Haptic Feedback Panel Using Transfer Functions for Multi-Touch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional haptic feedback methods for touch panels, especially for multiple touches, lack efficiency in providing distinct and effective sensory feedback, leading to user uncertainty about touch detection.
Innovation Solution
A haptic feedback device with a panel, multiple actuators, a touch information obtaining unit, a haptic feedback determining unit, and a driving signal obtaining unit that uses transfer functions to differentiate haptic feedback between touch positions, allowing for stronger vibrations at designated touch positions and weaker or no vibrations at other positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple actuators are used to provide haptic feedback for multiple touches, then haptic feedback effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single actuator is designed to perform multiple functions by providing haptic feedback for multiple touch positions simultaneously. The actuator generates vibrations that propagate across the panel to different touch points, eliminating the need for separate actuators at each touch position and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining effective haptic feedback
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a one-to-one mapping between actuators and touch positions to a many-to-one relationship. By utilizing the spatial propagation characteristics of vibrations across the panel surface, a single actuator can influence multiple touch positions, effectively adding a spatial dimension to the haptic feedback mechanism
2Loss of information
If haptic feedback is provided for all touch positions, then user feedback clarity is improved, but processing load and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides differentiated haptic feedback by applying different vibration strengths to different touch positions. The determination unit identifies which touch positions require haptic feedback and adjusts the vibration intensity accordingly, providing strong feedback for primary touch positions and weak or no feedback for secondary positions, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining clear touch detection
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing uniform haptic feedback for all detected touches, the system selectively provides haptic feedback only for specific touch positions that meet certain criteria. This partial action approach reduces processing load and energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary haptic feedback generation for touches that do not require user confirmation
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
The solution effectively provides distinguishable haptic feedback for multiple touches, reducing user confusion and eliminating the need for numerous actuators, making it suitable for devices with low processing capabilities like smartphones and tablets.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of actuators placed in mutually different positions on the panel for vibrating the panel
Data Source
AI summary
A haptic feedback device includes: a plurality of actuators for vibrating a panel; a touch information obtaining unit for obtaining a plurality of touch positions on the panel; a haptic feedback determining unit for determining a first touch position at which to provide haptic feedback from among the plurality of touch positions; and a driving signal obtaining unit for obtaining first driving signals for driving the actuators to vibrate the panel at the first touch position according to a first haptic signal and vibrate the panel at a second touch position more weakly than at the first touch position, the first driving signals being generated using transfer functions from the actuators to the first touch position or a vicinity thereof and transfer functions from the actuators to the second touch position or a vicinity thereof.