Input Apparatus Ultrasonic Vibration Tactile Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing input apparatuses, such as touch panels, lack feedback that mimics the sensation of pressing a push-button switch, leading to potential input errors and discomfort, especially in noisy environments or when the feedback method relies on sight or hearing.
Innovation Solution
An input apparatus with a load detection unit, vibration unit, and control unit that generates a floating force or squeeze film effect on the input unit when a predetermined pressure load is detected, simulating the sensation of pressing a push-button switch by reducing frictional force and providing tactile feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a touch panel is used as an input unit, then the device structure is simplified and size is reduced, but the operator cannot get tactile feedback when pressing, leading to input errors and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical vibration by driving a vibration unit to vibrate the input unit at a specific frequency (e.g., 2000 Hz) when a pressing operation is detected. This vibration creates a tactile sensation that mimics the feeling of pressing a physical button, thereby providing feedback to the operator while maintaining the simplified touch panel structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the input unit by inducing vibration through the vibration unit. By controlling the vibration frequency and timing parameters, the system creates a tactile feedback effect that simulates button pressing sensation, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and operational feedback.
2Reliability
If audio or visual feedback methods are used to confirm input operations, then input errors can be reduced, but the feedback does not provide a realistic feeling of pressing a push-button switch
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses mechanical vibration of the input unit itself to create a tactile feedback effect. When the vibration unit vibrates the input unit at a predetermined frequency upon detecting a pressing operation, it generates a sensation similar to pressing a physical button, thereby providing both reliability confirmation and realistic tactile feedback simultaneously.
3Ease of operation
If the touch panel is configured to move in response to pressing force, then the operator can get a feeling of pressing, but the moving mechanism becomes complicated and the device grows in size
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the touch panel physically move in response to pressing force, the patent uses a vibration unit to generate controlled vibrations of the input unit. This approach creates the tactile sensation of pressing without requiring complex moving mechanisms, thereby maintaining device compactness while providing realistic feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical moving system (where the touch panel would physically displacement) with a vibration-based system. By using the vibration unit to create oscillatory motion at high frequency, the system achieves tactile feedback without the complexity of mechanical movement mechanisms.
4Ease of operation
If the touch panel moves together with the display panel to provide pressing feedback, then the operator gets tactile sensation, but the configuration becomes complicated and the entire device increases in size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a dedicated vibration unit to generate localized vibrations of the input unit without moving the entire display panel or requiring complex mechanical structures. This approach provides tactile feedback while keeping the device compact and avoiding increases in overall device volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the feedback function from the display panel by introducing an independent vibration unit. This segmentation allows the input unit to provide tactile feedback through localized vibration without requiring the entire display assembly to move or become more complex, thereby maintaining compact device dimensions.
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 apparatus presents a compact and intuitive input experience similar to pressing a push-button switch, reducing input errors and allowing operators to confirm input operations with tactile feedback, even in noisy environments, without increasing device complexity or size.
Implementation Method 1
a vibration unit which vibrates the input unit; and a control unit which, when the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies a predetermined criterion for accepting an input to the input unit, controls driving of the vibration unit so as to generate a floating force on a pressing object pressing the input unit
Implementation Method 2
controls driving of the vibration unit so as to generate a floating force on a pressing object pressing the input unit
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an input apparatus having a configuration simple enough to be compact and capable of presenting an operator with the same real feeling of pressing as the feeling of operating a push-button switch when the operator operates a pressing-type input unit. The input apparatus includes an input unit which accepts a pressure input; a load detection unit which detects a pressure load to the input unit; a vibration unit which vibrates the input unit; and a control unit which, when the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies a predetermined criterion for accepting an input to the input unit, controls driving of the vibration unit so as to generate a floating force on a pressing object pressing the input unit.