Thin profile user interface device and method providing localized haptic response

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11714489-B2
Application number	US-201816139756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2018
Priority date	Jan 7, 2013
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

Electromechanical polymer (EMP) actuators are used to create haptic effects on a user interface deface, such as a keyboard. The keys of the keyboard may be embossed in a top layer to provide better key definition and to house the EMP actuator. Specifically, an EMP actuator is housed inside an embossed graphic layer that covers a key of the keyboard. Such a keyboard has a significant user interface value. For example, the embossed key provides the tactile effect of the presence of a key with edges, while allowing for the localized control of haptic vibrations. For such applications, an EMP transducer provides high strains, vibrations or both under control of an electric field. Furthermore, the EMP transducer can generate strong vibrations. When the frequency of the vibrations falls within the acoustic range, the EMP transducer can generate audible sound, thereby functioning as an audio speaker.

First claim

We claim:

1. A two-sided keyboard comprising a first surface and a second surface on opposite sides of the two-sided keyboard, wherein each of said first and second surfaces include:
a force-sensing layer including one or more force-sensing sensors to detect an application of a mechanical force;
one or more electromechanical polymer (EMP) transducers to provide a localized vibration in response to receiving a signal, corresponding to the detected mechanical force, to activate the one or more EMP transducers, wherein a mode of response is determined based in part on an amplitude of the localized vibration;
a cushion with a thickness selected to control the amplitude of the localized vibration, the thickness of the entirety of the cushion being less than a distance between the one or more EMP transducers and the force sensing layer; and
a covering layer covering the force-sensing layer and the EMP transducers, wherein the EMP transducers are directly attached to an underside of the covering layer such that the localized vibration is transmitted to the covering layer without going through an intervening passive layer.

2. The two-sided keyboard of claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second surfaces include the cushion attached to each EMP transducer between the EMP transducer and a corresponding one of the force-sensing sensors to which the EMP transducer is aligned, wherein the cushion has a hardness between 20 A- 30 A.

3. The two-sided keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the force-sensing sensors comprise a force-sensing resistor material.

4. The two-sided keyboard of claim 1 , further comprising a spacer layer provided between the covering layer and the force-sensing layer, wherein the spacer layer has one or more cavities each aligned with one of the force-sensing sensors, so as to accommodate a corresponding one of the EMP transducers.

5. The two-sided keyboard of claim 1 , wherein between the one or more EMP transducers and the force-sensing layer is provided an air gap.

6. The two-sided keyboard of claim 1 , wherein each of the first surface and the second surface can be used independently as an input device.

7. The two-sided keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the two-sided keyboard is attached to a tablet computer.

8. The two-sided keyboard of claim 7 , wherein the both of the first surface and the second surface are used simultaneously for input to the tablet computer.

9. The two-sided keyboard of claim 7 , wherein the first surface and the second surface are used to cover the tablet computer.

10. The two-sided keyboard of claim 7 , wherein tablet computer has a display and wherein the first surface faces the display, and the second surface faces away from the display, and wherein the second surface can be used to provide input to the tablet computer.

11. A portable computing device comprising:
a tablet computer having a first side, a second side, and a controller; and
a two-sided keyboard having a first surface and a second surface provided to cover the second side of the tablet computer, the two-sided keyboard having (i) a first configuration wherein, the first surface of the two-sided keyboard is opened up for data input, and (ii) a second configuration wherein the two-sided keyboard rests flat against the second side of the tablet computer and provides the second surface of the two-sided keyboard for data input, wherein each surface of the two-sided keyboard comprises:
a force-sensing layer including one or more force-sensing sensors to detect application of a mechanical force;
one or more electromechanical polymer (EMP) transducers to provide a localized vibration in response to receiving a signal, corresponding to the detected mechanical force, to activate the one or more EMP transducers, wherein a mode of response is determined based in part on an amplitude of the localized vibration;
a cushion with a thickness selected to control the amplitude of the localized vibration, the thickness of the entirety of the cushion being less than a distance between the one or more EMP transducers and the force sensing layer;
a covering layer covering the force-sensing layer and the EMP transducers wherein the EMP transducers are directly attached to an underside of the covering layer such that the localized vibration is transmitted to the covering layer without going through an intervening passive layer.

12. The portable computing device of claim 11 , wherein each of said first and second surfaces of the two-sided keyboard include the cushion attached to each EMP transducer between the EMP transducer and a corresponding one of the force-sensing sensors to which the EMP transducer is aligned, wherein the cushion has a hardness between 20 A- 30 A.

13. The two-sided keyboard of claim 11 , wherein the force-sensing sensors comprise a force-sensing resistor material.

14. The portable computing device of claim 11 , wherein the two-sided keyboard further comprising a spacer layer provided between the covering layer and the force-sensing layer, wherein the spacer layer has one or more cavities each aligned with one of the force-sensing sensors, so as to accommodate a corresponding one of the EMP transducers.

15. The portable computing device of claim 11 , wherein between the one or more EMP transducers and the force-sensing layer is provided an air gap.

16. The portable computing device of claim 11 , wherein the both of the first surface and the second surface are used simultaneously for input to the tablet computer.

17. The portable computing device of claim 11 , further comprising a protective covering provided to cover the first side of the tablet computer, wherein the protective covering is configured to be folded to serve as a stand for propping up the tablet computer, and wherein only the first surface of the two-sided keyboard is used for input to the tablet computer.

18. A two-sided keyboard, the two-sided keyboard comprising:
a first surface comprising:
a first force-sensing layer including one or more first force-sensing sensors to detect application of a mechanical force;
a first set of electromechanical polymer (EMP) transducers to provide a localized vibration in response to receiving a signal, corresponding to the mechanical force detected by the first force-sensing layer, to activate the first set of EMP transducers, wherein a mode of response is determined based in part on an amplitude of the localized vibration;
a cushion with a thickness selected to control the amplitude of the localized vibration, the thickness of the entirety of the cushion being less than a distance between the first set of EMP transducers and the force sensing layer;
a covering layer covering the first force-sensing layer and the first set of EMP transducers; and

a second surface on a side opposite of the first surface, the second surface comprising:
a second force-sensing layer including one or more second force-sensing sensors to detect application of a mechanical force; and
a second set of electromechanical polymer (EMP) transducers to provide a localized vibration in response to receiving a signal, corresponding to the mechanical force detected by the second force-sensing layer, to activate the second set of EMP transducers.

19. The two-sided keyboard of claim 18 , wherein each of said first and second surfaces include the cushion with a hardness between 20 A- 30 A.

20. The two-sided keyboard of claim 18 , wherein the both of the first surface and the second surface are used simultaneously for input to the tablet compute compute

Assignees

• Kemet Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Zellers Brian C
• Jiang Li
• Ramstein Christophe
• Davis Stephen

Classifications

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• G06F1/1632

  External expansion units, e.g. docking stations · CPC title

• G06F3/0202

  Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device · CPC title

• H01H13/85

  characterised by tactile feedback features · CPC title