Patent ID: 9579690
Date: 2017-02-28
CPC Classifications: B06B,G06F

Claim:
1. An apparatus comprising: a face comprising a first surface electrode and a second insulated surface electrode, wherein the face is configured to produce, via friction, a touch stimulus at a digit of a user that is perceptible to the user when the digit of the user is traced across the face while the digit is in contact with at least a first portion of the face, and wherein the first surface electrode and the second insulated surface electrode are configured such that a local electric circuit between the electrodes is completed via the digit of the user when the digit is traced across the face; at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, where the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least: apply throughout a time period a controlled time varying potential difference between the first surface electrode and the second insulated surface electrode while the digit is in contact with the first portion of the face to produce at the digit of the user: a) while the digit of the user is traced across the first portion of the face for any first arbitrary portion of the time period during which the controlled time varying potential difference is applied, a time varying touch stimulus, via friction, that is perceptible to the user at the digit of the user for the first arbitrary portion of the time period, and b) while the digit, in contact with the first portion of the face, is stationary for the first arbitrary portion of the time period during which the controlled time varying potential difference is applied, no touch stimulus, including no time varying touch stimulus, at the digit of the user; and control at least the time variation in the potential difference between the first surface electrode and the second insulated surface electrode to modulate the time varying touch stimulus during the time period produced by the time varying potential difference, via friction, at the digit of the user while it is traced across the first portion of the face during the time period.