded setting; and

further comprising changing the mode of the device in response to detecting the input.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein detecting the mode of the device comprises detecting a current a low-energy sleeping state of the device;

wherein changing the mode of the device comprises waking the device from the low-energy sleeping state.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the notification event comprises detecting a second device proximal the device communicating with the device over wireless communication protocol;

wherein rendering the virtual communication comprises rendering a notification comprising a request to confirm wireless communication with the second device;

wherein detecting the particular location comprises identifying the particular location substantially coincident an input object contacting a surface of the device;

wherein selecting the particular deformable region comprises selecting the deformable region, from a set of deformable regions, coincident the particular location; and

wherein detecting the input comprises detecting depression of the deformable region from the expanded setting and confirming wireless communication between the device and the second device in response to the input.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein detecting the input comprises detecting an increase in pressure within the variable volume.