Haptic Feedback System for Touch Input Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing haptic feedback technologies struggle to provide comprehensive and customizable tactile reinforcement across different applications and environments, failing to effectively convey visual and functional attributes of visual elements and gestures on touch input surfaces.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a system that generates haptic effects based on visual and functional attributes of visual elements and gestures, using a haptic tree and gesture mappings to output tailored haptic responses on touch input surfaces, such as touchpads and touchscreens, even when the display functionality is off.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If haptic effects are comprehensively incorporated across different applications and services, then user experience and accessibility are improved, but device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal haptic feedback system through the HapticFeedback class that can be invoked by any application or service regardless of whether it is haptic-aware. The system provides a common interface (e.g., HapticFeedback.getInstance().perform()) that handles diverse haptic scenarios including selection, activation, completion, and error states across different applications, making the haptic capability universally accessible without requiring each application to implement its own haptic logic
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary haptic feedback manager system that sits between the user interface framework and the haptic execution mechanisms. This manager receives haptic requests from various applications, determines the appropriate haptic effect based on the interaction type and device state, and coordinates the actual haptic output. The intermediary abstracts the complexity of haptic effect selection and parameter tuning from individual applications, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive haptic coverage
2Reliability
If haptic effects are provided for all user interactions, then tactile reinforcement is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing haptic feedback selectively based on the specific interaction context rather than uniformly for all interactions. The system determines whether to invoke haptic effects based on the type of visual element (e.g., button, link, icon), the nature of the interaction (e.g., hover, click, long-press), and the current device state. This selective approach ensures tactile reinforcement is provided where most beneficial while avoiding unnecessary haptic output in contexts where it would be redundant or inappropriate, thereby reducing overall energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action by providing haptic feedback at specific moments during user interactions rather than continuously. Haptic effects are triggered at key interaction events such as when a user hovers over a selectable element, clicks a button, completes an action, or encounters an error. This event-driven, periodic haptic output provides consistent tactile reinforcement at critical moments while maintaining low energy consumption during non-interactive periods
3Ease of operation
If haptic feedback is integrated into the operating system, then ease of operation is improved, but processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling applications to easily invoke haptic feedback through simple API calls without requiring complex configuration or deep integration with the haptic subsystem. The HapticFeedback class provides straightforward methods (e.g., perform(HapticFeedbackConstants.LONG_PRESS)) that applications can call directly from their event handlers. The system automatically determines the appropriate haptic effect based on the interaction context, eliminating the need for applications to manually select haptic parameters or manage haptic state, thus improving ease of operation while minimizing processing overhead through automated decision-making
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for haptic effect on a touch input surface are described. Generally, haptic effects are provided for different user interactions with a touch input surface, such gestures applied to a touch pad and/or a touchscreen to interact with applications, services, system-level functionalities (e.g., operating system user interfaces), and so forth. According to various implementations, haptic effects can be output based on visual and/or functional attributes of a particular device environment, and/or based on attributes of a gesture used to apply touch input.