Haptic Membrane Assembly for Virtual Keypad Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current touch-pad like input devices for TVs and remote controls lack tactile feedback, which users prefer, and often mimic mechanical remote controls with multiple touch keys, defeating the advantage of reduced component count.
Innovation Solution
A portable hand-held TV remote control system with a touch surface, pressure sensor array, and haptic membrane assembly that provides haptic and visual feedback, allowing users to interact with a virtual keypad through a single touch surface, using inflatable fluid sacs or movable diaphragms for haptic feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If mechanical buttons are used, then tactile feedback is provided, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of mechanical buttons through software on the touch surface. The touch surface displays visual representations of buttons that respond to finger pressure, emulating the tactile feedback of physical buttons without requiring actual mechanical components. This allows users to feel and interact with button-like structures through a single touch surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical button system with an electronic touch surface system. Instead of physical mechanical buttons that move and provide tactile feedback through mechanical means, the system uses pressure-sensitive touch surface with electronic processing to simulate button behavior and provide feedback through visual and haptic methods.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple touch keys are provided, then functionality is maintained, but advantage of reduced component count is defeated
Solution Approach 1:
The single touch surface serves multiple functions by displaying different button configurations through software. The same physical touch surface can represent different sets of buttons, keys, or controls depending on the displayed image, allowing one component to perform the function of multiple physical buttons would traditionally be required.
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 experience tactile feedback and navigate a virtual keypad with haptic and visual cues, reducing the need for physical keys and enhancing user interaction with a single touch surface, while maintaining the advantage of reduced component count.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure sensor array supported on the housing below the touch surface providing input signals to the processor in response to pressure from a person's finger on the touch surface
Implementation Method 2
Another non-limiting membrane assembly includes an array of individually movable diaphragms that are moved by electrostatic force or an array of electromagnetic coils
Implementation Method 3
Another non-limiting membrane assembly includes an array of individually movable diaphragms that are moved by electrostatic force or an array of electromagnetic coils
Implementation Method 4
One non-limiting membrane assembly includes an array of individually inflatable fluid sacs. Each sac is associated with a respective valve controlled by the processor to inflate and deflate to provide haptic feedback
Data Source
AI summary
An input system for a TV remote control or other system has a single touch surface with a deformable haptic assembly below the touch surface such that a user placing a finger on the touch surface can feel deformation of the haptic, assembly. A pressure sensing assembly is below the haptic assembly and sensing motion of a finger on the touch surface, with a processor receiving input from the pressure sensing assembly and providing output to the haptic assembly in response. Also, a display receives input sent by the processor in response to input from the pressure sensing assembly to cause the display to present a changing image of a keypad as a user moves a finger on the touch surface.