Intensity-Sensitive Button Tactile Feedback Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices with mechanical buttons provide limited feedback to users, making navigation between user interfaces inefficient and unintuitive.
Innovation Solution
Implementing intensity-sensitive buttons with tactile output generators that provide visual, haptic, and audio feedback, allowing users to select and configure tactile output settings for enhanced interaction with the home button, improving user interface manipulation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If mechanical buttons are used for navigation, then the device structure is simple, but the feedback to users is limited and navigation efficiency is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical button systems with intensity-sensitive buttons that incorporate tactile output generators. These generators create haptic feedback patterns without requiring complex mechanical moving parts, thus improving navigation efficiency while avoiding significant increases in structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements multiple feedback mechanisms including visual feedback through icons and text, haptic feedback through tactile output generators, and audio feedback. This multi-sensory feedback system enhances navigation efficiency by providing users with comprehensive information about their interactions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple tactile output settings are provided, then user customization is improved, but the configuration interface complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic preview functionality where the selected tactile output setting is applied in real-time during the configuration process. Users can hear and feel the actual feedback patterns before finalizing their selection, making the configuration process intuitive despite multiple available settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically applies the selected tactile output setting to the home button during the configuration process, allowing users to test and evaluate different settings without manual intervention. This self-testing capability simplifies the configuration experience.
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 solution enhances user interaction by providing intuitive feedback, reducing the number and nature of user inputs, and creating a more efficient human-machine interface through customizable tactile outputs.
Implementation Method 1
providing, via the one or more tactile output generators, a first tactile output that corresponds to the first tactile output setting
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
An electronic device: while displaying a user interface, detects an input sequence that includes detecting an increase in a characteristic intensity of a contact on a home button. In response, the device determines whether the increase is above a first intensity threshold and whether a change in the characteristic intensity proximate to a time when the characteristic intensity increases above the first intensity threshold has a first or a second value for an intensity-change metric. If the increase is above the threshold and the change has the first value, the device performs a first operation that changes the user interface displayed on the display; and generates a first discrete tactile output that corresponds to the increase. If the increase is above the threshold and the change has the second value, the device performs the first operation and generates a second discrete tactile output that corresponds to the increase.