Electronic Device Including Tactile Sensor, Operating Method Thereof, and System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016124603-A1
Application number	US-201514928426-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 30, 2015
Priority date	Oct 30, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an electronic device including a tactile sensor, an operating method thereof, and a system. The electronic device may include: at least one tactile sensor that is located on a side of the electronic device and provides a sense of touch; a display unit that displays content; and a controller that controls the at least one tactile sensor to provide a sense of touch relevant to the content.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device comprising:
at least one tactile sensor that is located on a side of the electronic device and provides a sense of touch; a display unit that displays content; and a controller that controls the at least one tactile sensor to provide a sense of touch relevant to the content.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the side of the electronic device includes at least one of a top, a bottom, a left side, a right side, a front, and a rear, and wherein the at least one tactile sensor is located on at least one of the top, the bottom, the left side, the right side, the front, and the rear of the electronic device.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tactile sensor receives a touch input and a touch movement input.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage unit that stores a tactile database in which at least one of an object and a function is mapped with tactile information.

5 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the storage unit stores unlocking tactile information to unlock the electronic device, and the controller unlocks the electronic device when information input through the at least one tactile sensor corresponds to the unlocking tactile information while the electronic device is locked.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a communication unit that establishes at least one of a wired communication connection and a wireless communication connection with a second electronic device, wherein the controller receives tactile information from the second electronic device through the communication unit and controls the at least one tactile sensor to provide a sense of touch corresponding to the tactile information received by the controller.

7 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the controller transmits an input received through the at least one tactile sensor to the second electronic device, and receives feedback on the input from the second electronic device.

8 . A method of operating an electronic device including at least one tactile sensor, comprising:
displaying content containing tactile information; and providing a sense of touch relating to the content through the at least one tactile sensor.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving an input through the tactile sensor; and processing the input.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein processing the input comprises:
unlocking the electronic device when the input received through the at least one tactile sensor corresponds to preset unlocking tactile information while the electronic device is locked.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein processing the input comprises:
turning volume up or down in response to the input received through the tactile sensor.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein processing the input comprises:
performing a page turning operation or a screen transition operation in response to the input received through the tactile sensor.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein processing the input comprises:
controlling a car game in response to the input received through the tactile sensor.

14 . A method of operating an electronic device including at least one tactile sensor, comprising:
establishing wired or wireless communication connection with a second electronic device; receiving tactile information from the second electronic device; and providing the tactile information received through the at least one tactile sensor.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving an input through the at least one tactile sensor; transmitting the received input to the second electronic device; and receiving feedback on the input from the second electronic device and displaying the feedback received.

16 . A system comprising:
a first electronic device that comprises at least one tactile sensor on a side thereof and provides a sense of touch through the at least one tactile sensor; and a second electronic device that displays content containing tactile information and transmits tactile information corresponding to the content to the first electronic device.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the first electronic device receives an input through the at least one tactile sensor and transmits, to the second electronic device, information on the tactile sensor through which the input is received.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the second electronic device processes a function according to the information on the tactile sensor transmitted from the first electronic device and transmits a result of the function processed according to the information on the tactile sensor to the first electronic device.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the first electronic device performs a function according to the result of the function processed transmitted from the second electronic device.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Jongin
• Mun Changhyeon
• Lim Jaehong

Classifications

• G06F3/016 Primary

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

• G06F3/0488 Primary

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• H04M1/026

  Details of the structure or mounting of specific components · CPC title

• H04W76/14

  Direct-mode setup · CPC title

• G06F3/165

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title