Tactile feedback apparatuses and methods for providing sensations of writing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9535514-B2
Application number	US-201414584264-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2014
Priority date	May 9, 2014
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A tactile feedback apparatus may include: a touch display configured to display objects; a tactile information extractor configured to extract tactile information corresponding to an object touched by a touch input tool; a tactile information changing unit configured to change the tactile information based on sensing information of the touch input tool; and/or a tactile feedback provider configured to provide the touch input tool with tactile feedback based on the tactile information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tactile feedback apparatus, comprising:
a touch display configured to display objects; and
a processor configured to,
identify a type of touch input tool,
extract tactile information corresponding to the identified touch input tool and an object touched by the identified touch input tool,
change the tactile information based on sensing information of the identified touch input tool, and
provide the identified touch input tool with tactile feedback based on the changed tactile information.

2. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to further extract the tactile information based on a texture of the object.

3. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 2 , wherein if the identified touch input tool is a pen, the processor is configured to change an amplitude of the tactile information based on the texture of the object such that a user has a sensation of writing on the object using the pen.

4. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to further extract the tactile information based on a texture of the object and a type of an input mode in which an input by the identified touch input tool is recognized in a form of a pen or a brush with a desired thickness.

5. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to change an amplitude of the tactile information based on the texture of the object and the type of the input mode such that a user has a sensation of writing on the object, using the pen or the brush with the desired thickness, in the input mode.

6. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensing information includes at least one of a position of the identified touch input tool, an area of the identified touch input tool in contact with the touch display, a moving speed of the identified touch input tool, and a pressure applied to the object by the identified touch input tool.

7. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to change an amplitude of the tactile information based on the area of the identified touch input tool in contact with the touch display.

8. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to change a frequency of the tactile information based on the moving speed of the identified touch input tool.

9. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to change an amplitude of the tactile information based on the pressure applied to the object by the identified touch input tool.

10. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the identified touch input tool is a user's finger or a pen configured to enable a touch input.

11. A tactile feedback apparatus, comprising:
a touch display configured to display objects; and
a processor configured to,
identify a type of touch input tool,
extract tactile information corresponding to the identified touch input tool and an object touched by the identified touch input tool,
change the tactile information based on sensing information of the identified touch input tool,
transmit the tactile information to the identified touch input tool, and
provide the identified touch input tool with tactile feedback based on the changed tactile information by generating an electrostatic force based on a voltage difference between a ground region and an electrode, the ground region being associated with a first one of the touch display and the identified touch input tool, and the electrode being associated with a second one of the touch display and the identified touch input tool, the electrode configured to operate based on the changed tactile information.

12. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the identified touch input tool is configured to operate the electrode using a tactile signal corresponding to the changed tactile information, and is configured to apply an electric charge to the object.

13. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to further extract the tactile information based on a texture of the object.

14. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to change an amplitude of the tactile information based on the texture of the object such that a user holds the identified touch input tool with a sensation of writing on the object using a pen.

15. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to further extract the tactile information based on a texture of the object and a type of an input mode in which an input by the identified touch input tool is recognized in a form of a pen or a brush with a desired thickness.

16. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to change an amplitude of the tactile information based on the texture of the object and the type of the input mode such that a user holds the identified touch input tool with a sensation of writing on the object, using the pen or the brush with the desired thickness, in the input mode.

17. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the sensing information includes at least one of a position of the identified touch input tool, an area of the identified touch input tool in contact with the touch display, a moving speed of the identified touch input tool, and a pressure applied to the object by the identified touch input tool.

18. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to change an amplitude of the tactile information based on the area of the identified touch input tool in contact with the touch display.

19. The tactile feedback apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to change a frequency of the tactile information based on the moving speed of the identified touch input tool.

20. A tactile feedback method, comprising:
identifying a type of touch input tool;
extracting tactile information corresponding to the identified touch input tool and an object touched by the identified touch input tool;
changing the tactile information based on sensing information of the identified touch input tool; and
providing the identified touch input tool with tactile feedback based on the changed tactile information.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lim Soochul
• Park Joonah

Classifications

• G06F2203/014

  Force feedback applied to GUI · CPC title

• G06F2203/04105

  Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch 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

• G06F3/03545 Primary

  Pens or stylus · CPC title

• G06F3/0414

  using force sensing means to determine a position · CPC title