Tactile sensation providing apparatus

Abstract

An operator may operate, without a feeling of strangeness, provided with a realistic tactile sensation matching an object on a touch sensor by a tactile sensation providing apparatus 1 including a touch sensor 11, a load detection unit 12 for detecting a pressure load, a tactile sensation providing unit 13, and a control unit for controlling drive of the tactile sensation proving unit 13 such that: a first tactile sensation is provided upon detecting a position of the pressure load satisfying a predetermined standard load shifts into a predetermined area, a second tactile sensation is provided upon detecting the position of the pressure load satisfying the predetermined standard load shifts out of the predetermined area, and a tactile sensation different from the first and the second tactile sensations is provided upon detecting the position of the pressure load shifts out of the predetermined area and into another predetermined area.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority to and the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-121877 filed on May 27, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates to an apparatus for providing a tactile sensation in response to reception of an input to a touch sensor.BACKGROUND ART[0003]In recent years, there are mobile terminals such as mobile phones that employ input apparatuses having touch sensors such as touch panels, touch switches or the like, as input apparatuses such as operation units, switches and the like configured to detect operations by operators. Such input apparatuses having the touch sensors are popularly employed not only by the mobile terminals but also by information equipments such as calculators, ticket vending machines, home electric appliances such as microwaves, TV sets, lighting equipments, industrial equipments (FA equipments) and the li...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides an apparatus that can provide a realistic feel for the operator by giving feedback based on their touch sensors. This can help the operator to operate without feeling strangeness and can make the operation more intuitive.

Problems solved by technology

Therefore, the operator may not obtain feedback in response to the operation to the touch sensor.

Since the operator may not obtain an operation sensation in operation, the operator may not determine whether the operation is appropriately detected by the terminal.

In using such a terminal, accordingly, the operator is likely to repeat the operation to the same position and may feel stressed.

However, such auditory feedback may be difficult to be confirmed in a noisy environment and is not applicable when the equipment being used is in a silent mode.

In addition, in using visual feedback, when the operator is inputting by the finger, if the input object displayed on the display unit is small, the operator may not be able to confirm the change in the display state, as a view of the input object is blocked by the finger.

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