Localized haptic feedback

Abstract

A haptic feedback system is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of remote transmitters that are remote from a location of interest on a surface of the system. The system includes a signal generator that generates a signal for each of the remote transmitters. The remote transmitters propagate the signals through a medium of the surface and the signals interfere at the location of interest such that a localized disturbance is generated at the location of interest.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a plurality of transmitters coupled to a touch input medium included in an electronic device; and   one or more hardware components configured to:
 receive an identifier associated with a location of interest on a surface on the touch input medium where a localized haptic disturbance is to be provided; and 
 generate a corresponding haptic component signal for each of the plurality of transmitters including by being configured to use location-based signal parameters based on the identifier associated with the location of interest and based on one or more calibration factors, wherein the plurality of transmitters are configured to propagate the haptic component signals through the touch input medium and the haptic component signals interfere at the location of interest such that a localized haptic disturbance is generated at the location of interest and the localized haptic disturbance is generated by an interference of the haptic component signals at the location of interest without being caused by a motor and the interference of the haptic component signals that generated the localized haptic disturbance takes place locally at the location of interest to generate the localized haptic disturbance at the location of interest; and 
   wherein the one or more calibration factors are based on a calibration test performed using the touch input medium.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the location of interest is controlled at least in part by controlling signal phases of the haptic component signals, and being configured to generate the localized haptic disturbance includes being configured to generate a physical vibration. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein an intensity of the localized haptic disturbance is controlled at least in part by controlling amplitudes of the haptic component signals. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the localized haptic disturbance indicates a location of a button displayed on the surface. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the surface is a touchscreen display surface. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of transmitters includes transducers. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the location of interest corresponds to a location identifier received from an application. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic component signals include bending waves. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the localized haptic disturbance is isolated to the location of interest. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further compromising a storage configured to provide signal parameter data used to generate the haptic component signals. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the storage includes predetermined data indexed by locations on the surface where localized disturbances are capable of being generated. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of contents of the storage has been calibrated to account for a variation of the system. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein being configured to generate the corresponding haptic component signals for each of the transmitters includes being configured to use a beamforming formula. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic component signals interfere at a second location of interest such that a second localized disturbance is generated at the second location of interest. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the generation of the localized haptic disturbance is selectively enabled and disabled based on a power state of the system. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the generation of the localized haptic disturbance is selectively enabled and disabled based on a detection of the touch input. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of transmitters is configured to transmit both the haptic component signal and a touch detection signal. 
     
     
         18 . An integrated circuit, comprising:
 an interface component configured to receive an identifier associated with a location of interest on a surface on a touch input medium where a localized haptic disturbance is to be provided; and   one or more generator components configured to generate a corresponding haptic component signal for each of a plurality of transmitters coupled to the touch input medium including by being configured to use location-based signal parameters based on the identifier associated with the location of interest and based on one or more calibration factors, wherein the plurality of transmitters are configured to propagate the haptic component signals through the touch input medium and the haptic component signals interfere at the location of interest such that a localized haptic disturbance is generated at the location of interest and the localized haptic disturbance is generated by an interference of the haptic component signals at the location of interest without being caused by a motor and the interference of the haptic component signals that generated the localized haptic disturbance takes place locally at the location of interest to generate the localized haptic disturbance at the location of interest; and   wherein the one or more calibration factors are based on a calibration test performed using the touch input medium.   
     
     
         19 . A method, comprising:
 receiving an identifier associated with a location of interest on a surface on a touch input medium where a localized haptic disturbance is to be provided; and   generating a corresponding haptic component signal for each of a plurality of transmitters coupled to the touch input medium including by being configured to use location-based signal parameters based on the identifier associated with the location of interest and based on one or more calibration factors, wherein the plurality of transmitters are configured to propagate the haptic component signals through the touch input medium and the haptic component signals interfere at the location of interest such that a localized haptic disturbance is generated at the location of interest and the localized haptic disturbance is generated by an interference of the haptic component signals at the location of interest without being caused by a motor and the interference of the haptic component signals that generated the localized haptic disturbance takes place locally at the location of interest to generate the localized haptic disturbance at the location of interest; and   wherein the one or more calibration factors are based on a calibration test performed using the touch input medium.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the location of interest is controlled at least in part by controlling signal phases of the haptic component signals, and generating the localized haptic disturbance includes generating a physical vibration.