Touch Face Vibration Control for Push-Button Click Sensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Touch sensors in input apparatuses lack a realistic click sensation, leading to potential erroneous inputs and a feeling of strangeness, especially when button switches are graphically depicted, due to the absence of a physical displacement feedback mechanism.
Innovation Solution
An input apparatus with a touch sensor, load detection unit, and tactile sensation providing unit that vibrates the touch face at specific frequencies and amplitudes when a pressure load meets a standard, mimicking the sensation of pushing a push-button switch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If visual or auditory feedback is used to confirm input operations, then input confirmation is provided, but visual feedback may be blocked by a finger and auditory feedback is difficult to confirm in noisy environments or silent mode
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces visual and auditory feedback mechanisms with a tactile feedback mechanism. Specifically, it uses a vibration generator to produce tactile sensations that can be felt through the touch sensor surface, substituting the blocked visual feedback and environment-dependent auditory feedback with a tactile sense that works reliably in all conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a tactile feedback intermediary (vibration generator) between the touch sensor and the user's finger. This intermediary converts electrical signals into mechanical vibrations that transmit tactile feedback directly to the user's fingertip, bypassing the limitations of visual and auditory feedback channels.
2Speed
If the touch sensor threshold is set low to respond to light touches, then input responsiveness is improved, but erroneous operations occur when a finger lightly touches before pushing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements tactile feedback by generating vibrations when the touch sensor detects a pressing operation. This feedback mechanism allows the system to maintain a low detection threshold for responsiveness while providing immediate tactile confirmation to the user, enabling them to distinguish between accidental light touches and intentional pressing actions based on whether vibration feedback is generated.
3Loss of information
If vibration frequency is increased to provide tactile sensation, then tactile feedback is enhanced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic vibration signals with specific frequency characteristics to generate tactile sensations. By using controlled periodic vibrations rather than continuous high-frequency vibrations, the system achieves effective tactile feedback while managing energy consumption through optimized vibration duration and frequency patterns.
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 the operator, reducing erroneous inputs and enhancing the user experience by simulating the tactile feedback of a push-button switch, even in noisy environments or when visual feedback is obstructed.
Implementation Method 1
a load detection unit for detecting a pressure load on a touch face of the touch sensor
Implementation Method 2
a tactile sensation providing unit for vibrating the touch face
Data Source
AI summary
An input apparatus has a touch sensor for receiving an input, a load detection unit for detecting a pressure load on a touch face of the touch sensor, a tactile sensation providing unit for vibrating the touch face, and a control unit, when the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies a standard for providing a tactile sensation, for controlling drive of the tactile sensation providing unit to vibrate the touch face at a frequency such that a click sensation is provided to an object (means) pressing the touch face. 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.