Sony Corporation

Ivan Poupyrev

Shigeaki Maruyama

Junichi Rekimoto

Junichi Sekine

Tatsushi Nashida

Yuji Ayatsuka

Eduardo Sciammarella

Nobuyuki Matsushita

Shigeru Tajima

Shigeki Motoyama

Eijiro Mori

Hiroaki Tobita

Keiichi Kimura

Carsten Schwesig

Karl Darcy Daniel Willis

Henry Owen Newton-Dunn

Eduardo Agusto Sciammarella

An information presenting device of present invention includes a conductive layer to which an AC voltage is applied, an insulating layer for covering the conductive layer and presenting a tactile sense when a part of a body of a user set to a ground potential is in contact with the insulating layer.

Information presenting device, tactile sense presenting method, and program

A user interface feedback apparatus includes an operable element, a sensor, a processing unit, and a tactile control module. The operable element has a two-layer structure made up of a conductor and an insulator. The sensor detects, in the form of user contact information, at least a user contact position with respect to the insulator of the operable element. The processing unit acquires the detected information from the sensor, and determines parameters for an electrical signal to be output to the conductor. The tactile control module controls the frictional force between the insulator and the user by outputting to the conductor an electrical signal regulated by the parameters determined by the processing unit.

User interface feedback apparatus, user interface feedback method, and program

An image drawing method for drawing an image on an input screen of a portable terminal having input keys arranged in an N&#xd7;M matrix includes the steps of: determining a size of an input window formed of grid squares arranged in an N&#xd7;M matrix; determining a position of the input window on the input screen; displaying the input window of the size determined in the input window size determination at the position of the input screen, the position being determined in the input window position determination; and in response to user input being performed on one of the input keys arranged in the N&#xd7;M matrix, performing a drawing process at the grid square corresponding to the position in the N&#xd7;M matrix at which the user input has been performed.

Image drawing method, portable terminal, and computer program

An apparatus includes a display section with a touch screen, and the touch screen is adapted to display at least one graphical user interface object and detect a touch position on the touch screen. The apparatus has a haptic feedback generating unit attached to the touch screen and is adapted to generating haptic feedback. A pressure sensing unit is attached to the touch screen and adapted to detect pressure applied to the touch screen. A controller section is adapted to control and drive the display section. The graphical user interface object displayed on the touch screen has a plurality of logical states. The controller section determines a current logical state of the graphical user interface object and a form of the haptic feedback to be generated depending on the detected touch position.

Apparatus and method for touch screen interaction based on tactile feedback and pressure measurement

A haptic display includes at least one haptic device that can give tactile feedback instead of visible feedback. Each of the haptic devices converts a signal from a signal producing unit into force or tactile pattern. The haptic device does not require a large mass, so that it can be provided on almost any portion or part within the body of a mobile apparatus. For example, the haptic device can be embedded under a touch panel display that constitutes both input and output device. By providing the haptic devices under respective menu/function button areas displayed on the touch panel display, it is possible to stimulate the specific button in response to the user-input-operation, thereby directly providing the tactile feedback to the user's finger touching the corresponding button.

Mobile apparatus having tactile feedback function

An input device includes a touch panel with which a user performs an input operation of information by touching the touch panel. The input device further includes a vibration generation device for feeding back, to the user, various kinds of sense of touch in accordance with the type of the information through the touch panel. Additionally, the input device includes a vibration control circuit for allowing the vibration generation device to generate various forms of vibrations in accordance with the type of the information. The vibration generation device is a bimorph piezoelectric actuator including a first actuator unit and a second actuator unit stacked on the first actuator unit in which when one of the first and second actuator units expands, the other contracts. Further, each of the first and second actuator units has a multi-layered piezoelectric element layer.

Input device and electronic device using the input device

A piezoelectric composite device including: a feeding electrode; a common electrode; a signal detecting electrode; a first piezoelectric element joined between the feeding electrode and the common electrode; and a second piezoelectric element joined between the common electrode and the signal detecting electrode; a predetermined voltage being supplied between the feeding electrode and the common electrode; and a force detection signal based on an external force being extracted from the detecting electrode.

Piezoelectric composite device, method of manufacturing same, method of controlling same, input-output device, and electronic device

A user interface apparatus has a flexible part including a one-dimensional analog sensor for sensing distortion of the flexible part, and a processor unit for detecting one of input states based on a value of the detected distortion and having a task run. The task relates to a selected input state. The input states are related to dynamic or static positive/negative distortion of the flexible part. The user interacts with the apparatus by physically manipulating a body of the apparatus.

User interface apparatus and portable information apparatus

An RF tagis incorporated in a mouseand an RF tag readeris mounted on the main body side of a computerWhen using the mouseto a specified computera user moves the mouse close to the readerto read identification information (ID) of the mousewhich is included in the RF tagOn the main body side of the computerthe mouseis designated in accordance with the read ID and communication with the mouseis set. There may be a case where a plurality of computers and peripheral equipment intermingle, but, by making joint use of the ID readerin a short-range, a corresponding relationship between the main body of the computerand the wireless equipmentis made clear.

Connection system between computer body and wireless peripheral equipment, computer, and wireless peripheral equipment

A display panel disposed on the front surface of a device shows information related to an operation input. A sensor for detecting a touch of an object is disposed on the back surface of the device. A mark representing the touch position is displayed at a position directly above the position of a touch detected by the sensor on the display panel. When the mark representing the touch position and the display position of the information are overlapped, an input process corresponding to the overlapped information is performed.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Ivan Poupyrev