Sony patents HAND-HELD DEVICE WITH TOUCHSCREEN AND DIGITAL TACTILE PIXELS

Abstract
A hand-held electronic device is disclosed. The device may comprise a case case having one or more major surfaces; a touch screen disposed on one of the major surfaces, the touch screen; a processor operably coupled to the touch screen; and one or more tactile pixels disposed proximate the touch screen. Each of the tactile pixels includes an actuatable portion coupled to an actuator and a sensor. The actuator and sensor are coupled to the processor. The actuator is configured to actuate in response to instructions from the processor and the sensor is configured to generate signals as inputs to one or more programs executed by the processor when pressure is applied to the actuatable portion. The actuatable portion is actuatable by the actuator between first and second positions. A tactile feel of the actuatable portion is different in the first and second positions.

Description
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001]Embodiments of the present invention are related to handheld devices and more particularly to hand-held devices that utilize touchscreens.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002]Touchscreens are displays which also have the ability to detect the location of touches within the display area. This allows the display to be used as an input device, removing the keyboard and/or the mouse as the primary input device for interacting with the display's content. Such displays can be attached to computers or, as terminals, to networks. Touchscreens also have assisted in recent changes in the design of personal digital assistant (PDA), satellite navigation and mobile phone devices, making these devices more usable.

[0003]Touchscreens have become commonplace since the invention of the electronic touch interface in 1971 by Dr. Samuel C. Hurst. They have become familiar in retail settings, on point of sale systems, on automatic teller machines (ATMs) and on PDAs where a stylus is sometimes used to manipulate a graphical user interface (GUI) and to enter data. The popularity of smart phones, PDAs, portable game consoles and many types of information appliances is driving the demand for, and the acceptance of, touchscreens.

[0004]Existing touch screens are configured to receive a mechanical input and provide a visible output. However, existing touch screens are not configured to provide both a visible and a mechanical output.

[0005]It is within this context that embodiments of the present invention arise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006]The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007]FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a hand-held device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0008]FIG. 1B is a three-dimensional diagram of a hand-held device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0009]FIG. 1C is a three-dimensional diagram of a hand-held device according to another alternative embodiment of the present invention.

[0010]FIG. 1D is a three-dimensional diagram of a hand-held device according to another alternative embodiment of the present invention.

[0011]FIG. 1E is a side elevation diagram of a hand-held device according to another alternative embodiment of the present invention.

[0012]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of illustrating operation of a hand-held device of the type shown in FIGS. 1A-1E.

[0013]FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional diagram illustrating use of a portion of the tactile array as a command button in a hand-held device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional diagram illustrating use of a portion of a tactile array as a scroll wheel in a hand-held device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015]FIG. 5 is a three dimensional diagram illustrating use of a portion of a tactile array to indicate an end of a scrolling in a hand-held device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016]FIGS. 6A-6B are three dimensional diagrams illustrating use of a portion of a tactile array as a level indicator in a hand-held device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 7 is a three-dimensional diagram of an electronic device according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.