Haptic display with simultaneous sensing and actuation

Abstract

Touch interface devices having systems and methods for producing multi-point haptics utilizing simultaneous sensing and actuation are disclosed. In a first configuration, two layers of electrodes are used, including a top layer for haptics near a touch surface of an insulating substrate and a bottom layer for sensing at the bottom surface of the insulating substrate, with the two electrode sets have substantially the same pattern as one another. In a second configuration, a single array of electrodes is used near a touch surface of an insulating substrate and serves as both surface haptic devices and sensing devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A touch interface having simultaneous sensing and actuation comprising:
 an insulating substrate having a front surface and a rear surface;   a first plurality of electrodes disposed on the rear surface arranged in a first pattern; and   a second plurality of electrodes disposed on the front surface arranged in a second pattern that mirrors the first pattern, wherein the electrodes on the front surface have a substantial mutual capacitance with corresponding mirrored electrodes on the rear surface;   wherein when an electrical signal is sent to at least one or more of the second plurality of electrodes a haptic effect is produced, and wherein when an electrical signal is sent to at least one of the one or more of the first plurality of electrodes a touch location is determined.   
     
     
         2 . The touch interface of  claim 1 , wherein when a transmitted signal is applied to at least one of the first plurality of electrodes on the rear surface, the transmitted signal passes through the insulating substrate via the mutual capacitance to the at least one of the second plurality of electrodes on the front surface such that when a user's finger is disposed contiguous with the front surface the finger modulates a strength of reception of the transmitted signal from the at least one of the second plurality of electrodes on the front surface to at least one other of the second plurality of electrodes on the front surface as a received signal. 
     
     
         3 . The touch interface of  claim 2 , wherein the received signal passes through the insulating substrate via the mutual capacitance to at least one of the first plurality of electrodes on the rear surface so that a location of the user's finger is determined from the strength of reception of the received signal. 
     
     
         4 . The touch interface of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrodes on the front surface are transparent. 
     
     
         5 . The touch interface of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is transparent. 
     
     
         6 . The touch interface of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic effect provided by the electrodes on the front surface is a change in friction. 
     
     
         7 . The touch interface of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic effect is independently controllable at more than one touch location. 
     
     
         8 . The touch interface of  claim 1 , wherein the electrodes on the rear surface provide measurements of positions of more than one touch location. 
     
     
         9 . The touch interface of  claim 1 , wherein a set of the first plurality of electrodes disposed on the rear surface remain functional when a set of the second plurality of electrodes disposed on the front surface is damaged. 
     
     
         10 . The touch interface of  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of electrodes disposed on the front surface comprises at least a first pair of electrodes and a second pair of electrodes, wherein the first pair of electrodes is electrically isolated from the second pair of electrodes such that the first pair of electrodes is configured to build up an electrical charge independent from the second pair of electrodes and the second pair of electrodes is configured to build up an electrical charge independent from the first pair of electrodes. 
     
     
         11 . The touch interface of  claim 10 , wherein the first pair of electrodes and second pair of electrodes are configured to charge sequentially such that the first pair of electrodes charges while the second pair of electrodes is not charging and the second pair of electrodes charges while the first pair of electrodes is not charging. 
     
     
         12 . The touch interface of  claim 11 , wherein when the first pair of electrodes is charged and the second pair of electrodes is charging, the first pair of electrodes is configured to produce a haptic effect when an electrical signal is sent to the first pair of electrodes;
 the first pair of electrodes and second pair of electrodes are configured to be charged sequentially such that the first pair of electrodes is configured to build up a charge while the second pair of electrodes is not building up a charge and the second pair of electrodes is configured to build up a charge while the first pair of electrodes is not building up a charge.   
     
     
         13 . A touch interface having simultaneous sensing and actuation comprising:
 an insulating substrate having a front surface and a rear surface;   a first plurality of electrodes disposed on the rear surface arranged in a first pattern, wherein the first plurality of electrodes is configured to serve as sensing devices to determine a touch location; and   a second plurality of electrodes disposed on the front surface arranged in a second pattern that mirrors the first pattern, wherein the second plurality of electrodes is configured to provide a haptic effect;   wherein the second plurality of electrodes disposed on the front surface comprises at least a first pair of electrodes and a second pair of electrodes, wherein the first pair of electrodes is electrically isolated from the second pair of electrodes such that the first pair of electrodes is configured to build up an electrical charge independent from the second pair of electrodes and the second pair of electrodes is configured to build up an electrical charge independent from the first pair of electrodes.   
     
     
         14 . The touch interface of  claim 13 , wherein the first pair of electrodes and second pair of electrodes are configured to charge sequentially such that the first pair of electrodes charges while the second pair of electrodes is not charging and the second pair of electrodes charges while the first pair of electrodes is not charging. 
     
     
         15 . The touch interface of  claim 14 , wherein when the first pair of electrodes is charged and the second pair of electrodes is charging, the first pair of electrodes is configured to produce a haptic effect when an electrical signal is sent to the first pair of electrodes. 
     
     
         16 . The touch interface of  claim 13 , wherein when the first pair of electrodes is charged and the second pair of electrodes is charging, the first pair of electrodes is configured to produce a haptic effect when an electrical signal is sent to the first pair of electrodes. 
     
     
         17 . The touch interface of  claim 13 , wherein a set of the first plurality of electrodes disposed on the rear surface remain functional when a set of the second plurality of electrodes disposed on the front surface is non-functional. 
     
     
         18 . The touch interface of  claim 13 , wherein the insulating substrate is transparent.