Electronic apparatus

An electronic apparatus is provided. The electronic apparatus includes a contact detection section for detecting contact from a user, a vibration output section for outputting an acoustic vibration that can be sensed by the user as a sound and a haptic vibration for stimulating the haptic sense of the user, a pattern generation section for generating an output vibration pattern including the acoustic vibration and the haptic vibration in response to the contact detection section detecting the contact from the user, and a drive section for driving the vibration output section in accordance with the output vibration pattern to make the vibration output section output the acoustic vibration and the haptic vibration.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application JP 2005-315079 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Oct. 28, 2005, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to an electronic apparatus provided with a haptic vibration generation function for vibrating a contact portion with the user.

As an input device for inputting data to an electronic apparatus, there can be a keyboard, a jog dial, a mouse, a scanner, a voice recognition device, and so on. The keyboard is equipped with a number of keys, and is capable of inputting alphabets or symbols respectively corresponding to the keys. The jog dial is capable of inputting an amount of rotation of its rotator. In building the keyboard or the jog dial in the electronic apparatus, design limitations regarding the size and the weight thereof problematically occur.

In the past, in order for simplify the machine design of such an input device, there has been developed an input device having a contact detection sensor provided to the jog dial for temporarily vibrating an area around a contact position in accordance with variation of the contact position or the contact area thereof to provide the user with the same operation feeling as the operation feeling of the jog dial, thereby reducing the overall size and the weight of the apparatus (see, for example, JP-A-2004-252836).

Further, a touch panel is an input device integrated with a display screen. Since the user directly touches the input object in the touch panel, the touch panel can offer natural operationality. Further, the layout of the touch panel can freely be modified with software control. The touch panel dose not offer a haptic operation, and accordingly causes the user to have a barren impression. Consequently, in recent years, there has been developed an input device provided with realistic operationality by vibrating the touch panel to reproduce a haptic vibration corresponding to friction in holding down or sliding a button.

FIG. 12is a block diagram showing an internal structure of a cellular phone100provided with a haptic reproduction function. The cellular phone100is provided with an antenna101for transmitting and receiving radio waves, a shared terminal102for amplifying the radio waves, a receiving section103for demodulating the radio waves received by the antenna101, a transmission section105for modulating the signal output from a central processing unit (CPU)104to output it to the antenna101, a memory106as a working area of the CPU104, a display section107for displaying images, an image processing section108for generating images to be displayed on the display section107, a microphone109for inputting spoken voice of the user, and a loudspeaker110for outputting ring alert or spoken voice. Further, for realizing the function of providing the haptic vibration, the cellular phone100is provided with an input detection section111for detecting an input position and an input amount (force), an A/D driver112for amplifying an output of the input detection section111, piezoelectric actuators113A through113C for generating haptic vibration, and an actuator driver114for driving the piezoelectric actuators113A through113C.

The cellular phone100outputs a vibration pattern to the piezoelectric actuators113A through113C based on the input position information and the input amount detected by the input detection section111to vibrate the piezoelectric actuators113A through113C, thereby causing haptic vibration corresponding to input haptic impression of an actual switch.

In general, the cellular phone is provided with the microphone109, the loudspeaker110, the display section107, and so on. In the cellular phone100shown inFIG. 12, there are additionally required the actuator drive circuit114and a plurality of piezoelectric actuators113A through113C to generate haptic vibration. It does not apply only to cellular phones that an additional function causes increase in the number of components, resulting in design limitations in the size and the weight.

Therefore, it is desirable to simplify the structure of the electronic apparatus provided with a haptic vibration generation function.

SUMMARY

According to an embodiment, there is provided an electronic apparatus including a contact detection section for detecting contact from a user, a vibration output section for outputting an acoustic vibration that can be sensed by the user as an acoustic and a haptic vibration stimulating haptic sense of the user, a pattern generation section for generating an output vibration pattern including the acoustic vibration and the haptic vibration in response to the contact detection section detecting the contact from the user, and a drive section for driving the vibration output section in accordance with the output vibration pattern to make the vibration output section output the acoustic vibration and the haptic vibration.

The electronic apparatus according to an embodiment outputs the two kinds of vibrations, namely the acoustic vibration that can be sensed by the user as an acoustic and the haptic vibration stimulating the haptic sense of the user, from a single vibration output section, thus simplifying the structure thereof. Further, the electronic apparatus according to the embodiment generates the output vibration pattern of the acoustic vibration and the haptic vibration by a single pattern generation section, and the acoustic vibration and haptic vibration are generated by driving the vibration output section with a single drive section, thus simplifying the structure thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An electronic apparatus50according to an embodiment will hereinafter be explained with reference toFIG. 1. The electronic apparatus50according to the embodiment is provided with a touch panel51as a contact-type input interface for performing input by directly touching the tip of the user's finger or a specialized pen thereto. The electronic apparatus50is provided with a piezoelectric actuator53as a vibration output section. The piezoelectric actuator53outputs a haptic vibration for stimulating the user's haptic sense and an acoustic vibration, which the user can sense as a sound.

FIG. 1is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the electronic apparatus50. As shown inFIG. 1, the electronic apparatus50is provided with a touch panel51for detecting contact by the user, a display section52for displaying a display screen, a piezoelectric actuator53for generating the acoustic vibration and the haptic vibration, a vibration data storage section54for storing the vibration pattern, a CPU55which generates an output vibration pattern for driving the piezoelectric actuator53, and an actuator drive circuit56for driving the piezoelectric actuator53in accordance with the output vibration pattern.

The touch panel51is disposed overlapping the display section52. The touch panel51has translucency, and the display screen of the display section52can be seen through the touch panel51. On the display screen, there are displayed objects such as a command button or a slide bar. When the user touches the panel51, information of the contact position is output to the CPU55.

The CPU55specifies which one of the objects the user has touched based on the position information input from the touch panel51. The CPU55selects the vibration pattern stored in the vibration data storage section54in accordance with the object touched by the user, and generates the output vibration pattern based on the selected vibration pattern. The output vibration pattern is a single vibration pattern or a combination of a plurality of vibration patterns.

The vibration pattern is expressed by the frequency, the amplitude, and the number of the vibration. The CPU55, when combining the plurality of vibration patterns, combines each of the vibration patterns in a time-sharing manner. Thus, it can be prevented that the vibration patterns interfere with each other to cause noises. Further, when combining the vibration pattern of the acoustic vibration with the vibration pattern of the haptic vibration, the CPU55combines them so that the vibration pattern of the haptic vibration is output earlier than the vibration pattern of the acoustic vibration. When the haptic vibration is generated earlier, no time lag is generated between the moment of touching the touch panel51and the moment of responding with the haptic vibration, thus preventing the user from feeling uncomfortable.

The actuator drive circuit56inputs the output vibration pattern from the CPU55. The output vibration pattern is expressed by the frequency, the amplitude, and the number of the vibration. The actuator drive circuit56converts the output vibration pattern into a voltage waveform applied to the piezoelectric actuator53.

The frequency band of the haptic vibration is around 50 Hz through 500 Hz. This frequency band has been obtained by an experiment. In the present experiment, the voltage waveforms with different frequencies and amplitudes are applied to the piezoelectric actuator53in the condition in which the examinee attaches the finger to the piezoelectric actuator53.FIG. 2is a chart graphing the number of examinees who sense the vibration while changing the frequency [Hz] and the amplitude [μm]. According to the graph, it appears that the number of the examinees who sense the vibration is distributed in the range of 50 Hz through 500 Hz, and has a peak around the frequency of 200 Hz. Further, according toFIG. 2, it appears that the sensitivity of the vibration can be enhanced by increasing the amplitude [μm].

On the other hand, the frequency band of the acoustic vibration is higher than 500 Hz. Since there is a distance between the frequency band of the acoustic vibration and the frequency band of the haptic vibration, human beings do not feel the acoustic vibration as a vibration, and adversely, do not hear the haptic vibration as a sound.

The electronic apparatus50outputs both of the haptic vibration and the acoustic vibration with the piezoelectric actuator53, utilizing the difference in the frequency between the haptic vibration and the acoustic vibration. Thus, the members necessary for outputting sound such as a loudspeaker or a buzzer can be eliminated.

Further, the electronic apparatus50according to an embodiment is characterized by integrating the circuits for driving the piezoelectric actuators into a single circuit of the actuator drive circuit56. The configuration of an electronic apparatus60, in which the embodiment has not yet been applied, is shown for the sake of comparison. The electronic apparatus60shown inFIG. 3is provided with a touch panel61for detecting contact by the user, a display section62for displaying an image viewed through the touch panel61, a piezoelectric actuator63for outputting the haptic vibration and the acoustic vibration, a haptic data storage section64for storing the vibration pattern of the haptic vibration, an acoustic data storage section65for storing the vibration pattern of the acoustic vibration, a CPU66for selecting the vibration pattern, a haptic vibration drive circuit67for controlling the voltage applied to the piezoelectric actuator63in accordance with the vibration pattern of the haptic vibration, and an acoustic vibration drive circuit68for controlling the voltage applied to the piezoelectric actuator63in accordance with the vibration pattern of the acoustic vibration.

The configurations of the touch panel61, the display section62, and the piezoelectric actuator63are substantially the same as those of the touch panel51, the display section52, and the piezoelectric actuator53of the electronic apparatus50shown inFIG. 1, respectively, and the descriptions therefor are accordingly omitted here.

The haptic data storage64stores the vibration patterns of the haptic vibration. Each of the vibration patterns in the haptic data storage section64is provided with an identifier. The CPU66selects an appropriate one of the vibration patterns of the haptic vibration and outputs the identifier of the vibration pattern to the haptic vibration drive circuit67. The haptic vibration drive circuit67retrieves the selected vibration pattern from the haptic data storage section64based on the identifier input from the CPU66.

The haptic vibration drive circuit67converts the waveform of the voltage applied to the piezoelectric actuator63in accordance with the frequency, the amplitude, and the vibration number of the vibration pattern.

On the other hand, the acoustic data storage section65stores the vibration patterns of the acoustic vibration. The CPU66selects an appropriate one of the vibration patterns of the acoustic vibration and outputs the selected vibration pattern of the acoustic vibration to the acoustic vibration drive circuit68.

The haptic vibration drive circuit68converts the waveform of the voltage applied to the piezoelectric actuator63in accordance with the frequency, the vibration amplitude, and the vibration number of the vibration pattern input from the CPU66.

Since the electronic apparatus60before applying the embodiment drives the piezoelectric actuator63with the two circuits, namely the haptic vibration drive circuit67and the acoustic vibration drive circuit68, the number of components increases and the structure of the system becomes complicated.

Further, since in the electronic apparatus60, the haptic vibration drive circuit67and the acoustic vibration drive circuit68drive the actuator independently from each other, the vibration pattern of the haptic vibration and the vibration pattern of the acoustic vibration might interfere with each other to cause noise. Still further, when the acoustic vibration is output in advance of the haptic vibration, the time lag between the moment of touching the touch panel61and the moment of responding with the haptic vibration makes the user feel uncomfortable.

In the electronic apparatus50according to the embodiment, two blocks of the acoustic data storage section65and the haptic data storage section64are integrated into a single block of the vibration data storage section54, and two blocks of the acoustic vibration drive circuit68and the haptic vibration drive circuit67are also integrated into a single block of the actuator drive circuit56, thereby simplifying the structure of the electronic apparatus50.

Further, since in the electronic apparatus50according to the embodiment, in combining the plurality of vibration patterns, each of the vibration patterns is combined in a time-sharing manner, the noises caused by the interference between the vibration patterns are not generated.

Still further, since in the electronic apparatus50according to the embodiment, when combining the vibration pattern of the acoustic vibration and the vibration pattern of the haptic vibration, the combination is performed so that the vibration pattern of the haptic vibration is output earlier than the vibration pattern of the acoustic vibration, no time lag is generated between the moment of touching the touch panel51and the moment of responding with the haptic vibration, thus preventing the user from feeling uncomfortable.

It should be noted that in the electronic apparatus50according to the embodiment, the contact detection section for detecting contact from the user is not limited to the touch panel, but a jog dial, a keyboard, a mouse, or the like can also be used therefor. Further, instead of combining the vibration pattern of the haptic vibration and the vibration pattern of the acoustic vibration by the CPU55, previously combined patterns for output can be stored in the vibration data storage section54. Further, in the electronic apparatus50applying the embodiment, the vibration generation section for generating the vibration is not limited to the piezoelectric actuator53, but a voice coil motor, an eccentric vibration motor, or the like can also be applied therefor.

A specific example of an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment will hereinafter be described.FIG. 4is an exploded perspective view of an electronic apparatus1. The electronic apparatus1is mainly composed of a housing2, a display section3, a chassis4for surrounding the periphery of the display section3, and a position detection section5covering the upper side of the housing2.

The position detection section5is mainly composed of a touch panel6for detecting contact and an outer frame7surrounding the periphery of the touch panel6. The touch panel6is disposed overlapping the display section3. Since the touch panel6has translucency, the display image of the display section3can be seen from above the touch panel6. The user can touch a desired position of the touch panel6while looking at the display image. The touch panel6detects the position touched by the user and outputs information of the detected position to the CPU.

The chassis4is a rectangular frame surrounding the periphery of the display section3. The chassis4is bonded with the backside of the outer frame7of the position detection section5. Force detection means8athrough8dprovided in the four corners of the chassis4detect the pressure applied to the position detection section5.

Piezoelectric actuators9a,9bare built into the side faces of the chassis4. Protrusions10a,10bof the piezoelectric actuators9a,9bare bonded with the backside of the outer frame7of the position detection section5. The protrusions10a,10bvibrate the outer frame7of the position detection section5.

FIGS. 5A,5B, and6show an example of the actuators9a,9b.FIG. 5Ais a top view of the piezoelectric actuator9, andFIG. 5Bis a side cross-sectional view of the piezoelectric actuator9. The piezoelectric actuator9is provided with a central electrode11, piezoelectric elements12stacked on the both front and back sides of the central electrode11, and the protrusion10as the contact point between the piezoelectric actuator9and the position detection section5.

FIG. 6is a side cross-sectional view enlargedly showing a substantial part of the piezoelectric actuator9. The piezoelectric actuator9in the present embodiment is provided with sixteen layers of thinly stretched piezoelectric elements12-1through12-16, eighteen layers of electrodes13-1through13-18stacked between the piezoelectric elements, and the central electrode11applying voltage to the electrodes13-1through13-18.

The central electrode11is covered with an insulator30in the periphery thereof. In the upper side of the insulator30in the drawing, there are stacked eight layers of the piezoelectric elements12-1through12-8and nine layers of electrodes (hereinafter described as upper electrodes)13-1through13-9alternately with each other. On the electrode13-1, the upper most layer in the drawing, there is provided an upper insulating layer14. The upper insulating layer14is provided with the protrusion10at the center thereof. The vibration of the piezoelectric actuator9is transmitted to the position detection section5via the protrusion10. Further, in the lower side of the insulator30in the drawing, there are stacked eight layers of piezoelectric elements12-9through12-16, nine layers of electrodes (hereinafter described as lower electrodes)13-10through13-18alternately with each other, and further, a lower insulating layer15below the electrode13-18, the lower most layer.

The central electrode11is divided by the insulator30into a first electrode section11afor applying a first voltage and a second electrode section11bfor applying a second voltage. The first electrode section11ais connected to the electrodes13-2,13-4,13-6,13-8,13-11,13-13,13-15, and13-17, while the second electrode section is connected to the electrodes13-1,13-3,13-5,13-7,13-9,13-10,13-12,13-14,13-16, and13-18. Each of the piezoelectric elements12-1through12-16is sandwiched by the electrode to which the first voltage is applied and the electrode to which the second voltage is applied. Each of the piezoelectric elements12-1through12-16expands or contracts in accordance with the potential difference caused by the two electrodes. The actuator drive section (described later) outputs an alternate current voltage. Thus, the piezoelectric elements12repeatedly expand and contract to cause vibration. This vibration is transmitted to the position detection section5via the protrusion10provided to the upper insulating layer14.

The stacked piezoelectric actuator can be driven with a lower drive voltage of, for example, ±5V than that of the typical piezoelectric actuator. This drive voltage satisfies rating of an audio output system such as a video camera or a playback device. On the contrary, the typical piezoelectric actuator is driven with a rather high drive voltage, for example, ±10V. According to the input device applying the embodiment, a step-up circuit can be eliminated by adopting the stacked piezoelectric actuator.

FIG. 7is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the electronic apparatus1. The electronic apparatus1is provided with the position detection section5for detecting a position touching the tip of the user's finger or the specialized pen, the force detection section8for detecting the input amount (force) when touching, an AD driver16for converting the position information and the input amount, both of which are analog signals, into digital signals, and for detecting whether an input to the position detection section5is a cursoring input or a selection input to output an input flag to a CPU17, the CPU17for generating the output vibration pattern based on the position information, input amount, and the input flag input from the AD driver16, a memory18served as a working area of the CPU17, an actuator drive circuit19for converting the drive voltage of the piezoelectric actuator9in accordance with the output vibration pattern input from the CPU17, an image processing section20for making the display section3display the image information input from the CPU17, and the piezoelectric actuator9for generating the vibration.

The vibration data storage section32stores a plurality of vibration patterns. The vibration pattern is expressed by the frequency, the amplitude, and the number of the vibration. In the vibration patterns, the frequency of the haptic vibration is in a range of 50 through 500 Hz, and the frequency of the acoustic vibration is equal to or higher than 500 Hz.

This is because human beings are sensitive to the vibration with the frequency in the range of 50 through 500 Hz, peaked at around 200 Hz, and the sensitivity to the vibration can be enhanced by increasing the amplitude.

Further, since there is displacement between the frequency band of the acoustic vibration and the frequency band of the haptic vibration, human beings do not feel the acoustic vibration as a vibration, and adversely, do not hear the haptic vibration as a sound. The electronic apparatus1according to the embodiment utilizes the displacement in the frequency ranges between the acoustic vibration and the haptic vibration to make the piezoelectric actuator9generate both of the acoustic vibration and the haptic vibration. The electronic apparatus1of the present embodiment can eliminate the members necessary for outputting a sound such as a loudspeaker or a buzzer by outputting the acoustic vibration with the piezoelectric actuator9.

The CPU17selects an appropriate vibration pattern from the vibration pattern storage section32to generate the vibration pattern for output. Table 1 shows the vibration patterns of the haptic vibration while Table 2 shows the vibration patterns of the acoustic vibration.

Table 1 described above exemplifies the haptic vibration CLICK of a single large vertical movement of the fingertip, the haptic vibration STOP of a double small vertical movement of the fingertip, and the haptic vibration WAN for gradually attenuating the vibration. The haptic vibration CLICK is a single vibration with the frequency of 200 Hz and the amplitude of ±5V. The haptic vibration STOP is composed of the vibration with the frequency of 200 Hz and the amplitude of ±5V once, the vibration with the frequency of 50 Hz and the amplitude of ±2.5V twice, and the vibration with the frequency of 200 Hz and the amplitude of 5V once. The haptic vibration WAN is composed of the vibration with the frequency of 200 Hz and the amplitude of ±5V twice, the vibration with the frequency of 200 Hz and the amplitude of ±2.5V four times, and the vibration with the frequency of 200 Hz and the amplitude of ±0.5V four times.

Table 2 described above exemplifies the acoustic vibration ENABLE when “consenting to” the input, the acoustic vibration DISABLE when “rejecting” the input, and the acoustic vibration CAUTION for “cautioning” about the input. In the acoustic vibration ENABLE, the vibration with the frequency of 1 kHz and the amplitude of ±0.5V is output 32 times followed by the 32 ms pause, and the vibration with the frequency of 1 kHz and the amplitude of ±0.5V is output 18 times. In the acoustic vibration DISABLE, the vibration with the frequency of 625 Hz and the amplitude of ±0.5V is output 43 times followed by the 16 ms pause, the vibration with the frequency of 625 Hz and the amplitude of ±0.5V is output 31 times followed by the 16 ms pause, and the vibration with the frequency of 625 Hz and the amplitude of ±0.5V is output 34 times. In the acoustic vibration CAUTION, the vibration with the frequency of 770 Hz and the amplitude of ±0.5V is output 30 times followed by the 30 ms pause, the vibration with the frequency of 584 Hz and the amplitude of ±0.5V is output 58 times followed by the 100 ms pause, the vibration with the frequency of 770 Hz and the amplitude of ±0.5V is output 30 times followed by the 30 ms pause, the vibration with the frequency of 584 Hz and the amplitude of ±0.5V is output 58 times followed by the 100 ms pause, the vibration with the frequency of 770 Hz and the amplitude of ±0.5V is output 30 times followed by the 30 ms pause, and the vibration with the frequency of 584 Hz and the amplitude of ±0.5V is output 58 times followed by the 100 ms pause.

The actuator drive circuit19inputs the output vibration pattern from the CPU17, and modifies the voltage applied to the piezoelectric actuator9in accordance with the output vibration pattern input therefrom.FIGS. 8A through 8Eshow waveforms of the actuator drive voltage.FIGS. 8A,8B,8C, and8D show four variations of the voltage.FIG. 8Ais the voltage waveform of the actuator drive voltage when the acoustic vibration is output.FIG. 8Bis the voltage waveform of the actuator drive voltage when the haptic vibration is output.

FIGS. 8C and 8Dare the voltage waveforms of the actuator drive voltage when the acoustic vibration and the haptic vibration are continuously output.

When the actuator drive voltage ofFIG. 8Cis applied, the piezoelectric actuator9outputs the haptic vibration first, and then subsequently outputs the acoustic vibration after the output of the haptic vibration has completed. When the actuator drive voltage ofFIG. 8Dis applied, the piezoelectric actuator outputs the acoustic vibration first, and then subsequently outputs the haptic vibration after the output of the acoustic vibration has completed.

In comparison of the methods according toFIGS. 8C and 8D, the method ofFIG. 8Cis considered to be better. This is because when the haptic vibration is generated earlier as in the case ofFIG. 8C, no time lag is generated between the moment of touching the touch panel6and the moment of responding with the haptic vibration, thus preventing the user from feeling uncomfortable.

Further, as shown inFIG. 8E, it is possible to overlap the drive voltage of the haptic vibration and the drive voltage of the acoustic vibration. However, if the actuator drive voltage ofFIG. 8Eis applied to the piezoelectric actuator9, one vibration causes a noise component for the other vibration. The electronic apparatus1applying the embodiment of the invention generates the acoustic vibration and the haptic vibration with a time deviation to prevent the noise caused by combining the vibration patterns.

FIGS. 9A through 9Care voltage waveforms when combining the vibration pattern of the haptic vibration and the vibration pattern of the acoustic vibration shown in Tables 1 and 2. The voltage waveform shown inFIG. 9Ais a combination of the haptic vibration of CLICK and the acoustic vibration of ENABLE. Thus, the piezoelectric actuator9largely vibrates once and then outputs a high-pitched beep sound twice.

The voltage waveform shown inFIG. 9Bis a combination of the haptic signal of STOP and the acoustic signal of DISABLE. Thus, the piezoelectric actuator9vibrates twice, and then outputs a low beep sound three times.

The voltage waveform shown inFIG. 9Cis a combination of the haptic signal of WAN and the acoustic signal of CAUTION. Thus, the piezoelectric actuator9vibrates ten times while gradually attenuating the vibration, and then repeatedly outputs a high beep sound and a low beep sound three times after attenuating the vibration.

Although in the previous description, the electronic apparatus1outputs both of the haptic and the acoustic vibrations, it is also possible to set a silent mode for switching the output to the haptic only output or to the sound only output.

FIG. 10is a flowchart for explaining the process of the silent mode in which only the haptic vibration is output. The electronic apparatus1waits for an operation by the user while the user does not operate the touch panel6(step S11: NO). When the user operates the touch panel6(step S11: YES), the CPU17detects whether or not the silent mode is set.

If the silent mode is set (step S12: YES), the CPU17selects only the vibration pattern of the haptic vibration, and outputs it to the actuator drive circuit19. The actuator drive circuit19then generates only the haptic vibration (step S13) in accordance with the vibration pattern input from the CPU17.

On the other hand, if the silent mode is not set in step S12(step S12: NO), the CPU17detects whether or not the electronic apparatus1is recording any sounds. If the electronic apparatus1is performing recording (step S14: YES), the CPU17moves the process to the step S13to generate only the haptic vibration. On the other hand, if the electronic apparatus1is not recording any sounds (step S14: NO), the CPU combines the vibration pattern of the haptic vibration and the vibration pattern of the acoustic vibration and outputs the result to the actuator drive circuit19. The actuator drive circuit19then generates both the haptic vibration and the acoustic vibration (step S15) in accordance with the vibration pattern input from the CPU17.

A voice coil type speaker device25to be used instead of the piezoelectric actuator9will hereinafter be described.FIG. 11Ais a side cross-sectional view of a voice coil type speaker device21in the background art, andFIG. 11Bis a cross-sectional view of a voice coil type speaker device26applying the embodiment.

In the voice coil type speaker device21in the background art, the magnetic flux generated by the magnet22is conducted into the yoke23to cause a strong magnetic field for the voice coil24. The voice coil24moves in the vertical direction of the drawing in accordance with the Lorentz force caused by the magnetic field. The movement is transmitted to the cone25to vibrate the air around the cone, thereby outputting a sound.

In the voice coil type speaker device26applying the embodiment, the magnetic flux caused by the magnet27is conducted to the yoke28to create the strong magnetic field for the voice coil30similarly to the case with the voice coil type speaker device21in the background art. The voice coil30then moves in the vertical direction of the drawing in accordance with the Lorentz force caused by the magnetic field.

The voice coil type speaker device26is provided with an additional cone (hereinafter described as a second cone)31. A magnet27is provided on the second cone31. When driving the voice coil type speaker device, the voice coil30and the magnet27are moved in the vertical direction in the drawing. In this case, the magnet27becomes a weight and functioned as the vibration motor. Since the voice coil type speaker device26has substantially the same configuration as the voice coil type speaker device21in the background art, it can output a high quality sound.

It should be noted that in the electronic apparatus1applying the embodiment, a piezoelectric speaker or a vibration type speaker besides the voice coil type speaker device26can also be adopted thereto instead of the piezoelectric actuator9. Further, the embodiment can be applied not only to the touch panel but also to input devices operated by the user in touch therewith such as a keyboard or a jog dial.