Patent ID: 11886641
Assignee: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 16:
17. A method of generating haptic feedback on a surface haptic display, the method including the steps of:
disposing a plurality of conductive islands at a first depth in close proximity to a front surface;
conductively isolating each of the plurality of conductive islands; disposing a plurality of first conductive traces and second conductive traces at a second depth, wherein a first set of conductive islands is substantially capacitively coupled to the first conductive traces and a second set of conductive islands is substantially capacitively coupled to the second conductive traces;
generating an attractive electrostatic force on a fingertip contiguous with the front surface; and
charging at least one adjacent pair of conductive islands disposed in an area under the fingertip via a capacitive coupling to the first conductive trace and second conductive trace and wherein the attractive electrostatic force on the fingertip contiguous with the front surface increases a perceived friction force on the fingertip against movement of the fingertip parallel to the front surface; and
enhancing an electrostatic attraction of the fingertip to the at least one adjacent pair of conductive islands in the area under the fingertip by applying one of a positive voltage signal and a negative voltage signal to the first conductive trace and another of the positive voltage signal and the negative voltage signal to the second conductive trace.