Integrated haptic control apparatus and touch sensitive display

Abstract

The provision of a haptic input with an integrated touch screen input is disclosed. One disclosed embodiment provides a control apparatus for an electronic device. The control apparatus comprises a haptic input mechanism configured to provide haptic feedback responsive to a push input, and an integrated touch sensitive display forming a surface of the haptic input mechanism, wherein the touch sensitive display comprising a touch-sensing mechanism.

1 . A control apparatus comprising:
 a display configured to receive touch input;   a haptic mechanism underlying the display, the haptic mechanism operable to provide haptic feedback in response to a touch input; and   a controller configured to:
 display on the display a first indicia indicative of a first function associated with a first application program, and 
 display on the display a second indicia indicative of a second function associated with a second application program. 
   
     
     
         2 . The control apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the haptic mechanism comprises multiple, independently-operable haptic elements. 
     
     
         3 . The control apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the haptic mechanism comprises a surface area that is substantially equivalent to a surface area of the display. 
     
     
         4 . The control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control apparatus comprises a handheld video game controller. 
     
     
         5 . The control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to change from displaying the first indicia to displaying the second indicia when an application program being controlled changes from the first application program to the second application program. 
     
     
         6 . The control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to communicate with an external computing system and wherein the first application program and the second application program are executed by the external computing system. 
     
     
         7 . The control apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the external computing system comprises a game console. 
     
     
         8 . The control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to modify a displayed indicia in response to a change of a specific function associated with the first application program from a first specific function to a second specific function. 
     
     
         9 . A control apparatus comprising:
 a haptic mechanism operable to provide haptic feedback responsive to a touch input;   an integrated display configured to receive the touch input; and   a controller configured to:
 display an indicia on the integrated display, the indicia indicating a specific function associated with an application program, 
 modify a displayed indicia displayed on the integrated display in response to a change of the specific function associated with the application program, 
 receive a user input based on the touch input; and 
 send a command signal to the application program. 
   
     
     
         10 . The control apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the control apparatus is further configured to provide a haptic output in response to the touch input. 
     
     
         11 . The control apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the haptic mechanism comprises multiple, independently operable haptic elements. 
     
     
         12 . The control apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the control apparatus comprises a handheld video game controller. 
     
     
         13 . The control apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the application program is a first application program, and wherein the controller is further configured to modify the displayed indicia when an application program being controlled changes from the first application program to a second application program. 
     
     
         14 . The control apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to communicate with an external computing system and wherein the application program is executed by the external computing system. 
     
     
         15 . The control apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the external computing system comprises a game console. 
     
     
         16 . A method of operating a control apparatus comprising a display configured to receive input and an underlying haptic mechanism, the method comprising:
 displaying an indicia on the display, the indicia indicating a specific function associated with an application program;   modifying a displayed indicia displayed on the display in response to a change in one or more of an application program controlled by the control apparatus and a specific function associated with the application program controlled by the control apparatus;   receiving a touch input;   providing haptic feedback for the touch input; and   sending a command signal to the application program.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein sending the command signal to the application program comprises sending the command signal to an application program executed on a device remote from the control apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein sending the command signal to the application program comprises sending the command signal to a video game console. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the control apparatus comprises multiple independently-operable haptic elements, and wherein providing haptic feedback comprises providing haptic feedback via a selected independently-operable haptic element. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein providing haptic feedback comprises providing feedback from a directional actuator.