Touch-Sensitive Input Device With Grip-Adaptive Haptic Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing input devices, such as styluses, struggle to provide consistent haptic outputs due to variations in user grip and finger positions, leading to noticeable differences in perceived haptic feedback.
Innovation Solution
A touch-sensitive input device with a sensor subsystem to detect contact points between a user's hand and the device body, determining a touch profile, and adjusting haptic feedback mechanisms to provide consistent or varied outputs based on these profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a stylus provides haptic output via an internal motor, then haptic feedback is generated, but the perceived haptic feedback varies noticeably with different user grip and finger positions
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts haptic feedback parameters based on real-time sensor data about user grip and finger position. The logic processor continuously monitors sensor subsystem data and modifies haptic output characteristics to maintain consistency across different握持 styles, transforming a static haptic system into an adaptive one.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a closed-loop feedback mechanism where sensor data about contact points and grip characteristics is fed back to the logic processor, which then adjusts haptic feedback accordingly. This feedback loop enables the system to compensate for variations in user grip and maintain reliable haptic output.
2Adaptability or versatility
If sensor data is collected to determine touch profile, then haptic output can be adapted, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor subsystem serves multiple functions: detecting contact points, determining touch profile, and providing data for haptic feedback adjustment. By making the sensor system multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated components for each function, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The logic processor uses the sensor subsystem's data to automatically adjust haptic feedback without requiring external intervention or additional control systems. The system serves itself by processing its own sensor data to optimize performance, reducing the need for external complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples are disclosed that relate to applying haptic output to a touch-sensitive input device. One example provides a touch-sensitive input device comprising a body, a haptic feedback mechanism within the body, a sensor subsystem, a logic processor, and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to receive from the sensor subsystem sensor data indicating locations along the body of a plurality of contact points between a user hand and the body, based at least in part on the sensor data, determine a touch profile of the user hand applied to the body, based at least in part on the touch profile of the user hand, determine a selected haptic output to be applied to the body, and cause a drive signal to be transmitted to the haptic feedback mechanism to apply the selected haptic output to the body.