Display device with localized haptic effect

Abstract

A haptic-enabled display device is presented. The haptic-enabled device has a display layer, a first electrode layer, an actuation layer, and an electrode patch. The first electrode layer is disposed on the display layer. The actuation layer is formed of a single piece of actuatable material. A first side of the actuation layer is disposed on the first electrode layer. The single piece of actuatable material of the actuation layer and the conductive material of the first electrode layer may have substantially the same area. The electrode patch may form a second electrode layer, and may be disposed on a second and opposite side of the actuation layer. The electrode patch is electrically connected to a region of the actuatable material, and has an area that is smaller than that of the single piece of actuatable material and smaller than that of the conductive material of the first electrode layer.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A haptic-enabled display device comprising:
 a display layer configured to display an image;   a first electrode layer formed of conductive material and disposed on the display layer;   an actuator patch forming an actuation layer and disposed on a region of the first electrode layer and electrically connected thereto, wherein the actuator patch has an area smaller than that of the conductive material of the first electrode layer;   an electrode patch forming a second electrode layer and disposed on the actuator patch, and also having an area smaller than that of the conductive material of the first electrode layer; and   a control unit configured to provide a haptic driving signal to the electrode patch to actuate the actuator patch,   wherein the actuator patch has an actuatable material configured to deform upon any haptic driving signal creating a difference in electrical potential between opposite sides of the actuator patch.   
     
     
         26 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 25 , wherein the display layer has a front side configured to display the image, and a back side opposite the front side, wherein the conductive material of the first electrode layer is disposed on the back side of the display layer. 
     
     
         27 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 26 , further comprising a protective layer disposed on the front side of the display layer. 
     
     
         28 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 26 , wherein the actuator patch is a first actuator patch, the region on which the actuator patch is disposed is a first region, and the electrode patch is a first electrode patch,
 wherein the actuation layer has a plurality of actuator patches disposed on respective regions of the first electrode layer and electrically connected to the respective regions of the first electrode layer, wherein the plurality of actuator patches include the first actuator patch, and the respective regions include the first region,   wherein the second electrode layer has a plurality of electrode patches disposed on the plurality of actuator patches, respectively, and are electrically connected to the plurality of actuator patches, wherein the plurality of electrode patches include the first electrode patch and are electrically isolated from each other, and   wherein each electrode patch of the plurality of electrode patches has substantially the same area as a respective actuator patch of the plurality of actuator patches.   
     
     
         29 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of actuator patches form a two-dimensional array of actuator patches, and the plurality of electrode patches form a two-dimensional array of electrode patches. 
     
     
         30 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 28 , wherein the control unit is configured
 to select a location on a surface of the haptic-enabled display device at which to output a vibrotactile haptic effect,   to select, based on the location at which to output the vibrotactile haptic effect, an electrode patch from among the plurality of electrode patches to receive the haptic driving signal, and   to apply the haptic driving signal to the electrode patch that is selected.   
     
     
         31 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 30 , wherein the electrode patch that is selected is closest to the location at which to output the vibrotactile effect. 
     
     
         32 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 30 , wherein the location that is selected is one of a plurality of locations on the surface of the haptic-enabled display device that surround another location at which a touch input is received on the surface, wherein the control unit is configured to select the plurality of locations as locations at which to output the vibrotactile haptic effect. 
     
     
         33 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 30 , further comprising a multiplexer configured, based on a control signal from the control unit, to multiplex the haptic driving signal to the electrode patch that is selected. 
     
     
         34 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 25 , wherein a frequency of the haptic driving signal is in a range between 100 Hz and 250 Hz. 
     
     
         35 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 25 , wherein the first electrode layer is at a ground potential. 
     
     
         36 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 25 , wherein the haptic-enabled display device is part of a vehicle dashboard or vehicle center console. 
     
     
         37 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 25 , wherein the display layer is curved. 
     
     
         38 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 37 , wherein the display layer is an organic light emitting diode (OLED) layer. 
     
     
         39 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 38 , wherein the actuatable material of the actuator patch comprises a macrofiber composite material having a plurality of piezoceramic fibers embedded in a polymer matrix, and wherein the piezoceramic fibers extend to two opposite surfaces of the polymer matrix so as to make electrical contact with the first electrode layer and with the second electrode layer. 
     
     
         40 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 39 , wherein the haptic driving signal has a magnitude equal to or less than 10 V. 
     
     
         41 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 25 , wherein the haptic-enabled display device is a mobile telephone. 
     
     
         42 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 25 , wherein the actuatable material of the first electrode layer is a single piece of actuatable material that is continuous and substantially uniform throughout the first electrode layer. 
     
     
         43 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 25 , wherein the electrode patch has substantially a same area as the actuation patch. 
     
     
         44 . The haptic-enabled display device of  claim 25 , wherein the first electrode layer has substantially a same area as the display layer.