Haptic Layer Simulation of Touch Surface Control Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Touch surfaces, such as touch screens and touch pads, face challenges in providing adequate tactile feedback, especially for users with visual or auditory impairments, as they lack distinct physical borders and tactile cues for virtual buttons and icons, leading to navigation difficulties.
Innovation Solution
Implementing dynamic haptic feedback using a haptic layer that provides programmable tactile cues responsive to user inputs, simulating border and button textures, and adjusting feedback based on finger location, pressure, and input type to assist users in navigating complex touch surfaces without unnecessary tactile landmarks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If touch surfaces are made large to provide more input area, then the area for touch input increases, but tactile feedback and distinction between virtual controls deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing region-specific haptic feedback zones on the touch surface. Different areas of the touch surface are assigned different haptic characteristics (e.g., simulated button textures, border cues, icon patterns) that correspond to the virtual controls in those regions. This allows users to distinguish between different virtual controls through localized tactile sensations while maintaining a large overall touch area.
2Adaptability or versatility
If virtual buttons and icons are added to increase functionality, then the functionality of touch surface increases, but tactile cues for navigation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying by creating haptic replicas of physical control characteristics on the virtual touch surface. Virtual buttons and icons are equipped with simulated tactile properties (such as simulated raised edges, button-like textures, or icon-shaped haptic patterns) that replicate the feel of physical controls. This allows users to navigate and interact with virtual controls through tactile sensation alone, without needing visual or auditory cues.
3Reliability
If haptic feedback is provided for all regions, then tactile feedback completeness improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the touch surface into multiple independent haptic control zones, each capable of providing distinct tactile feedback patterns. The haptic feedback system is segmented into region-specific controllers that can be independently activated based on user interaction with specific virtual controls. This modular approach provides comprehensive tactile feedback across the entire touch surface while managing system complexity through distributed, region-based control.
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
Enhances user navigation and control of complex touch surfaces by providing intuitive tactile feedback, aiding visually and audibly impaired individuals in distinguishing virtual buttons and icons, and simulating border transitions, thus improving usability without visual or auditory reliance.
Implementation Method 1
Haptic feedback is provided using one or more actuators or haptic layer(s). Different amplitudes, frequencies and timing may be applied to produce various forms of vibration and thus haptic feedback.
Data Source
AI summary
An aspect provides an information handling device, including: a touch sensitive surface; one or more processors; a memory device storing instructions accessible to the one or more processors, the instructions being executable by the one or more processors to: detect one or more non-operational touch inputs to the touch sensitive surface; map the one or more non-operational touch inputs to a predetermined haptic effect selected from a plurality of predetermined haptic effects mapped to regions of the touch sensitive surface; and provide the predetermined haptic effect via a haptic layer of the touch sensitive surface. Other aspects are described and claimed.