Haptic user interface for electronic device. RU patent 2519351.

FIELD: physics, computer engineering.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a touch-sensitive user interface for electronic devices and in electronic devices and more specifically to a haptic input device which detects perpendicular, horizontal and rotational inputs or combination thereof for electronic devices and in electronic devices and corresponding methods. The device has a processor lying inside the housing of the electronic device, a touch input device connected to the processor, wherein the touch input device has a flexible part with a touch input surface, a first input sensor integrated into the flexible part of the touch input device and a second input sensor, wherein the first and second input sensors are connected to the processor.

EFFECT: receiving touch input in an electronic device and preventing false inputs in an electronic device due the presence of two cooperative sensors.

5 cl, 14 dwg

THE TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION RELATES

The present invention as a whole belongs to the touch user interface for electronic devices and electronic devices and more particularly to tactile input device that detects perpendicular horizontal rotary glands or their combinations for electronic devices and electronic devices, and relevant ways.

THE LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY

Touch input device for electronic devices generally known. US patent # 7190350 entitled “ Touch Screen with Rotationally Isolated Force Sensor ”, for example, reveals touch screen with one or more sensors that determine the location of inputs touch on the screen. US patent # 7190350 also reveals flexible material, which reduces the effects of distortion on the location of the touch.

The problem with many input devices that can perceive the force applied perpendicular to the surface of the device, is to reduce unwanted advanced load sensor at link time. This is a problem sensors that measure the power of using strain or stress. Examples of such sensors, in particular, include resistors that are sensitive to power, mechanical gauges of voltage and the capacitive sensors of force. Also in some applications, input devices, it is desirable to accept horizontal force and deformation, and/or perceive rotation. The joystick is an example of a known input devices that can sense these types of entries. However, modern joysticks tend to be bulky and not easy to implement in a relatively thin form factors, such as form factors that are required in mobile phones and other thin portable electronic devices. In addition, the existing use of input devices are associated with a significant disadvantage that the management does not take into account the development of the operating situation in which use the device or complete identification.

Various aspects, characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more fully understandable to ordinary specialists in the field of technology after careful consideration of the following detailed descriptions accompanying drawings, described below. Drawings can be simplified for clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 - block diagram of portable electronic devices.

Figure 2 illustrates the location of the sensor in the device touch portable electronic devices.

Figure 3 illustrates the location of the sensor in the device touch portable electronic devices.

Figure 4 illustrates the location of the sensor in the device touch portable electronic devices.

5 is a block diagram of the sequence of the stages of way to touch detection in electronic device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Unlocked touchscreen interface, designed to detect entries touch for electronic devices and electronic device, and appropriate ways. According to one embodiment generate the first signal in response to the input touch using the first sensor integrated in the bending of the surface electronic devices. Generate a second signal from the second sensor, remote from the bent part, in response to input touch, and the difference between the first signal of the sensor and the signal of the second sensor is pointing enter touch electronic device. Processor with input connected to the output of the first and second of the sensors, determines the input signal is based on the difference between the output signal of the first and second sensors. Touch interface can be configured to detect horizontal entries in the plane, essentially parallel to the surface of the touch interface, inputs, perpendicular to the surface of the touch interface, rotational inputs and their combinations.

Figure 1 is a portable electronic device (PED) in General includes a housing 110, which contains the processor 120 connected with memory 130, and user interface, which includes a touchscreen interface, designed for receipt of entries by touch from the user, as further explained below. The user interface can also include a small keyboard and other traditional user input devices. PED also may include input and output audio input device, and output ports, as generally known to the ordinary specialists in this field of technology. The processor can be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, finite state machines, logic circuits, analog circuits or other devices that process the information on the basis of operational instructions or the instructions of programming that can be implemented as firmware, or drivers or application software. Alternatively, the processor can be implemented as one or more schemas hardware that are equivalent digital programmable processor or some other programmable processor. Memory can be implemented as volatile or non-volatile memory, as random access memory (RAM) or permanent memory (ROM), or a combination of both.

Illustrative PED may be implemented as a cellular or wireless phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), remote control unit and/or as a portable handheld device. In General, input devices touch described in this application can be implemented in applications other than applications portable electronic devices. Such applications include desktop computers, laptop computers or handheld mobile computers, work stations, stations of point-of-sale machines, cash operations, and road console among the great many other equipment, which includes a user interface that can be used a touch-input device, but is not limited. Thus, a usual specialists in a given field of technology, with the benefit from the description given in this application, must understand that input devices touch described thus, can be implemented in many portable and fixed host devices.

In some embodiments, the implementation of a host device includes one or more blocks of 140 transceivers that can be implemented as wireless or wired modem. PED carried out as wireless unit, may include one or more wireless transceivers are compatible with the appropriate wireless protocols, such as DECT, GSM, UMTS, LTE and WiMax, among other protocols. Some electronic devices also include a satellite navigation receiver, such as GPS, GLONASS, or Galileo, or other satellite receiver. Some satellite receivers, such as receivers XM-Sirius, can also be used for navigation. PED also may include transceiver short range communications, such as Bluetooth or IrDA, to communicate with other devices.

Figure 1 PED contains the device 150 or tactile input touch, including flexible surface of 160, which includes the area tactile interaction, which is open or open on the part of the body where the user can interact with the bent surface. Although the surface of 160 mentioned in this application as being flexible, flexibility may not be easily noticed by the user. Flexible surface of 160 must be sufficiently flexible to transfer the power of tactile input sensors, which further described below. Thus, to some extent, minimum flexibility flexible surface prescribed sensitivity of the sensors. The illustrative material that can be used for formation of flexible surface that include glass, metals, plastics and elastomers, but are not limited. The ability to bend of such materials may be modified, in essence, depending both on the internal properties of the material and the size and structure of flexible surface that it forms.

Figure 1 is a touch-input device contains the first and second sensors 170, 180, which create different output signals in response to a specific tactile input and differential output signals of the sensors are interpreted as appropriate to the intended input. To generate a differential output signal of the first and second sensors detect or treat enter at least one or along one overall dimensions, direction or axis. Total axis may be in the x-y plane parallel to the surface of the touch interface, or along the z-axis, perpendicular to the x-y plane, or some combination of them. Glands along or around these axes can be created using perpendicular horizontal or rotational motion, or some combination of a tactile input flexible surface. Although the examples described in this application are revealed only two sensors, other variants of implementation can connect multiple sensors to detect movement along each dimension of interest.

The first and second sensors typically configure the computer so that the first and second sensors create a differential output signals in response to a specific tactile input in the input device is by touch. This configuration can be done through physical separation of sensors and/or by embedding sensors in materials having different degrees of flexibility. In one embodiment, the first sensor is connected with the flexible surface so that tactile interaction with the bent surface creates output using the first sensor. For example, the first sensor can be (1) simply attached to the back side of the bending of a surface using glue, (2) is built in an area of the touch or the touch bent surface, or (3) pre-formed in the bent surface. In the above illustrative devices first sensor is at least part of the region, touch the bending of a surface such that the tactile interaction with first sensor causes a shift of the sensor in a flexible material. In another embodiment, the first sensor can be placed on the internal printed circuit Board that is mechanically isolated from the rest of the PCB. This device as the first sensor and the sensor could be adjacent to each other on the circuit Board, and the first sensor has around him mechanical neckline and is connected with the flexible surface.

The second sensor can also be embedded in a flexible material forming bent surface, provided that the second sensor generates different output signal the output signal of the first sensor in response to this tactile input. For example, the second sensor can be placed on the printed circuit Board in the housing. In another embodiment, the second sensor is located on the lower circuit Board or attached to the main circuit Board with flexible connector, it can be attached with glue to the inner surface of the case, for example, on the back surface of the shell if the first sensor is connected to the front surface of the body, which has a flexible surface.

On figa the first sensor is located in the bending of a surface of 160, located on a wide front side of the 110, and the second sensor 180 placed in the enclosure 110. This configuration is illustrated in figa. On figa flexible surface of 160 generally includes contact or tactile surface interactions on user-accessible part of the body 110, and bent surface can be deformed, usually slightly, with the help of the force exerted by the tactile input caused by interaction with the part of the body, stylus, or other means. Usually bent surface is malleable part of input devices touch, which responds to the perpendicular, horizontal or rotational motion, or some combination of these inputs. Thus, such input power report, at least one of the first and second sensors. In the sense that the input force is reported in both the sensor input force report differentially. Bent surface, essentially, can be flat, curved, texture or the like.

In one exercise of both the first and second sensors are sensors dynamic force that can measure the movement or discover enter at least along one overall dimensions, direction or axis. Sensors dynamic forces usually find some movement that occurs in response to an applied force. Examples of such motion sensors include accelerometers, for example, MEMS and piezoelectric devices, and gyroscopes, in addition to other sensors.

On fig.2b-2d usually when haptic force is applied perpendicular or normal to the bent surface, the first probe 170 subjected to force, or he finds strength in the perpendicular direction. Usually perpendicular to the force applied to touch-input device, can be a component of the force that has both horizontal and perpendicular components. Then the first sensor converts the received input into electrical output signal, which is proportional tactile input. The second sensor 180 also subjected to a perpendicular force or he finds a perpendicular force in the same direction as the first sensor. Then the second sensor converts the received input into a proportional electrical output signal. The output of each of the first and second sensor is connected to the processor, such as processor 120 figure 1. However, input, detected using each of the first and second sensors is different, and therefore the output signals generated using the first and second sensors are also different. Thus, the processor takes different output signals generated by sensors, and interprets differential signal as an input in response to the perpendicular force applied to tactile input device. Remove the perpendicular force also results in the generation of output signals through the first and second sensors, which can also be interpreted as a tactile input to the processor. The processor can be configured to display the input signals into one or more different input commands, depending on the context in which were adopted perpendicular tactile glands.

On fig.3b-3d usually when haptic force is applied in parallel or essentially parallel to the bent surface, the first probe 170 subjected to force, or he finds strength in the direction along the x-y plane parallel to the bending of the surface. Usually horizontal force applied to touch-input device, can be a component of the force that has both perpendicular and horizontal components. Then the first sensor converts the received input into electrical output signal, which is proportional tactile input. Similarly the second sensor 180 also subjected to horizontal force or it detects horizontal force in the same direction as the first sensor. Then the second sensor converts the received input into a proportional electrical output signal. The output of each of the first and second sensor is connected to the processor, such as processor 120 figure 1. However, input, detected using each of the first and second sensors is different, and therefore the output signals generated using the first and second sensors are also different. Thus, the processor takes different output signals generated by sensors, and interprets differential signal as an input in response to a horizontal force applied to tactile input device. Remove the horizontal force also results in the generation of output signals through the first and second sensors, which can also be interpreted as a tactile input to the processor. The processor can be configured to display the input signals into one or more different input commands, depending on the context in which were adopted horizontal tactile glands.

On figa first sensor 170 is located in the bending of a surface of 160, located on a narrow side of the housing 110, and the second sensor 180 is located in the building of 110. Flexible surface of 160 typically includes contact or tactile surface interactions on user-accessible part of the body 110, and bent surface may be deformed through the force applied by the tactile input caused by interaction with the part of the body, stylus, or other means. Flexible surface of 160 is malleable part of input devices touch, which responds to the rotational input power who report at least one of the first and second sensors. In the sense that the legitimate rotational input force is reported in both the sensor input force report differentially.

On fig.4b-4d usually when rotational tactile force applied to the bent surface, the first probe 170 subjected rotational force or he finds rotational force, and then converts the received input into electrical output signal, which is proportional tactile input. Similarly the second sensor 180 also subjected rotational force or he finds rotational force in the same dimension or around the same axis as the first sensor. Then the second sensor converts the received input into a proportional electrical output signal. The output of each of the first and second sensor is connected to the processor, for example, the processor 120 figure 1. However, input, detected using each of the first and second sensors is different, and therefore the output signals generated using the first and second sensors are also different. Thus, the processor takes different output signals generated by sensors, and interprets differential signal as an input in response to the rotary enter attached to the touch-input device. Destruction of rotational forces also results in the generation of output signals through the first and second sensors, which can also be interpreted as a tactile input to the processor. The processor can be configured to display the input signals into one or more different input commands, depending on the context in which were adopted rotational tactile glands.

5 is a block diagram 500 sequence of the stages of the process, designed to detect or tactile input touch device, the touch interface. At the stage 510 provide tactile input on or through interaction with tactile user interface or user tactile interface, such as the bending of a surface of 160 device 150 input touch in figure 1. Figure 5 on the stage 520 generate the first signal using the first sensor in response to the input touch device, the touch interface. In a similar way at the stage 530 generate a second signal from the second sensor in response to the input touch device, the touch interface. The first and second generation of signals with the help of the first and second sensors on the stages and 530 520 occurs simultaneously or, essentially, at the same time, in response to the input touch device, the touch interface. At the stage 540 determine the entry by tapping on the basis of the difference between the first signal of the sensor and signal of another sensor.

Although the present disclosure and better ways described manner that establishes rights, and enabling ordinary specialists in the art to make and use, disclosure and his ways, will be understood and appreciated that there are equivalents for illustrative of the ways disclosed in this application, and that they can be made modifications and changes, without going beyond the scope and nature of inventions, which should be limited deillustration variants of implementation, as supplied by the claims.

1. Electronic device made with the possibility of reception of input tap, and electronic device contains: processor located inside the housing of an electronic device, and the device of input tap, United with the processor, and the input device touch contains pliable part with the surface of the touch input, the first sensor input, built-in supple part of the input devices touch, and the second sensor input, and the first and second sensors are connected to the processor, the first sensor input is rotating around the axis perpendicular to the surface of the touch input, in response to the entry by tapping on the surface of the touch input pliable part of the input devices touch, while the processor is configured to detect the relative rotational movement between the first and second sensors in response to the entry by tapping on the surface of the touch input pliable part of the input devices touch, and the relative rotational movement between the first and second sensor is proportional to the input input devices touch.

2. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sensors are accelerometers.

3. An electronic device according to claim 1 in which the first sensor input and the second sensor input sensors are dynamic forces.

4. An electronic device according to claim 1 in which the external surface forms a part of the body.