Haptic notifications utilizing haptic input devices

• US 9,886,090 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2014
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Silvanto, Mikael M., Ligtenberg, Christiaan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARINELLI, PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US14/325,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20160011664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface

Abstract

An electronic device may include a haptic input device, such as a haptic trackpad, that provides tactile feedback when receiving input. The electronic device may determine that one or more system level events occurs and utilize the haptic input device to provide one or more haptic notifications via one or more surfaces other than the haptic input device, such as a portion of a housing of the electronic device. In some cases, the electronic device may be configurable between a first position where the haptic input device is exposed and a second configuration where the haptic input device is covered but the surface via which the haptic notification may be provided is still exposed.

Claims

1. A laptop computer operative to generate a haptic notification, comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing coupled to the first housing;

a display coupled to the second housing;

a haptic trackpad, coupled to the first housing, that provides tactile feedback when receiving input and is operable to move a cursor on the display; and

a processing unit;

wherein;

the haptic trackpad provides a haptic notification by providing a vibration via a portion of the second housing when the processing unit determines a system level event occurs and the haptic trackpad is unavailable;

the haptic trackpad does not provide the haptic notification when the haptic trackpad is available; and

the system level event is an event that originates from an operating system, firmware, hardware component, hardware driver, or kernel of the electronic device.

2. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the laptop computer is configurable between:

a first position where the haptic trackpad is exposed; and

a second position where the haptic trackpad is covered.

3. The laptop computer of claim 2, wherein:

the first position comprises a laptop open position;

the second position comprises a laptop closed position; and

the system level event comprises connection of the laptop computer to a power input.

4. The laptop computer of claim 2, wherein the portion of the second housing is exposed in the closed position.

5. The laptop computer of claim 3, wherein the system level event comprises disconnecting a power connector from the power input.

6. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the haptic notification includes a combination of a vibration and another haptic output.

7. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the haptic notification includes a combination of a vibration and a sound.

8. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the system level event comprises connection of the laptop computer to a power connector.

9. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the portion of the second housing is not contacted by a user when providing input to the haptic trackpad.

10. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the haptic notification includes a haptic output that is at least one of stronger than a haptic output provided as part of the tactile feedback or weaker than the haptic output provided as part of the tactile feedback.

11. A laptop computer operative to generate a haptic notification, comprising:

a housing;

a haptic trackpad that provides tactile when receiving input; and

a processing unit;

wherein;

the haptic trackpad provides a haptic notification via a portion of the housing other than the haptic trackpad when the processing unit determines that the laptop computer is connected to a power connector and the haptic trackpad is unavailable; and

the haptic trackpad does not provide the haptic notification when the haptic trackpad is available.

12. The laptop computer of claim 11, wherein the haptic trackpad surface is unavailable for providing output when the laptop computer is closed.

13. The laptop computer of claim 11, wherein the tactile feedback is different than the haptic notification.

14. The laptop computer of claim 12, wherein the haptic trackpad surface is unavailable when the laptop computer is closed because the haptic trackpad surface is covered.

15. The laptop computer of claim 14, wherein the haptic trackpad surface is covered by the housing.

16. A laptop computer operative to generate a haptic notification, comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing coupled to the first housing;

a haptic trackpad coupled to the second housing that provides tactile feedback via a haptic trackpad surface when receiving input; and

a processing unit;

wherein;

the haptic trackpad provides a haptic notification via a portion of the first housing when the processing unit determines a system level event occurs and the haptic trackpad is unavailable;

the haptic trackpad does not provide the haptic notification when the haptic trackpad is available; and

the system level event comprises the laptop computer electrically connecting to a power connector.

17. The laptop computer of claim 16, wherein:

the haptic trackpad provides a first haptic notification when the processing unit determines a first system level event occurs and the haptic trackpad is unavailable; and

the haptic trackpad provides a second haptic notification that when the processing unit determines a second system level event occurs, the second haptic notification having a different haptic characteristics than the first haptic notification.

18. The laptop computer of claim 17, wherein:

the first haptic notification is a first vibration; and

the second haptic notification is a second vibration different from the first vibration.

19. The laptop computer of claim 17, wherein:

the haptic trackpad provides the first haptic notification via a first portion of the first housing;

the second haptic notification via a second portion of the first housing; and

the second portion is different from the first portion.

20. The laptop computer of claim 16, wherein the haptic trackpad provides an additional haptic notification when the processing unit determines an application level event occurs.

21. A laptop computer operative to generate a haptic notification, comprising:

a laptop housing;

a display coupled to the laptop housing;

a haptic trackpad having an input surface, coupled to the laptop housing, that is configured to provide tactile feedback when receiving input and is operable to move a cursor on the display; and

a processing unit;

wherein;

in response to a system level event, the haptic trackpad is configured to provide a haptic notification when the haptic trackpad is unavailable by transmitting a vibration via an external portion of the laptop housing while the laptop housing is closed, covering the haptic trackpad; and

the haptic trackpad does not provide the haptic notification when the haptic trackpad is available.

22. The laptop computer of claim 21, wherein the tactile feedback is a different kind of haptic output than the haptic notification.

23. The laptop computer of claim 21, wherein the system level event comprises the laptop computer electrically connecting to a dedicated power connector.

24. The laptop computer of claim 21, wherein the haptic trackpad is uncovered when the laptop housing is opened.