Touch Surface Haptic Feedback Using Proximity-Triggered Pre-Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices fail to provide a natural and intuitive tactile sensation when an object approaches or touches a touch sensor, often resulting in an unnatural user experience due to time lags between touch detection and vibration initiation.
Innovation Solution
A tactile sensation providing apparatus and method that includes a proximity sensor to detect object approach and a controller to initiate vibration of a tactile sensation provider before object contact, ensuring synchronized tactile feedback without time lag.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the tactile sensation provider is driven only after touch detection, then power consumption is reduced, but time lag occurs between touch detection and vibration initiation resulting in unnatural tactile sensation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection using the proximity sensor to detect object approach before actual touch occurs. Based on this preliminary detection, the controller pre-activates the tactile sensation provider so that vibration is already ongoing when touch is detected, eliminating the time lag between touch detection and vibration initiation while avoiding continuous operation and excessive power consumption.
2Loss of time
If the tactile sensation provider is driven continuously to eliminate time lag, then natural tactile sensation is achieved, but power consumption increases and lifespan is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The proximity sensor detects object approach in advance, allowing the controller to activate the tactile sensation provider only when needed - specifically, when an object is approaching or has touched the touch sensor. This on-demand activation based on preliminary detection eliminates time lag while avoiding continuous operation that would reduce component lifespan.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the proximity sensor to dynamically control the tactile sensation provider. When the proximity sensor detects an approaching object or touch, the controller activates the vibrator; when no object is detected, the vibrator remains off. This feedback-based control ensures timely tactile response while minimizing power consumption and extending component lifespan.
3Loss of time
If proximity detection is added to enable pre-vibration, then natural tactile sensation is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The proximity sensor serves multiple functions: it detects object approach to trigger pre-vibration, and can also detect actual touch contact. By using a single sensor component for multiple detection purposes, the system achieves synchronized tactile feedback without adding excessive complexity. The same sensor infrastructure supports both the preliminary detection for timing and the touch detection for activation.
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
This solution enhances user experience by providing natural tactile sensations, reduces power consumption, and extends the lifespan of the tactile sensation provider by optimizing vibration timing and reducing erroneous inputs.
Implementation Method 1
a proximity sensor configured to detect an approach of an object to the touch sensor
Implementation Method 2
a tactile sensation provider configured to provide a tactile sensation on a touch surface of the touch sensor
Data Source
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AI summary
A tactile sensation providing apparatus includes a touch sensor, a tactile sensation provider that provides a tactile sensation on a touch surface of the touch sensor, a proximity sensor that detects the approach of an object to the touch sensor, and a controller that starts driving of the tactile sensation provider in accordance with detection by the proximity sensor.