Touch Input Surface With Pressure-Triggered Click Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Touch sensors lack the physical feedback of a 'click' sensation when pressed, leading to potential erroneous inputs and a feeling of strangeness, especially when the threshold for input is low, causing unintended actions and discomfort for users.
Innovation Solution
An input apparatus with a touch sensor, load detection unit, and tactile sensation providing unit that vibrates the touch face when a standard pressure load is detected, mimicking the button depression sensation of a push-button switch by stimulating both pressure and tactile sensations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a touch sensor is used to receive input operations, then the input apparatus can be used in mobile terminals and information equipments, but the operator cannot obtain feedback to an input since the touch sensor itself is not physically displaced when touched
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (vibration generator or piezoelectric element) between the touch sensor and the operator's finger. When a touch input is detected, this intermediary generates tactile vibrations or resistance changes that simulate the physical feedback of a button press, thereby resolving the lack of operator feedback while maintaining the touch sensor's versatility in mobile devices
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical button press system with an electronic touch sensor system that incorporates tactile feedback generation. Instead of relying on physical displacement, the system uses electronically controlled vibration or resistance changes to provide feedback, substituting mechanical feedback with electronically generated tactile sensations
2Reliability
If visual or auditory feedback is used to confirm input operations, then erroneous inputs can be prevented, but auditory feedback is difficult to confirm in noisy environments and visual feedback may be blocked by a finger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces tactile feedback as an intermediary confirmation mechanism that operates independently of auditory and visual channels. The vibration or resistance change occurs directly at the point of contact, providing reliable input confirmation that is not affected by environmental noise or visual obstruction, thereby resolving the limitations of existing feedback methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the feedback channels by providing tactile confirmation at the specific location of input (the touched area), rather than relying on centralized auditory or visual feedback. This localized tactile feedback ensures reliable confirmation without being affected by environmental factors that interfere with other feedback channels
3Ease of operation
If the threshold for touch sensor input is low to enable easy input, then input operations can be performed with light touch, but a tactile sensation is provided when a finger lightly touches the touch sensor, causing erroneous operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality characteristics to different aspects of the touch sensor operation: the detection threshold is kept low for high sensitivity, while the tactile feedback threshold is set higher or requires sustained pressure. This creates local quality differentiation where light accidental touches generate feedback, but the system can distinguish between intentional and unintentional inputs based on pressure characteristics, duration, or pattern recognition
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of feedback characteristics based on the detected touch properties. The system can adapt the vibration intensity, duration, or resistance change magnitude based on the applied pressure, touch duration, or sequential touch patterns, allowing low threshold for detection while maintaining reliability through dynamic feedback modulation
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
Provides a realistic click sensation to users, reducing erroneous inputs and enhancing the user experience by simulating the tactile feedback of a push-button switch, thus improving input accuracy and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
a load detection unit for detecting a pressure load
Implementation Method 2
a tactile sensation providing unit for vibrating the touch face
Data Source
AI summary
An input apparatus has a touch sensor 11 configured to receive an input, a load detection unit 12 configured to detect a pressure load on a touch face 11a of the touch sensor 11, a tactile sensation providing unit 13 configured to vibrate the touch face 11a, and a control unit 15 configured to control drive of the tactile sensation providing unit 13, when the pressure load detected by the load detection unit 12 satisfies a standard to provide a tactile sensation, such that a click sensation is provided to an object (means) pressing the touch face 11a. Thereby, a realistic click sensation similar to that obtained when a push-button switch is operated is provided when an operator operates the touch sensor.