Methods and devices for selectively controlling and varying surface texture and/or force levels on a mobile device using haptic feedback

摘要

Mobile devices having haptic interfaces located on an edge or back of mobile phones for selectively controlling and varying surface texture and/or force levels are provided. The haptic interfaces may allow for haptic interaction with the user of the mobile device when audio or visual feedback is not practical. The haptic interface may be an electro-mechanical system that may include a matrix or array of individually addressable actuators that can convey haptic information through the deformation of a flexible surface or membrane covering the array of individually addressable actuators. The array of “individually addressable” actuators may provide each actuator the ability to be separately addressable or addressable as a group (i.e. two or more) actuators.

主权项

1. A haptic interface for varying surface texture, comprising:
a top surface comprising a flexible membrane; a bottom surface, parallel to and opposite the top surface; an array of individually addressable actuators disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface; a plurality of input sensors located between the top surface and the bottom surface for receiving input information in accordance with a touch of the flexible membrane, wherein the touch of the flexible membrane is adapted to cause at least one of the plurality of input sensors to compress and generate a feedback signal; wherein each individually addressable actuator in the array of individually addressable actuators is configured to cause a localized deformation of the top surface into a configurable shape based on an incoming signal.