Haptic Feedback via Localized Surface Vibration at Depressions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing haptic feedback mechanisms in electronic devices, such as vibrating surfaces, consume energy and may not provide tactile confirmation effectively, especially when a virtual button is not active, leading to unnecessary power consumption and user confusion about the surface height.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a depression in the surface of electronic devices that vibrates only when user input contacts the virtual button location, using transducers to create localized haptic sensations, thereby reducing energy consumption and providing accurate tactile feedback without raising the perceived height of non-depressed areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the surface is made flat without depression, then the perceived height is uniform across the surface, but the user cannot feel tactile confirmation when contacting a virtual button location
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the surface into two distinct segments: a depressed region and a non-depressed region. The depressed region is created at the virtual button location to provide tactile feedback, while the rest of the surface remains flat. This segmentation allows the surface to provide localized tactile confirmation without affecting the overall flatness and aesthetic appearance of the device.
2Ease of operation
If the surface is made with a depression at the virtual button location, then the user can feel tactile confirmation, but the perceived height is altered and may cause user confusion when the button is not active
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic haptic feedback through vibration motors that activate only when the virtual button is in an active state. When the user contacts the depressed region and the button is active, the vibration motor provides tactile feedback confirming the button press. When the button is inactive, no vibration occurs, preventing user confusion about the button's state while maintaining the physical depression for potential future use.
3Ease of operation
If vibration is provided at the depression location to raise perceived height, then tactile feedback is enhanced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic or conditional vibration activation based on button activity state rather than continuous vibration. The vibration motor is activated only during specific periods when the virtual button is in an active state and the user contacts the depressed region. This periodic action provides necessary tactile feedback while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous operation.
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
This approach reduces power consumption by selectively vibrating only at the depression, providing users with precise tactile feedback that the virtual button has been pressed without altering the surface's perceived flatness, enhancing user experience and device efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
vibrating one or more transducers in response to user input contacting a surface of the computing device
Implementation Method 2
The vibrating can provide a user with tactile confirmation that the user has contacted a portion of the computing device
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for detecting, by a computing system, that user input has contacted or is about to contact transparent material at a location of a depression in a planar surface of the transparent material. The computing system vibrates, in response to the computing system detecting that the user input has contacted or is about to contact the transparent material at the location of the depression, the transparent material at the location of the depression using one or more transducers. The computing system ceases the vibration of the transparent material at the location of the depression in response to the computing system determining that criteria for ceasing the vibration has been satisfied.