PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10712931-B2
Application Number: US-201816038544-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Systems for modifying finger sensations during finger press input events

Abstract:
A user may provide finger press input to a surface such as a touch sensitive input surface. The input surface may be formed from a two-dimensional touch sensor overlapping a display of an electronic device. The electronic device and an associated device such as a finger-mounted device may form a system for gathering the finger press input from the user. A sensor may be used in monitoring when the finger-mounted device and a user&#39;s finger in the device approach the input surface of the electronic device. In response to detection of the finger near the input surface, actuators in the finger-mounted device may squeeze the finger inwardly to cause a finger pad on the finger to protrude outwardly towards the input surface, thereby softening impact between the finger and the input surface. The electronic device may also have an array of components to repel the finger-mounted device.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A finger-mounted device configured to be worn on a finger of a user as the finger is moved towards a surface, the finger having a fingertip with a fingernail and a finger pad, the finger-mounted device comprising:
 a body configured to be coupled to the finger; 
 control circuitry; and 
 an actuator coupled to the body that is configured to squeeze the finger and cause the finger pad to move away from the fingernail in response to control signals from the control circuitry. 
 
     
     
       2. The finger-mounted device defined in  claim 1  further comprising a proximity sensor configured to detect proximity of the finger to the surface, wherein the actuator in movable in an inward direction to press against the finger and an opposing outward direction and wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
 move the actuator in the inward direction to squeeze the finger in response to a signal from the proximity sensor; and 
 as the finger moves towards the surface after the actuator moves in the inward direction, move the actuator in the outward direction. 
 
     
     
       3. The finger-mounted device defined in  claim 2  wherein the body is configured to be coupled to the fingertip, covering the fingernail of that fingertip and leaving the finger pad of that fingertip exposed. 
     
     
       4. The finger-mounted device defined in  claim 2  wherein the surface comprises an input surface associated with a touch sensor that overlaps a display in an electronic device and wherein the proximity sensor comprises:
 a light-emitter configured to emit light; and 
 a light detector that detects the light. 
 
     
     
       5. The finger-mounted device defined in  claim 2  wherein the surface comprises an input surface associated with a touch sensor that overlaps a display in an electronic device and wherein the proximity sensor comprises a capacitive proximity sensor. 
     
     
       6. A system, comprising:
 a touch sensor that forms an input surface configured to gather user finger press input from a finger of a user; 
 a sensor configured to detect a position of the finger with respect to the input surface; 
 control circuitry configured to generate a control signal in response to output from the sensor; 
 a component overlapped by the touch sensor and configured to generate a force in response to the control signal that is configured to interact with the finger when the user presses the input surface; and 
 a finger-mounted device in communication with the control circuitry, wherein the finger-mounted device applies force to the finger of the user and wherein the finger-mounted device leaves a fingernail of the user exposed. 
 
     
     
       7. The system defined in  claim 6  wherein the force is a repulsive force configured to repel the finger from the input surface. 
     
     
       8. The system defined in  claim 6  wherein the force is an attractive force configured to attract the finger towards the input surface. 
     
     
       9. The system defined in  claim 6  wherein the force is a force selected from the group consisting of: an electrostatic force and a magnetic force and wherein the control circuitry is configured to generate the force by applying the control signal to the component. 
     
     
       10. The system defined in  claim 6  wherein the component comprises an electromagnet and wherein the finger is coupled to a finger-mounted device with a permanent magnet. 
     
     
       11. The system defined in  claim 6  wherein the component comprises an ultrasonic transducer. 
     
     
       12. The system defined in  claim 6  further comprising an array of actuators overlapping the input surface, wherein the control circuitry is configured to use the array of actuators to create dynamically adjustable surface height variations on the input surface as the finger is moved laterally across the input surface. 
     
     
       13. An electronic device operable with a finger-mounted device worn on a finger of a user, wherein the finger has a fingertip with a fingernail, a finger pad, and side portions between the fingernail and the finger pad, wherein the finger-mounted device comprises a body that is coupled to the fingertip, covers the fingernail and side portions of that fingertip, and leaves the finger pad of that fingertip exposed, and wherein the body includes a component, the electronic device, the electronic device comprising:
 a display; 
 a two-dimensional touch sensor overlapping the display that forms a touch sensitive input surface configured to gather finger press input from the finger; 
 an array of electrical components overlapping the display; and 
 control circuitry configured to use the array of electrical components to create a force that interacts with the finger-mounted device, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to use the array of electrical components to create a force that interacts with the component in the finger-mounted device and that applies feedback to the side portions of the finger. 
 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 13  further comprising a proximity sensor, wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the force interacting with the finger-mounted device using the array of electrical components in response to output from the proximity sensor. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device defined in  claim 13  wherein the array of electrical components comprises an array of electromagnets. 
     
     
       16. The electronic device defined in  claim 13  wherein the array of electrical components comprises an array of electrodes and wherein the control circuitry is configured to supply the electrodes signals that create an electrostatic force between the array of electrodes and the finger-mounted device. 
     
     
       17. The electronic device defined in  claim 13  wherein the finger-mounted device comprises metal and wherein the array of electrical components is configured to induce eddy currents in the metal that create a force between the metal and the array of electrical components. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device defined in  claim 13  wherein the finger-mounted device comprises a permanent magnet and wherein the array of electrical components comprises an array of coils configured to produce magnetic fields that interact with the permanent magnet.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/551,725, filed Aug. 29, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to input-output components for electronic devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic equipment sometimes include touch sensitive components for gathering user input. For example, devices such as tablet computers and cellular telephones include touch-sensitive displays that can be used to display selectable menu options and virtual keyboards. With this type of input arrangement, a user&#39;s fingers may be used to provide input to a device. 
     The surfaces of touch sensitive displays are generally rigid. As a result, a user&#39;s finger motion will be abruptly halted upon contact with a display surface. If care is not taken, finger impact events may be jarring and fatiguing. 
     SUMMARY 
     A user may provide finger press input to a touch sensitive input surface or other input surface. The input surface may be formed from a two-dimensional touch sensor overlapping a display of an electronic device. The electronic device and associated equipment such as a finger-mounted device may form a system for gathering the finger press input from the user. 
     A sensor such as an optical proximity sensor or capacitive proximity sensor may be used in monitoring when the finger-mounted device and a user&#39;s finger in the device approach the input surface of the electronic device. In response to detection of motion of the finger towards the input surface, actuators in the finger-mounted device may squeeze the finger inwardly. This causes a finger pad portion of the finger to protrude outwardly towards the input surface, thereby softening impact between the finger and the input surface. 
     The electronic device may also have an array of components that repel the finger-mounted device and/or the finger in response to detection of the motion of the finger towards the input surface. These components may produce repulsive force using electrostatics, magnetic repulsion or attraction, ultrasonic output, and mechanical output. The components may, as an example, include an array of electromagnetics overlapping the input surface that magnetically repel a component such as a permanent magnet in the finger-mounted device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1, 2, and 3  are diagrams showing how a finger may impact a touch sensitive surface of a conventional electronic device. 
         FIGS. 4, 5, and 6  are diagrams showing how a finger may contact an input surface such as a touch sensitive input surface in an electronic device in a system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a graph showing how the force experienced by a user&#39;s finger during a finger press event may be controlled in a system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is schematic diagram of an illustrative system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 9, 10, and 11  are diagrams of illustrative finger-mounted devices for a system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an illustrative finger-mounted device with locally adjustable side actuators in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a side view of an illustrative finger-mounted device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a diagram of a user&#39;s finger with an optional finger-mounted device and an associated electronic device in a system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of a user&#39;s finger during interactions with an input surface of an electronic device in a system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 16  is a graph showing how the user&#39;s finger of  FIG. 15  may be displaced vertically as the user&#39;s finger moves laterally across the input surface of the electronic device of  FIG. 15  in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic equipment such as cellular telephones, tablet computers, embedded systems, and other equipment may include touch sensitive input devices. For example, electronic devices may include touch sensitive displays. A user may supply user input to a touch sensitive display using one or more fingers. In some situations, finger swipes and other gestures may be provided as input. In other situations, a user&#39;s fingers may strike the surface of a touch sensitive display in a direction that is normal to the surface. This type of finger press input (sometimes referred to as finger stroke input, keystroke input, virtual keyboard input, or virtual button input) may be used, for example, when a user is typing on a virtual keyboard. Virtual keyboards may be formed on touch sensitive displays by displaying key icons on the display and capturing respective touch sensor input. If desired, input surfaces such as virtual keyboards can be formed on other structures (e.g., table tops, vehicle dashboards, refrigerators, etc.). For example, finger press input may be gathered form an input surface onto which key icons have been projected using a projector and/or finger press input may be gathered from an input surface without any visible key icons. Configurations in which finger press input is gathered using two-dimensional touch sensors overlapping displays are sometimes described herein as examples. 
     To lessen fatigue and improve a user&#39;s experience when providing finger press input, the forces imposed on a user&#39;s fingers as the user is providing input to an electronic device can be modified using components coupled to a user&#39;s finger and/or components in the electronic device. As an example, components in a finger-mounted device and/or in a device with a touch sensitive input surface may be used to help soften the impact between a user&#39;s finger and the input surface. 
     An unmodified finger impact event may be characterized by an abrupt force-versus-displacement profile (e.g., rapidly rising force on a user&#39;s finger when traveling a relatively short distance toward an input surface). By modifying these forces, a user may be provided with softer finger-to-input-surface interactions, with finger sensations that mimic the action of clicking on a physical button, and/or other finger sensations. 
     The way in which a user&#39;s finger interacts with a conventional input surface is illustrated in connection with  FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a user&#39;s finger such as finger  10  includes finger bone  12 . Fingernail  18  lies on the upper surface of finger  10 . The opposing lower portion of finger  10  has finger pulp  14 . Finger pulp  14  is located between bone  12  and finger pad  16  on the lower surface of finger  10 . 
     In the scenario of  FIG. 1 , finger  10  is moving towards input surface  24 , but finger pad  16  is not yet in contact with input surface  24 . As a result, there is no force imposed on finger pad  16  and the user will not feel any sensation of contact with surface  24 . As the user moves finger  10  in the +Z direction towards surface  24 , finger pad  16  comes into contact with surface  24 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . As soon as finger pad  16  contacts surface  24 , further movement of finger  10  in the +Z direction will generate a resisting force F against surface  16  in the −Z direction due to compression of finger pulp  14  between bone  12  and finger pad  16 . 
     When finger pad  16  initially contacts surface  24 , bone  12  is at distance D 1  from surface  24 . As finger  10  is moved further in the +Z direction towards surface  24 , finger pump  14  will be compressed and will flatten while expending laterally (to the left and right in the present example). When finger pulp  14  is fully compressed, finger  10  will come to rest against surface  24  and further motion of finger  10  in the +Z direction will be prevented. As shown in  FIG. 3 , bone  12  will be separated by a distance D 2  that is less than D 1  when finger pulp  14  has been fully compressed. 
     The process of arresting downward motion of finger  10  in this way can be abrupt. To reduce the abruptness of finger impacts against an input surface, the user&#39;s finger and/or an electronic device associated with input surface  24  may be provided with components that help soften the impact of the user&#39;s finger with surface  24  and/or that otherwise control user finger motion and user finger sensations during finger press events. 
     Consider, as an example, the system arrangement of  FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 . In this arrangement, finger  10  is being used to provide user input in system  28 . System  28  includes finger-mounted device  26 A and electronic device  26 B. Electronic device  26 B may have a touch screen, touch pad, or other input device(s) forming input surface  24 . A user of system  28  may supply finger press input by pressing finger  10  against one or more regions of input surface  24  of device  26 B (e.g., one or more regions associated with touch sensors on a touch sensitive display in device  26 B or other sensors in device  26 B). In this example, finger press input is gathered by device  26 B. If desired, finger press input for system  28  may be gathered by detecting finger press events using an accelerometer or other sensor in device  26 A (e.g., a sensor that detects finger press events due to abrupt changes in acceleration, a sensor that detects finger press events via compression of a dome switch, a touch or force sensor, etc.). 
     With the arrangement of  FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 , finger-mounted device  26 A may interact with finger  10  to control force F during finger press events. Device  26 A may have a body (housing) formed from metal, plastic, glass, ceramic, and/or other materials that is configured to be worn on the fingertip of finger  10 . Device  26 A may include a sensor in the body that determines when device  26 A is approaching input surface  24  of device  26 B and actuators that move side portions  26 A′ inwardly in directions  30  as finger  10  approaches input surface  24 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . This squeezes side portions of finger pulp  14  inwardly from the left and right and forces remaining portions of finger pulp  14  to expand downwardly. As a result, finger pad  16  is forced downwardly in the +Z direction (e.g., from its initial position at location  16 ′), extending the distance between finger pad  16  and bone  12  and shortening the distance between finger pad  16  and surface  24 . 
     Due to the inward pressure on finger  10  and the extension of finger pad  16 , finger pad  16  will contact surface  24  of device  26 B earlier than if finger  10  had not been squeezed. As shown in  FIG. 5 , for example, finger pad  16  will contact surface  24  earlier than if finger pad  16  were in its original location  16 ′. Force F on finger  10  may therefore be generated earlier within a user&#39;s downward finger stroke than if portions  26 A′ had not squeezed finger pulp  14  inwardly. This helps gradually reduce the movement of finger  10  in the downward (+Z) direction before bone  12  fully compresses finger pulp  14  ( FIG. 6 ) and thereby reduces potentially fatiguing jarring finger impacts with surface  24 . 
     In the examples of  FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 , force F is manipulated by squeezing finger pulp  14  and causing finger pad  16  to move outwardly from finger  10  before finger pad  16  contacts input surface  12 . If desired, force F can be controlled by incorporating components into device  26 A and/or  26 B that help slow movement of finger  10  in direction +Z. For example, device  26 A and/or  26 B may include components that produce a repelling force between device  26 A (and finger  10 ) and device  26 B. Forces that attract can also be produced. The repelling (and/or attracting) force may be produced mechanically, electrostatically, ultrasonically, magnetically, etc. The amount of repulsion and/or attraction between devices  26 A and  26 B may be adjusted dynamically. In some configurations, the amount of force F can be varied so as to exhibit a local peak and valley and thereby create a button clicking sensation. 
       FIG. 7  is a graph in which finger restoring force (upward force F that slows movement of finger  10  in downward direction +Z) has been plotted as a function of finger displacement Z towards input surface  24 . Different finger restoring force curves are associated with different system arrangements. 
     In a first illustrative arrangement (see, e.g.,  FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 ), no finger-mounted device is present on finger  10 . In this arrangement, which is characterized by force response curve  32 , finger pad  16  contacts input surface  24  when bone  12  is at distance ZI its initial starting point. Force F rises smoothly unit pulp  14  is fully compressed against surface  24  by bone  12 . At this point, bone  12  is located at a distance ZC along the Z axis and the restoring force F rises sharply (effectively to infinity), preventing further motion of finger  10 . The motion of finger  10  is arrested rapidly with this arrangement, so a user&#39;s finger will experience a jarring sensation. 
     In a second illustrative arrangement (see, e.g.,  FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 ), finger pulp  14  is squeezed as finger  10  approaches surface  24 . Because finger pulp  14  is squeezed, finger pad  16  will extend downwards towards surface  24  away from fingernail  18  and will contact surface  24  early (e.g., at position ZE, rather than position ZI). The early contact between finger pad  16  and surface  24  will extend the distance and time over which restoring force F is applied to finger  10  and will therefore more gradually slow motion of finger  10 . 
     A third illustrative arrangement is associated with curve  36 . In this illustrative arrangement, the inward force from the actuators in regions  26 A′ of device  20 A is modulated dynamically, so curve  32  is characterized by a relatively early initial increase (at position ZE), a local peak (at position ZP), and a local valley (at position ZV), before rising sharply at fully compressed finger pulp position ZC. The rapid increase in force F between position ZE and ZP relative to curve  34  may be achieved by increasing inward squeezing of finger pulp  14  during motion of finger  10  from position ZE to position ZP. The rapid decrease in force F between position ZP and position ZV relative to curve  34  may be achieved by decreasing the inward squeezing of finger pulp  14  between position ZP and position ZV (e.g., by moving actuators in portions  26 ′ outwardly). Force F may be increased again (after reaching a local minimum at position ZV) by increasing inward squeezing force using actuators in portions  26 ′ as finger  10  moves from position ZV towards position ZC. 
     Use of a force profile of the type shown by curve  34  may help reduce fatigue as a user types or otherwise provides touch input to input surface  24  with fingers such as finger  10 . Use of a force profile of the type shown by curve  36  may help provide the user with haptic feedback while providing user input. For example, curve  36  may be associated with a clicking sensation of the type that a user may experience when pressing on a physical button. Other force profiles may be applied to finger  10 , if desired. The examples of  FIG. 7  are merely illustrative. 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative system in which a user may supply user input with one or more fingers  10 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , system  28  may include electronic devices  26 A and  26 B. In general, system  28  (e.g., devices  26 A and/or  26 B) may include any suitable electronic equipment. For example, system  28  may include one or more devices such as a laptop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wrist-watch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, a device embedded in eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, or other wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a remote control, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which equipment is mounted in a kiosk, in an automobile, airplane, or other vehicle, a removable external case for electronic equipment, a strap, a wrist band or head band, a removable cover for a device, a case or bag that has straps or that has other structures to receive and carry electronic equipment and other items, a necklace or arm band, a wallet, sleeve, pocket, or other structure into which electronic equipment or other items may be inserted, part of a chair, sofa, or other seating (e.g., cushions or other seating structures), part of an item of clothing or other wearable item (e.g., a hat, belt, wrist band, headband, sock, glove, shirt, pants, etc.), or equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices. 
     With one illustrative configuration, which may sometimes be described herein as an example, device  26 A is a finger-mounted device (e.g., a finger-mounted pad, a finger-mounted housing with a U-shaped body that grasps the user&#39;s finger, a finger-mounted device with other shapes, etc.) and device  26 B is a cellular telephone, tablet computer, laptop computer, wristwatch device, or other device with a touch sensitive input surface that is mounted on a device housing or that overlaps a pixel array in a display. In some configurations, only device  26 A or only device  26 B is used to modify finger forces. In other configurations, components in devices  26 A and  26 B operate in corporation with each other to modify finger forces. 
     Devices  26 A and  26 B may include control circuitry  40 A and  40 B. Control circuitry  40 A and  40 B may include storage and processing circuitry for supporting the operation of system  28 . The storage and processing circuitry may include storage such as nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in control circuitry  40 A and  40 B may be used to gather input from sensors and other input devices and may be used to control output devices. The processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors and other wireless communications circuits, power management units, audio chips, application specific integrated circuits, etc. To support communications between devices  26 A and  26 B and/or to support communications between equipment in system  28  and external electronic equipment, control circuitry  40 A and/or  40 B may include antennas, radio-frequency transceiver circuitry, and other wireless communications circuitry and/or wired communications circuitry. Control circuitry  40 A and/or  40 B may, for example, support bidirectional wireless communications between devices  26 A and  26 B over a wireless local area network link, a near-field communications link, or other suitable wired or wireless communications link (e.g., a Bluetooth® link, a WiFi® link, a 60 GHz link, etc.). 
     Devices  26 A and/or  26 B may include sensors  44 A and/or  44 B. Sensors  44 A and/or  44 B may include force sensors, touch sensors such as capacitive touch sensors, capacitive proximity sensors, optical sensors (e.g., ambient light sensors that detect light and/or optical proximity sensors that emit light and detect reflected light), image sensors, sensors for detecting position, orientation, and/or motion (e.g., accelerometers, magnetic sensors such as compass sensors, gyroscopes, inertial measurement units that contain some or all of these sensors), muscle activity sensors (EMG) for detecting finger actions, and/or other sensors. In some arrangements, devices  26 A and/or  26 B may use sensors  44 A and/or  44 B and/or other devices to gather user input (e.g., buttons may be used to gather button press input, touch sensors overlapping displays can be used for gathering user input, touch pads may be used in gathering touch input, microphones may be used for gathering audio input, accelerometers in device  26 A and/or  26 B may be used in monitoring when a finger contacts an input surface and may therefore be used to gather finger press input, etc.). 
     Devices  26 A and/or  26 B may include output devices such as actuators  46 A and/or  46 B. Actuators  46 A and/or  46 B may include electromagnetic actuators, motors, piezoelectric actuators, electroactive polymer actuators, vibrators, linear actuators, rotational actuators, actuators that bend bendable members, and may include output devices that create and/or control repulsive and/or attractive forces between devices  26 A and/or  26 B (e.g., components for creating electrostatic repulsion and/or attraction such as electrodes, components for producing ultrasonic output such as ultrasonic transducers, components for producing magnetic interactions such as electromagnets for producing direct-current and/or alternating-current magnetic fields, permanent magnets, magnetic materials such as iron or ferrite, and/or other circuitry for producing repulsive and/or attractive forces between devices  26 A and/or  26 B). In some situations, actuators  46 A and/or  46 B or other devices for creating forces in devices  26 A and/or  26 N may be used in squeezing finger  10  and/or otherwise directly interacting with finger pulp  12 . In other situations, these components may be used to interact with each other (e.g., by creating a dynamically adjustable electromagnetic repulsion and/or attraction force between device  26 A and  26 B using electromagnets in device  26 A and/or  26 B). Configurations for system  28  may also be used in which finger-pulp-squeezing actuators are used in conjunction with components that create repulsive and/or attractive forces with finger  10  and/or devices  26 A and/or  26 B (e.g., based on electrostatic effects, ultrasonic effects, magnetic effects, and/or other effects). 
       FIGS. 9, 10, and 11  show illustrative finger-mounted devices. As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , device  26 A may include components such as actuators  46 A for squeezing finger  10 , for interacting with corresponding components in device  46 B to create repulsive and/or attractive forces, etc. In the example of  FIG. 9 , device  26 A has a U-shaped housing that fits over the top of a user&#39;s finger. In the example of  FIG. 10 , device  26 A has a tubular housing that is received over the tip of a user&#39;s finger  10  and that touches finger pad  16 .  FIG. 11  shows how device  26 A may have a housing that is configured to create an air gap such as air gap  48  between finger pad  16  and lower portion  50  of the housing. Dome switches, touch sensors, accelerometers, and/or other sensors and input components may be mounted on a lower portion of the housing of device  26 A (e.g., under finger pad  16 ) and/or elsewhere in device  26 A. 
     If desired, actuators  46 A along the sides of device  26 A and/or in other portions of device  26 A may be individually adjusted. As shown in  FIG. 12 , for example, side portion  52  of device  26 A may have multiple individually adjustable flap actuators  46 A for selectively applying force to different side surfaces of finger  10  along the length of finger  10 . 
       FIG. 13  shows how the housing of device  26 A may wrap under the tip of finger  10  while leaving fingernail  18  exposed. Gloves, sets of fingertip-mounted devices that are joined by flexible attachment structures (e.g., wires, flexible printed circuits, fabric, etc.), and/or other devices that can be worn on or adjacent to a user&#39;s fingers or other body parts may also be used in forming device(s) such as device  26 A. 
     If desired, devices  26 A and/or  26 B may produce signals that create attraction and/or repulsion between device  26 A (and finger  10 ) and device  26 B. As shown in  FIG. 14 , device  26 B may have an array of force-modifying components such as components  52 B and device  26 A may have one or more force-modifying components such as component  52 A. Control circuitry  40 A may control the operation of component  52 A and control circuitry  40 B may control the operation of components  52 B (e.g., using control signal paths  54 ). In some arrangements, the operation of control circuitry  40 A and the operation of control circuitry  40 B may be coordinated (e.g., using wired or wireless communications). 
     With one illustrative configuration, components  52 A and  52 B may create attractive and/or repulsive forces using electrostatic attraction or repulsion. For example, components  52 B may include electrodes that are supplied with electrostatic charge using paths  54 . As finger  10  is approaching input surface  24 , electrostatic repulsion of finger  10  may be increased to help soften the impact between finger  10  and surface  24 . Electrostatic repulsion may also be used to create repulsion between components  52 B and component  52 A and thereby apply a repulsive force indirectly to finger  10 . The electrostatic repulsion (and/or attraction) electrodes of components  52 B may, if desired, be indium tin oxide electrodes or other transparent conductive electrodes that also serve as capacitive electrodes in a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor array overlapping a display. 
     In another illustrative configuration, components  52 A and/or  52 B are ultrasonic transducers that creation ultrasonic sound and/or ultrasonic vibrations of device  26 A and/or surface  24 , thereby adjusting the sensation of contact between finger pad  16  and surface  24 . 
     In some configurations, components  52 A and/or  52 B are electromagnets (e.g., coils) that produce direct-current magnetic fields. A direct-current magnetic field may, for example, repel a permanent magnet (e.g., when component  52 A is a permanent magnet) or may attract a magnetic material such as iron (e.g., when component  52 A is a magnetic material). Alternating-current electromagnetic fields may be produced by components  52 B (e.g., when components  52 B include coils and/or antennas) and may induce eddy currents in component  52 A (e.g., when component  52 A is a conductive metal plate). These eddy currents may interact with the applied electromagnetic fields and may create repulsive force between components  52 B and  52 A. 
     Other arrangements may rely on other forces (e.g., mechanical forces such as haptic output produced by actuators  46 A and/or  46 B that create sensations of attraction and/or repulsion between devices  26 A and  26 B, lateral squeezing forces from actuators  46 A that extend finger pad  16  and thereby modify force F, etc.) may be used in modifying finger sensations as a user provides key press input with one or more fingers such as finger  10 . 
     Control circuitry  40 A and/or  40 B may adjust these force-producing components based on sensor input from sensors  44 A and/or  44 B. For example, repulsive forces between devices  26 A and  26 B may be generated in response to detection with sensors  44 A and/or  44 B (e.g., a proximity sensor, etc.) that devices  26 A and  26 B are less than a predetermined threshold distance from each other. In response to detecting that device  26 A has moved within a given distance of input surface  24 , for example, device  26 B may create an electromagnetic repulsive force, an ultrasonic force, an electrostatic force, etc. and/or device  26 A may use one or more actuators  46 A to squeeze finger  10  and thereby extend pad  16  away from nail  18 . The sensor that detects proximity between device  26 A (and finger  10 ) and device  26 B may be located in device  26 A and/or in device  26 B. In situations in which the repulsive force is generated by a different device than the device containing the sensor, wireless communications can be used to signal the non-sensor-containing device to use its components to generate the repulsive force. 
     Finger sensations may also be modified during lateral movement of finger  10 . Consider, as an example, the scenario of  FIG. 15  in which a user is moving finger  10  laterally in direction  60  while components  52 B (e.g., actuators  46 B) move in directions  62  parallel to surface normal n of input surface  24 . By adjusting the displacement of each of components  52 B in normal direction n as finger  10  is moved in direction  60 , the height H of finger pad  16  may be adjusted as shown in  FIG. 16  (e.g., to create a sensation of texture, surface height irregularities, etc.). For example, a user may sense that finger  10  is moving over a ridge or other dynamically created surface texture features on surface  24 . If desired, device  26 A may be worn on finger  10  to accentuate or create forces and displacement normal to surface  24  and/or to otherwise modify the lateral and/or normal forces impressed upon finger  10  by device  26 B. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20180718
Publication Date: 20200714
Grant Date: 20200714
Priority Date: 20170829
Inventors: WANG, PAUL X.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G06F2203/014", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K2217/96062", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/9627", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/962", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/952", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/0331", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04886", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/044", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/03547", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/016", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/014", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/962", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/0331", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K2217/96062", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/9627", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04886", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/014", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/016", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0488", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/014", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04886", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/952", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/016", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/03547", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/014", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0488", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/9627", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/962", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/014", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K2217/96062", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/0331", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K2217/96062", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/952", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04886", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0488", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/016", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/044", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/014", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/03547", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/0331", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/9627", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/014", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/962", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/014", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/016", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0488", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04886", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/962", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/9627", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/014", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/0331", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K2217/96062", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 65435037