Haptic Touch Surface Friction Control via Actuator Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Touch-enabled devices lack the tactile feedback that users accustomed to physical keyboards experience, leading to a less satisfying interaction with virtual interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A computing system that integrates sensors and actuators to vary the coefficient of friction on a touch surface based on user input, providing haptic effects such as texture and obstacles, to simulate the presence of on-screen features and enhance user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a touch-enabled display is used to provide input, then device functionality is enhanced and portability is improved, but tactile feedback is lost and user experience deteriorates for users accustomed to physical keyboards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically modifying the coefficient of friction of the touch surface through actuator-induced vibrations. This allows the touch interface to simulate different tactile sensations (smooth, rough, boundaries, obstacles) without changing the physical structure, thereby providing tactile feedback that enhances user experience while maintaining the versatility of touch-enabled displays
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes mechanical vibration as the core mechanism to generate haptic effects. Actuators vibrate the touch surface at specific frequencies and amplitudes to create perceived tactile sensations such as texture variations and boundary detection, enabling users to feel virtual interface elements similar to physical keyboards
2Ease of operation
If a physical keyboard is used to provide tactile feedback, then user experience is improved, but device portability and functionality are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical structure of physical keyboards with a touch surface that uses controlled vibrations to simulate tactile feedback. Instead of relying on physical key structures, the system uses actuators to create haptic sensations on a flat touch surface, thereby maintaining device portability while providing tactile feedback similar to physical keyboards
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the friction parameter of the touch surface through vibration control to simulate different keyboard key characteristics. This allows a single flat surface to emulate multiple physical key textures and boundaries, providing tactile feedback without requiring physical keyboard structures
3Ease of operation
If haptic effects are added to touch surface to provide tactile feedback, then user interaction is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-functional actuator system where the same actuators serve both display control and haptic feedback generation. The touch surface itself serves dual purposes as both the visual display interface and the haptic feedback medium, reducing the need for separate mechanical components and minimizing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses software-controlled parameter changes in vibration frequency and amplitude to create diverse haptic effects from a single actuator system. This allows multiple tactile sensations to be generated without requiring multiple physical components, thereby enhancing user interaction while keeping device complexity manageable
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 system effectively enhances user interaction by providing tactile feedback that mimics physical interfaces, improving the experience of using touch-enabled devices by simulating textures and boundaries, thus making virtual interfaces more intuitive and engaging.
Implementation Method 1
an actuator configured to output a haptic effect that varies a coefficient of friction of the touch surface in response to a haptic signal
Implementation Method 2
vary the coefficient of friction on a touch surface based on user input, providing haptic effects such as texture and obstacles
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 2
AI summary
Systems and methods for interfaces featuring surface-based haptic effects are described. One described system includes a sensor configured to detect a touch in a touch area when an object contacts a touch surface. The touch surface may correspond to the display area or may correspond to a non-display surface of a computing device or peripheral interfaced to a computing device. The system can further include an actuator in communication with the processor and coupled to the touch surface, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect and a processor configured to select a haptic effect to generate. The haptic effect can be selected based on a position of the touch and recognizing an input gesture provided by the touch and/or content displayed in a graphical user interface at a location mapped to a position in the touch area at or near the touch. The haptic effect may provide a texture, simulate an obstacle, and/or adjust the coefficient of friction of the surface.