Vehicle Touchscreen Haptics for Dynamic Texture Synchronization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing haptic feedback technologies for touchscreens in motor vehicles lack realism due to calculation time requirements and fail to account for dynamic interactions with deformable real-world surfaces, resulting in imperfect synchronization between visual and haptic representations.

Innovation Solution

Implement a procedural texture generation unit that models textured objects mathematically, using fractal noise or turbulence functions to generate dynamic haptic feedback based on user input, simulating realistic interactions by adapting haptic patterns to finger movement, pressure, and surface properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If direction and trajectory calculations are performed to take into account finger movement speed and pressure, then the synchronization between haptic feedback and visual display is improved, but the computing resources required increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehaptic perception accuracyVSAvoidcomputing resources
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-calculates and stores haptic feedback patterns for different texture types before runtime. When a user interacts with the touchscreen, the system retrieves pre-defined haptic patterns corresponding to the displayed texture rather than calculating haptic feedback in real-time, thus maintaining high synchronization accuracy while reducing computational resource requirements during operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adapts the retrieved haptic feedback pattern based on real-time finger movement parameters such as speed and pressure. The pre-stored patterns are selected and adjusted according to the current interaction state, combining the benefits of pre-computation with real-time responsiveness to maintain accuracy without excessive computational burden

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of manufacture

If static haptic patterns are used for texture simulation, then the implementation is simple, but the haptic feedback lacks realism when the user moves their finger quickly or in different directions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimplementation simplicityVSAvoidhaptic feedback realism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from static haptic patterns to dynamic haptic feedback that adapts in real-time based on finger movement characteristics. The system modifies haptic pattern parameters such as frequency, amplitude, and timing according to the detected finger speed, pressure, and direction, thereby maintaining implementation simplicity through pre-defined patterns while significantly improving haptic feedback realism during interaction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback loop that continuously monitors finger movement parameters and adjusts the haptic feedback accordingly. The touchscreen controller detects finger position, speed, and pressure, retrieves appropriate pre-defined haptic patterns, and dynamically adjusts the output to match the user's interaction, creating a responsive and realistic tactile experience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3918446B1Method for generating a haptic feedback for an interface, and associated interface
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 VALEO COMFORT & DRIVING ASSISTANCE
  • EP3918446B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3918446B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3918446B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for generating a haptic feedback for a motor vehicle interface (1) comprising: - a screen (4) configured to display an image, - a touch surface (3) arranged above the screen (4) and configured to locate the position as well as to determine a pressure applied by a control element to the touch surface (3), - a haptic feedback device (20) configured to generate a haptic feedback when receiving a control signal, and - a procedural texture generation unit (28) configured to model a textured object and to display an image of the textured object on the screen (4), the method being characterised in that - an image of a textured object generated by the procedural texture generation unit (28) is displayed on the screen (4), - taking into account the location on the touch surface (3) and the pressure (F) applied by the control element, an interaction of said control element with the textured object is modelled, - the effect of the interaction on the textured object is determined, - the haptic feedback device (20) is controlled according to the determined effect of the interaction on the textured object.