Multi-mode tactile sensation providing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9448629-B2
Application number	US-201214347609-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2012
Priority date	Sep 27, 2011
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

Provided are a touch sensor ( 11 ), a pressure detection unit ( 12 ) that detects pressure on a touch face, a tactile sensation providing unit ( 13 ) that vibrates the touch face, a battery information acquisition unit ( 17 ) that acquires information on a battery, and a control unit ( 15 ) that switches between a first input mode, in which the control unit ( 15 ), upon the touch sensor ( 11 ) detecting contact, executes predetermined processing, and a second input mode, in which the control unit ( 15 ), upon data based on pressure detected by the pressure detection unit ( 12 ) satisfying a predetermined standard while the touch sensor ( 11 ) is detecting contact, controls the tactile sensation providing unit ( 13 ) to provide a tactile sensation and executes predetermined processing. The control unit ( 15 ) switches between the first input mode and the second input mode based on the information on the battery acquired by the battery information acquisition unit ( 17 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tactile sensation providing device comprising:
a touch sensor;
a tactile sensation providing unit configured to vibrate a touch face of the touch sensor;
a battery information acquisition unit configured to acquire information on a battery; and
a control unit configured to switch between a first input mode, in which the control unit, upon the touch sensor detecting contact, executes predetermined processing without providing a tactile sensation to a pressing object pressing against the touch face, and a second input mode, in which the control unit, upon the touch sensor being pushed, controls the tactile sensation providing unit to provide the tactile sensation to a pressing object pressing against the touch face and executes the predetermined processing, wherein
the control unit switches between the first input mode and the second input mode based on the information on the battery acquired by the battery information acquisition unit, and
wherein during operation in the second input mode, when determining that a remaining amount of the battery no longer satisfies a predetermined threshold, the control unit switches from the second input mode to the first input mode.

2. The tactile sensation providing device according to claim 1 , wherein during operation in the first input mode, when determining that a remaining amount of the battery satisfies a predetermined threshold, the control unit switches from the first input mode to the second input mode.

3. The tactile sensation providing device according to any one of claims 1 to 2 , further comprising a display unit, wherein
the control unit controls the display unit to display an indication of a switch between the first input mode and the second input mode.

Assignees

• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Yamane Takeshi

Classifications

• G06F3/041

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

• G06F3/0414

  using force sensing means to determine a position · CPC title

• G06F2203/04106

  Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection · CPC title

• G06F3/048

  Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

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