Force Sensor Baseline Update for Tactile Feedback in Touch Displays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of touch panel devices experience difficulty in perceiving the presence and activation of objects on a uniformly hard surface, leading to a lack of feedback when interacting with user interface elements.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device with a display screen that incorporates an electrostatic tactile panel, force sensor, and mechanical vibration mechanisms to provide tactile and visual feedback, allowing users to feel the presence of objects and confirm activation through distinct feedback types.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a uniformly hard touch panel surface is used, then manufacturing simplicity and structural integrity are improved, but user perception of object presence and activation is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetouch panel manufacturing simplicityVSAvoiduser perception of object presence

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies mechanical vibration to the touch panel surface at specific locations corresponding to UI objects. When a user touches the panel, localized vibration provides tactile feedback that indicates object presence and activation state, resolving the contradiction by maintaining a uniformly hard surface while adding perceptible feedback through vibrational mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #18Mechanical vibration

2Device complexity

If visual feedback only is used for object activation, then device complexity is reduced, but user confirmation of activation is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefeedback mechanism complexityVSAvoiduser confirmation of activation

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple feedback types (visual display updates and mechanical vibration) into a unified feedback system. When an object is activated, both the visual display updates and the touched location vibrates, providing redundant confirmation through different senses and thereby improving user confirmation while managing complexity through integrated control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements immediate tactile feedback through vibration when an object is activated or when a user touches the panel. This feedback loop provides real-time confirmation to the user, enhancing the ease of operation by allowing users to feel the activation state rather than relying solely on visual cues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Stability of the object's composition

If force sensor baseline is not updated, then system stability is improved, but measurement precision degrades due to environmental changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforce sensor system stabilityVSAvoidforce measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary baseline measurement during a calibration period when no user input is detected. By pre-establishing the baseline force value before normal operation, the system prepares the measurement system in advance, allowing accurate force detection during interaction while maintaining stability through controlled baseline updates only during idle periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The baseline update is performed periodically during periods of no user interaction, rather than continuously or only when needed. This periodic action maintains measurement precision by refreshing the baseline at appropriate intervals while preserving system stability by avoiding unnecessary updates during active use, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables users to accurately identify object positions and confirm activation without visual reliance, reducing power consumption and extending mechanism lifespan by using electrostatic feedback for object presence and mechanical vibration for activation confirmation.

Implementation Method 1

an electrostatic tactile panel configured to generate an electrostatic force in response to a touch input from the user

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrostatic force: Electrostatics

Implementation Method 2

a force sensor configured to measure a force generated by a user pressing a display screen of the electronic device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForce sensing: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 3

configured to generate a vibration in response to the touch input from the user

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical vibration: Vibration

Data Source

PatentUS11372482B2Electronic device with updating of the baseline of a force sensor used to detect user pressing a display screen

Publication Date: 2022.06.28 TIANMA JAPAN LTD

AI summary

An electronic device having a display screen that displays a user interface including at least one object, comprising: a display mechanism that displays the user interface; a coordinate detection mechanism that detects coordinates of a user touch point on the display screen; a first feedback presentation mechanism that presents tactile feedback at a prescribed point to make the user perceive the presence of an object; a measurement mechanism that measures a force generated by the user pressing the display screen; and a second feedback presentation mechanism that detects an operation trigger based on the force and generates mechanical vibration.