Method and apparatus for haptic enabled flexible touch sensitive surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9823833-B2
Application number	US-75863807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2007
Priority date	Jun 5, 2007
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A method and apparatus for an electronic interactive device having a haptic enabled flexible touch sensitive surface are disclosed. In one embodiment, the electronic interactive device includes a flexible touch sensitive surface, a flexible screen (or display), and an actuator. The flexible touch sensitive surface is deposited over the flexible screen and is capable of receiving an input, such as, for example, from a user. The flexible screen displays an image via a displaying window. The actuator is coupled to the flexible screen and provides haptic feedback in response to the input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic interactive device comprising:
a flexible touch sensitive surface configured to receive and locate a touch input during gross deformations of the flexible touch sensitive surface relative to a flat configuration of the flexible touch sensitive surface;
a flexible screen coupled to said flexible touch sensitive surface and configured for gross deformation with the flexible touch sensitive surface, the flexible screen configured to display an image during gross deformations of the flexible screen relative to a flat configuration of the flexible screen; and
a transparent flexible actuator layer configured for gross deformation with the flexible touch sensitive surface and said flexible screen, the transparent flexible actuator layer disposed between said flexible screen and said flexible touch sensitive surface, the transparent flexible actuator layer comprising a plurality of fibers of flexible actuators extending substantially parallel to the flexible touch sensitive surface, wherein each of said plurality of fibers of flexible actuators is attached at a different point of said flexible screen such that each of the plurality of fibers of flexible actuators delivers a unique haptic feedback effect to the flexible touch sensitive surface during gross deformations thereof in response to said input.

2. The electronic interactive device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flexible battery coupled to said flexible actuator and configured to provide power to said electronic interactive device; and
a flexible chip, coupled to said flexible battery, capable of processing data for displaying images on said flexible screen in response to said input, wherein said flexible chip further provides a haptic signal in response to said input for activating said flexible actuators to generate said haptic feedback.

3. The electronic interactive device of claim 1 , wherein said flexible touch sensitive surface includes a bendable or a foldable touch sensitive surface, which further includes a plurality of flexible regions capable of receiving said input.

4. The electronic interactive device of claim 3 , wherein said plurality of said flexible regions are capable of activating a set of said plurality of said flexible regions in response to a bending position of said flexible screen.

5. The electronic interactive device of claim 3 , wherein said plurality of said flexible regions are capable of activating a set of said plurality of said flexible regions in response to a folding position of said flexible screen.

6. The electronic interactive device of claim 1 , wherein said flexible screen is a rollable display, a foldable display, or a bendable electronic paper.

7. The electronic interactive device of claim 1 , wherein said flexible actuators comprise fibers of Shape Memory Alloys, or electroactive polymers.

8. The electronic interactive device of claim 1 , wherein said flexible screen, said flexible touch sensitive surface, and said flexible actuator layer are capable of rolling, folding, or bending at a substantially the same degree.

9. A method of providing haptic feedback for an input and output device, comprising:
monitoring a plurality of regions on a first surface of a flexible touch sensitive surface configured for operation during gross deformations relative to a flat configuration of the flexible touch sensitive surface, wherein a second surface of said flexible touch sensitive surface is disposed over a flexible display configured for gross deformations, the flexible display being configured to display an image during gross deformations relative to a flat configuration of the flexible display;
sensing a contact on one of said plurality of regions of said flexible touch sensitive surface;
generating an input signal in response to said contact and sending said input signal to a processing unit; and
providing haptic feedback to the flexible touch sensitive surface in response to said input signal during the gross deformations relative to a flat configuration of the flexible touch surface;
wherein said haptic feedback is provided by a transparent flexible actuator layer disposed between the second surface of the touch sensitive surface and the flexible display, the transparent flexible actuator layer comprising a plurality of fibers of flexible actuators extending substantially parallel to the flexible touch sensitive surface, wherein each of said plurality of fibers of flexible actuators is attached at a different point of said flexible display such that each of the plurality of fibers of flexible actuators delivers a unique haptic feedback effect to the flexible touch sensitive surface during gross deformations thereof in response to said input.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said providing haptic feedback in response to said input signal further includes:
generating a partial imaging signal when said flexible display is in a flexible position;
initiating a haptic signal in response to said input signal and said partial imaging signal; and
providing said haptic signal to said transparent flexible actuator layer.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said monitoring a plurality of regions on a first surface of a flexible touch sensitive surface further includes:
identifying an effective displaying window of said flexible display if said flexible display is in a rolled-up position; and
activating a set of regions of said flexible touch sensitive surface to create an effective touch sensitive surface in response to said effective displaying window.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein said monitoring a plurality of regions on a first surface of a flexible touch sensitive surface further includes:
identifying an effective displaying window of said flexible display if said flexible display is in a folding position; and
activating a set of regions of said flexible touch sensitive surface to create an effective touch sensitive surface in response to said effective displaying window.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein said generating a partial imaging signal when said flexible display is in a flexible position further includes determining said flexible display is in a bending position.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein said generating a partial imaging signal when said flexible display is in a flexible position further includes determining said flexible display is in a rolled-up position.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein said generating a partial imaging signal when said flexible display is in a flexible position further includes determining said flexible display is in a folding position.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein said providing haptic feedback further includes activating at least one fiber of shape memory alloy to create a haptic sensation.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein said providing haptic feedback further includes activating at least one fiber of electroactive polymers to create a haptic sensation.

18. A handheld device having a flexible screen, comprising:
a flexible touch sensitive surface configured to receive and locate a touch input during gross deformations of the flexible touch sensitive surface relative to a flat configuration of the flexible touch sensitive surface;
a flexible screen configured for gross deformation with the flexible touch sensitive surface, the flexible screen configured to display an image in response to said input during gross deformations of the flexible screen relative to a flat configuration of the flexible screen;
a first handle coupled to first end of said flexible s

Assignees

• Grant Danny A
• Cruz Hernandez Juan Manuel
• Ramstein Christophe
• Immersion Corp

Inventors

• Grant Danny A
• Cruz Hernandez Juan Manuel
• Ramstein Christophe

Classifications

• 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

• G06F1/1615

  with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function (constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206) · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

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

• G06F3/0488 Primary

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

• G06F1/1643

  the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads (details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615) · CPC title