Granted Patent
User Interface Device Provided with Surface Haptic Sensations
US Patent 9,041,647, filed March 15, 2013, issued May 26, 2015.
download pdfexternal link
Abstract
A user interface device includes a housing, a user input element supported by the housing, and a haptic output device supported by the housing. The haptic output device is configured to generate a haptic effect at a surface of the user interface device. The surface is part of the housing and/or the user input element. A processor disposed within the housing. The processor is configured to receive an input command from the user input element, communicate the input command to a host computer, receive an output command from the host computer, and output a haptic signal based on the output command to the haptic output device to generate the haptic effect at the surface.