Haptically-enabled deformable device with rigid component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9606625-B2
Application number	US-201414512719-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2014
Priority date	Oct 13, 2014
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A device includes a flexible component, such as a display and a rigid component coupled to the flexible component. An input circuit coupled to the flexible component can detect deformation of the flexible component. A response module can provide haptic feedback or another response based on the deformation. In some devices, the rigid component can be made of rigid members attached by a flexible connection and coupled to a motor. The flexible connection can be altered by the motor to cause the flexible component to deform from one state to another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A haptically-enabled device comprising:
a flexible component;
a rigid component coupled to the flexible component;
a sensor coupled to the flexible component for detecting deformation of the flexible component; and
a response module configured to provide a haptic feedback based on the deformation, wherein the haptic feedback is used to adjust a rigidity property of the flexible component.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible component is a display.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the response module further provides an application response for an application executed on the device.

4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a haptic output device; and
a drive circuit electronically coupled to the sensor and the haptic output device, wherein the haptic feedback is produced through the haptic output device.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the haptic output device provides at least one of kinesthetic or vibrotactile feedback.

6. The device of claim 4 , wherein the haptic feedback is provided in the rigid component or the flexible component.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the rigid component is a dock, and the deformation indicates that the deformation was applied by one hand.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the rigid component comprises handles coupled to sides of the flexible component.

9. The device of claim 4 , wherein the haptic feedback used to adjust the rigidity property of the flexible component is based on settings in an application executed on the device.

10. A flexible display device comprising:
a flexible display component;
a rigid component coupled to the flexible display component;
a sensor coupled to the flexible display component for detecting deformation of the flexible display component; and
a response module configured to provide a response based on the deformation, wherein the haptic feedback is used to adjust a rigidity property of the flexible component.

11. The display device of claim 10 , wherein the response from the response module includes an application response for an application executed on the display device.

12. The display device of claim 10 , wherein the rigid component is a dock, and the deformation indicates that the deformation was applied by one hand.

13. The display device of claim 10 , wherein the rigid component comprises handles coupled to sides of the flexible display component.

14. A flexible device comprising:
a flexible component;
a rigid component coupled to the flexible component, wherein the rigid component comprises two or more rigid members coupled by one or more flexible connections;
a motor coupled to the rigid members;
a sensor coupled to the rigid component for detecting input at a connection point between the rigid and deformable components; and
a drive circuit that alters the flexible connection using the motor, causing the flexible component to deform from one state to another.

15. The device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a haptic output device; and
a drive circuit electronically coupled to the sensor and the haptic output device, wherein the haptic feedback is produced through the haptic output device.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein the rigid component is a dock.

17. A haptically-enabled system comprising:
a flexible component;
a rigid component coupled to the flexible component;
an input module configured to detect deformation of the flexible component; and
a response module configured to provide a haptic feedback based on the deformation, wherein the haptic feedback is used to adjust a rigidity property of the flexible component.

18. The system of claim 17 , where in the flexible component is a display.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the response module further provides an application response for an application executed on the device.

20. The system of claim 17 , further comprising:
a haptic output device; and
a haptic feedback generator that generates the haptic feedback on the haptic output device based on information from the input module.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the haptic output device provides at least one of kinesthetic or vibrotactile feedback.

22. The system of claim 20 , wherein the haptic feedback is provided in the rigid component or the flexible component.

23. The system of claim 17 , wherein the rigid component is a dock, and the input module indicates that the deformation was applied by one hand.

24. The system of claim 17 , wherein the rigid component comprises handles coupled to sides of the flexible component.

25. The system of claim 20 , wherein the haptic feedback includes kinesthetic feedback to adjust a rigidity property of the flexible component based on settings in an application executed on the device.

26. A flexible display system comprising:
a flexible display component;
a rigid component coupled to the flexible display component;
an input module configured to detect deformation of the flexible display and generate a haptic feedback; and
a response module configured to provide a response based on the deformation, wherein the haptic feedback is used to adjust a rigidity property of the flexible display component.

27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the response from the response module includes an application response for an application executed on the display component.

28. The system of claim 26 , wherein the rigid component is a dock, and the input module indicates that the deformation was applied by one hand.

29. The system of claim 26 , wherein the rigid component comprises handles coupled to sides of the flexible display component.

30. A flexible component system comprising:
a flexible component;
a rigid component comprising two or more rigid members;
one or more flexible connections coupling the rigid members;
an input module configured to detect input into the system;
a rigid member control module configured to control the rigid members by altering the flexible connection using a motor, wherein altering the flexible connection causes the flexible component to deform from one state to another,
a haptic output device; and
a haptic feedback generator that generates a haptic feedback on the haptic output device based on information from the input module, wherein the haptic feedback is used to adjust a rigidity property of the flexible component.

31. The system of claim 30 , wherein the rigid component is a dock.

Assignees

• Immersion Corp

Inventors

• Levesque Vincent
• Grant Danny
• Wang Yiting

Classifications

• G06F1/1652

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · CPC title

• G09G5/003

  Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto (specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092) · CPC title

• G09G2380/02

  Flexible displays · CPC title

• G06F2203/04102

  Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

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