Touch Interface Input Using Contact Intensity and Tactile Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing user input techniques for electronic devices are cumbersome and inefficient, leading to wasted user time and device energy, particularly in battery-operated devices.

Innovation Solution

Implementing touch-sensitive interfaces that utilize contact intensity and tactile feedback to enhance user input efficiency, allowing for faster and more intuitive interactions through gestures and reduced cognitive burden.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional user input techniques are used, then user interactions can be performed, but user time is wasted and device energy is consumed inefficiently

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser input efficiencyVSAvoiduser time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of touch contact intensity to enable more efficient user input. By detecting and responding to different intensity levels of touch contacts, the system can perform actions more quickly without requiring multiple sequential inputs, thereby improving productivity and reducing user time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical input methods (multiple key presses, sequential selections) with a touch-sensitive interface that detects contact intensity. This substitution allows for more direct and efficient user input, reducing the time required to perform tasks while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If conventional user input techniques are used, then user interactions can be performed, but device energy is consumed unnecessarily

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser interaction capabilityVSAvoiddevice energy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system monitors changes in touch contact intensity parameters to determine when to execute actions. This allows the device to respond more efficiently to user input without requiring prolonged or repeated interactions, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The touch-sensitive interface automatically detects and interprets contact intensity, eliminating the need for complex multi-step input sequences. This self-interpreting capability reduces the energy required for processing user input while keeping the interface easy to operate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If touch contact intensity detection is implemented, then user input efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser input efficiencyVSAvoidinterface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes touch contact intensity as an additional parameter for input detection. By leveraging this existing physical parameter through software interpretation, the system improves user input efficiency without adding significant hardware complexity, as the same touch-sensitive infrastructure is used.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4462246B1User interface for receiving user input
Publication Date: 2026.04.22 APPLE INC
  • EP4462246B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4462246B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4462246B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to user interfaces for receiving user input. Some techniques for receiving user input using electronic devices, however, are generally cumbersome and inefficient. For example, composing or preparing a response to a message requires navigating a complex and time-consuming user interface, which may include multiple key presses or keystrokes. Existing techniques require longer than necessary, wasting user time and device energy. This latter consideration is particularly important in battery-operated devices. Accordingly, there is a need for electronic devices with faster, more efficient methods and interfaces for receiving user input. Such methods and interfaces optionally complement or replace conventional methods for receiving user input. Such methods and interfaces reduce the cognitive burden on a user and produce a more efficient human-machine interface. For battery-operated computing devices, such methods and interfaces conserve power and increase the time between battery charges. The above deficiencies and other problems associated with user interfaces for computing devices for receiving user input are reduced or eliminated by the disclosed devices.