Haptic feedback for touchpads and other touch controls

Inactive Publication Date: 2001-11-01
IMMERSION CORPORATION
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

0007] The present invention is directed to a haptic feedback planar touch control used to provide input to a computer system. The control can be a touchpad provided on a portable computer, or can be a touch

Problems solved by technology

In portable computer or electronic devices, such as laptop computers, mice typically too large a workspace to be practical.
One problem with existing touchpads is that there is no haptic feedback provided to the user.
The user of a touchpad is therefore not abl

Method used

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  • Haptic feedback for touchpads and other touch controls
  • Haptic feedback for touchpads and other touch controls
  • Haptic feedback for touchpads and other touch controls

Examples

Experimental program
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Example

[0035] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment 40 of a touchpad 16 of the present invention for providing haptic feedback to the user. In this embodiment, one or more piezoelectric actuators 42 are coupled to the underside of the touchpad 16. The piezoelectric actuator 42 is driven by suitable electronics, as is well known to those skilled in the art. In one embodiment, a single piezoelectric actuator 42 is positioned at or near the center of the touchpad 16, or off to one side if space constraints of the housing require such a position. In other embodiments, multiple piezoelectric actuators 42 can be positioned at different areas of the touchpad; the dashed lines show one configuration, where an actuator 42 is placed at each comer of the pad 16 and at the center of the pad.

[0036] The piezoelectric actuators 42 can each output a small pulse, vibration, or texture sensation on the touchpad 16 and to the user if the user is contacting the touchpad. The entire touchpad 16 is...

Example

[0048] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a third embodiment 60 of the haptic touchpad 16 of the present invention. In this embodiment, the stationary portion of the actuator is coupled to the touchpad 16, and the moving portion of the actuator is coupled to an inertial mass to provide inertial haptic sensations.

[0049] Touchpad 16 can be compliantly mounted to the rigid housing of the computer device similarly to the embodiments described above. For example, one or more spring elements 62 can be coupled between the touchpad and the housing. These springs can be helical or leaf springs, a compliant material such as rubber or foam, flexures, etc.

[0050] One or more actuators 64 are coupled to the underside of the touchpad 16. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, a piezo-electric actuator is shown. One portion 66 of each actuator 64 is coupled to the touchpad 16, and the other portion 68 is coupled to a mass 70. Thus, when the portion 68 is moved relative to the portion 66, the mass 70 is mov...

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PUM

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Abstract

A haptic feedback planar touch control used to provide input to a computer. A touch input device includes a planar touch surface that inputs a position signal to a processor of the computer based on a location of user contact on the touch surface. The computer can position a cursor in a displayed graphical environment based at least in part on the position signal, or perform a different function. At least one actuator is also coupled to the touch input device and outputs a force to provide a haptic sensation to the user contacting the touch surface. The touch input device can be a touchpad separate from the computer's display screen, or can be a touch screen. Output haptic sensations on the touch input device can include pulses, vibrations, and spatial textures. The touch input device can include multiple different regions to control different computer functions.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending patent application Ser. No. 09 / ______, entitled "Haptic Feedback for Directional Control Pads," filed Dec. 17, 1999 by Martin et al., and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002] The present invention relates generally to the interfacing with computer and mechanical devices by a user, and more particularly to devices used to interface with computer systems and electronic devices and which provide haptic feedback to the user.[0003] Humans interface with electronic and mechanical devices in a variety of applications, and the need for a more natural, easy-to-use, and informative interface is a constant concern. In the context of the present invention, humans interface with computer devices for a variety of applications. One such application is interacting with computer-generated environments such as games, simulations, and application...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): A63F13/06G06F1/16G06F3/00G06F3/01G06F3/033G06F3/041H04L29/08
CPCA63F13/06A63F13/92A63F2300/1062A63F2300/1075A63F2300/8017G06F1/1616G06F1/1626G06F1/169G06F3/011G06F3/016G06F3/0338G06F3/03543G06F3/03545G06F3/03547G06F3/0362G06F3/041G06F3/0416G06F3/04847G06F3/04855G06F2203/013G06F2203/014G06F2203/015H01H2003/008H01H2215/052G06F3/0488G06F1/1692A63F13/285H04L69/329A63F13/20A63F13/426A63F13/2145A63F2300/1037A63F13/218A63F13/42A63F2300/1006A63F2300/6045A63F2300/1056A63F13/803A63F2300/204A63F13/245A63F2300/10G06F3/04142
Inventor ROSENBERG, LOUIS B.RIEGEL, JAMES R.
Owner IMMERSION CORPORATION
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