Mobile application interaction guide via tactile feedback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016378188-A1
Application number	US-201514943062-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 17, 2015
Priority date	Jun 25, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method includes detecting, by a contact sensing layer, a position of one or more fingers of a mobile device user, the contact sensing layer is located in a back area of a mobile device and the one or more fingers of the mobile device user are in direct contact with the contact sensing layer, receiving the detected position of the one or more fingers, identifying a plurality of advanced features contained in at least one software application running on the mobile device, selecting a feedback type based on the plurality of advanced features, and sending the selected feedback type to an interactive layer of the mobile device causing the interactive layer to generate a notification which is detectable by the one or more fingers, the notification communicates at least one of the advanced features to the mobile device user.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
detecting, by a contact sensing layer, a position of one or more fingers of a mobile device user, wherein the contact sensing layer is located in a back area of a mobile device and the one or more fingers of the mobile device user are in direct contact with the contact sensing layer; receiving the detected position of the one or more fingers; identifying a plurality of advanced features contained in at least one software application running on the mobile device; selecting a feedback type based on the plurality of advanced features; and sending the selected feedback type to an interactive layer of the mobile device causing the interactive layer to generate a notification which is detectable by the one or more fingers, wherein the notification communicates at least one of the advanced features to the mobile device user.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the feedback type comprises a directional vibration flow.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive layer comprises a plurality of balls configured to generate a motion wave that travels in different directions according to the detected position of the one or more fingers by the contact sensing layer.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the motion wave comprises a plurality of sequential taps hopping between different points to present the notification to the mobile device user.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the motion wave comprises vertical, horizontal, or angled movements.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the feedback type comprises a local change in a temperature of the contact sensing layer.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive layer comprises a plurality of heating nodes to generate a temperature wave that travels in different directions according to the detected position of the one or more fingers by the contact sensing layer.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Chi Jian Wen
• Sun yu wei
• Yue Li
• Zhang Kang
• Zhou Liyi

Classifications

• G06F3/04883 Primary

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• H04B1/3827 Primary

  Portable transceivers · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

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