Mobile application interaction guide via tactile feedback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9917610-B2
Application number	US-201514943062-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2015
Priority date	Jun 25, 2015
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

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

The invention claimed is:

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 at least one software application running on the mobile device;
associating a feedback type with the at least one software application running on the mobile device;
associating the feedback type with the position of the one or more fingers in the area of the contact sensing layer;
receiving an instruction from the at least one software application running in the mobile device; and
in response to the received instruction from the at least one software application, generating the feedback type in an interactive layer of the mobile device located in direct contact with an entire surface of the contact sensing layer, wherein the feedback type is generated solely in an area corresponding with the detected position of the one or more fingers, wherein the generated feedback type is detectable by the one or more fingers,
wherein the generated feedback type alerts and causes a response from 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 selected based on the detected position of the one or more fingers to present the feedback type associated with the at least one software application 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.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a first software application and a second software application running on the mobile device; and
associating a first feedback type with the first software application and a second feedback type with the second software application, wherein the first feedback type is different from the second feedback type.

9. A method comprising:
determining a position of one or more fingers of a user in direct contact with a contact sensing layer, the contact sensing layer comprises an outer back layer of a mobile device above and in direct contact with an interactive layer, the interactive layer comprises an inner layer of the mobile device adjacent to a chip of the mobile device and is able to communicate with the chip and the contact sensing layer;
identifying one or more software applications running on the mobile device;
associating a feedback type with each software application in the one or more software applications running on the mobile device, wherein the feedback type comprises a directional temperature change accompanied by a vibrational movement;
associating the feedback type with the determined position of the one or more fingers;
receiving an instruction from at least one software application in the one or more software applications running in the mobile device, the instruction requesting an action by the user; and
in response to the received instruction, generating the feedback type associated with the at least one software application solely in an area corresponding with the determined position of the one or more fingers to alert the user of the received instruction and cause the requested action from the user, wherein the generated feedback type comprises:
generating, by the interactive layer, the directional temperature change accompanied by the vibrational movement based on the determined position of the one or more fingers and each software application, and
delivering, via the contact sensing layer, the feedback type to the user.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the interactive layer comprises:
a plurality of balls configured to generate a motion wave; and
a plurality of heating nodes configured to generate a temperature wave,
wherein the motion wave and the temperature wave in association with each software application and the determined position of the one or more fingers creates the directional temperature change accompanied by the vibrational movement in 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