Patent Application
20140292635
The present application relates to haptic output and user interaction with a device.
Electronic devices, such as home computers, mobile telephones, wearable devices and tablet computers, may be used for many purposes via different user applications. For example, a user of a mobile telephone may use an in-built camera of the mobile telephone to take photos or videos using a camera application of the mobile telephone. The user may also send and receive different types of messages (such as SMS, MMS and e-mail) using the messaging application(s) of the mobile telephone. Even further, the user may play games and view and update social networking profiles using the mobile telephone.
To be able to utilize the device in such ways, interaction with the device is needed. The interaction enables the user to access the functions and/or applications in the device the user wishes to utilize. Interaction is also needed to authenticate in case access to the device and/or to its functions and/or applications it to be restricted. In the interaction haptic output may be utilized.
According to a first example of an embodiment of the invention, there is an apparatus comprising at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
According to a second example of an embodiments of the invention, there is a method comprising;
According to a third example of an embodiment, there is a computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising;
According to a fourth example of the embodiment, there is an apparatus comprising;
Examples of embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which are by way of example only and in which:
The examples of embodiments are described below with reference to
Similarly where appropriate, references to a plurality of components (whether of the same or of different types) should be interpreted as implicitly also referring to a single component where such a single component is capable of providing equivalent functionality.
An example of a processor 110 of a type suitable for use in the apparatus shown in
An example of a memory 120 comprises a computer-readable medium for storing computer program code. Examples of computer-readable media include, for example, but are not limited to: a solid state memory, a hard drive, ROM, RAM or Flash. In some embodiments, the memory 120 of the apparatus shown in
In the embodiment shown in
As shown in
As shown in the exemplary embodiment of
The processor 210 is arranged to receive data from the memory 220, the user interface 230 or the communication unit 240. Data is output to a user of device 200 via the user interface 230 and/or is output via a suitable configured data interface to external devices which may be provided with, or be attachable to, the device 200.
Memory 220 comprises computer program code in the same way as the memory 120 of the apparatus 100. However, in some embodiments, memory 220 comprises other data. Memory 220 may comprise one or more memory units and have any suitable form or be of any suitable type appropriate for apparatus 200. For example, memory 220 may be provided as an internal built-in component of the device 200 or it may be an external, removable memory such as a USB memory stick, a memory card, network drive or CD/DVD ROM for example. The memory 220 is connected to the processor 210 and the processor may store data for later use to the memory 220.
The user interface 230 is configured to receive user input via a touch detection feature, and may also include one or more components for receiving user input, for example, a keypad, a microphone and/or one or more (other) physical buttons. The touch detection feature may be implemented in any suitable manner, for example, in some embodiments the touch detection feature comprises a proximity sensing feature that enables the device to detect hover gestures made by a user using his thumb, finger, palm, or other object, over a proximity-sensitive region of the device 200. The region for touch detection feature may be located at a certain part of the device 200 or it may extend such that hover gestures may be detected proximate to any part of the device 200. The touch detection feature may be provided by capacitive sensing technology, for example, or by any other means suitable. The user interface 230 may also include one or more components for providing output to a suitably configured display, and may provide other data for output to other components. The display may be for example a touch display, an LCD display, an eInk display or a 3D display. It is also possible that the display is a near-eye display, such as for example, glasses, worn by a user, which enable content to be displayed to user's vision. Other components may comprise components such as components for providing haptic feedback, a headset and loud speakers for example. It should be noted that the components for receiving user input and the components for providing output to the user may be components integrated to the device 200 or they may be components that are removable from the device 200. An example of a component that may be used for receiving user input and/or providing output to the user is a cover system, which can be connected to several different devices. An example of such a cover system is a container for a device 200 that may also be used with other devices.
Optionally, the device 200 may be provided with suitable wireless or wired data or voice connectivity, for example, it may be configured to use voice and/or data cellular communications network(s) and/or local area networks which may be wired or wireless (for example, an Ethernet network or a wireless local area network such as Wi-Fi, Wi-Max network and/or a short-range network such as a near field communications network or Blue-tooth network) either directly or via another device (ad-hoc networking).
As shown in the example of an embodiment of
Devices may comprise information to which restricted accessibility is desirable. Restricted accessibility may be desired due to for example confidential nature of information available on the device. It may be that there are applications or functions on a device in which the information is not confidential and also applications or functions in which the information is confidential. In such a case it may be desirable to restrict access to the applications or functions that contain confidential information. To be able to restrict access, some form of identification is needed. In some cases, a password or pin number is used to authenticate a user. When using a password or a PIN, however, it is possible that another person is able to observe the password or PIN and thus gain access to confidential information. On the other hand, if authentication is done using means that require a user to look at the device when authenticating, it might be that the user is not able provide the authentication needed every time he wishes to gain access to the confidential information. For example, if the user is walking, running or driving his car, the user may have a head set and he may interact with the device using voice commands. In such a situation, it is not desirable to look at the device as the user needs to be aware of what is happening around him. On the other hand, the user most likely does not wish to use a voice command as an authentication as it would be easily observed by others. Thus it is desirable to have a method of authentication in which the user may have the authentication performed even if he does not look at the device and the authentication is performed in a way that is difficult to observe by others.
Next, responsive to detecting the indication, a haptic output pattern associated with an expected user response is provided 302. That is, responsive to detecting the indication, the device provides haptic feedback. The haptic feedback has a pattern, with which the user is familiar with. The pattern may be user-defined and/or the pattern may be derived from an audio file. The pattern is associated with a user response. The user response is a user input, or a sequence of user inputs, given by the user and detected by the device at certain time, or times, in relation to the haptic output pattern.
Next, a user input is detected, wherein the user input is responsive to the haptic output pattern 303. The user input is an input or a sequence of user inputs. The user inputs may be provided by any suitable means for providing a user input such as, for example, press of a button, touch user input, voice input or gaze-tracking based input.
After that, the user response and the user input are compared 304. In some example embodiments, the comparison comprises comparing the user response and user input detected. The comparison comprises comparing the time of the user input detected in relation to the haptic output pattern and that of the user response.
Based on the comparison, an action is performed 305. In some example embodiments, if the user input and the user response are equivalent or corresponding to each other within a reasonable margin, an action, such as for example unlocking a device, accessing restricted information or application, may be taken. If the user input and the user response are not equivalent or are not corresponding enough that they could be interpreted to be corresponding, another action, such as for example returning to the previous state or informing the user that the user input and the user response are not equivalent, may be taken. It should be noted that determining not to take an action may be considered as taking an action as well.
Turning now to
Next, it is determined if there is user input detected 403. Should the determination be positive, the user input is compared to the user response associated with the haptic output pattern 405. Then it is determined if the user input is the right kind of user input provided at the right time of the haptic output pattern 406. In other words, does the user input correlate to the user response. Should the response be positive, then the device is unlocked 407. Should the response be negative, the device is kept locked to the original stage at which the user digit was detected 408.
Returning now to question 403, should the determination be negative, then question 404 follows. In question 404 it is determined if it is the end of the haptic output pattern. Should the determination be negative, then the question 403 follows again. However, should the determination be positive, then the device is kept locked to the original state at which the user digit was detected 408.
Turning now to
First, in an initial state of a device, proximity of a user is sensed 501. Next, it is determined if the device is locked 502. If the device is not, then it is determined if an access to a restricted application, function or an area can be made available 503. If the determination is negative, no action is taken 504. Had the determination in either the question 502 or 503 been positive, then it is determined if there are more than one haptic output patterns that may be used 505. Should the determination be positive, then it is determined which haptic output pattern is to be used 506. After the part 506, or if the determination in question 505 is negative, vibration along the determined haptic output pattern is provided such that the user may feel it 507. Next, it is determined if a user input is detected 508. If the determination is positive, then the user input and the user response are compared, 511. It is then determined if based on the comparison, it may be determined that the user input and the user response are equal or not 512. If they are equal, then the next state of the device is activated, follows 513.
If the comparison 512 determines that the user input and the user response are not equal, then the user is notified that the user input was not correct with respect to the user response 514. After that the device returns to the initial state 510.
Should the determination in question 508 be negative, it is determined if the end of the haptic pattern has been reached 509. If the determination is positive, then the device returns to the idle state 510. Should the determination be negative, then vibration along the determined haptic output pattern is provided such that the user may feel it 507.
Devices often contain private, sensitive and/or confidential information. In order to protect the information, authentication of a user is desirable. The authentication method may, however, be such that it may be observed by others is such a way that unwanted people may gain access to the information as well. In order to keep private, sensitive and/or confidential information safe, an authentication mechanism that is difficult or even impossible to observe is desirable. Such an authentication mechanism enables a discreet and unnoticeable. A way of achieving this utilizes haptic output provided by the device. Haptic output provides a user with feedback that the user may feel. Haptic output may include varying vibration strengths, frequency and patterns. Haptic output may be found for example in a touch panel, such as a capacitive panel for example, or a controller, such as a console game controller. Haptic output may be provided by actuators that provide mechanical motion in response to an electrical stimulus. Haptic output may be such that it vibrates the whole device or it may be applied locally, thus providing location specific haptic output. When actuators are utilized in providing haptic output, electromagnetic technologies are used where a central mass is moved by an applied magnetic field. The electromagnetic motors may operate at resonance and provide strong feedback, but produce a limited range of sensations. Actuators may also utilize technologies such as electroactive polymers, piezoelectric, electrostatic and subsonic audio wave surface actuation. Haptic output may also be provided without actuators by utilizing reverse-electrovibration. With reverse-electrovibration a weak current is sent from a device on the user through the object they the user is touching to the ground. The oscillating electric field around the skin on their fingertips creates a variable sensation of friction depending on the shape, frequency and amplitude of the signal.
As haptic output may be felt by a user, it is possible for the user to place his palm or user digit on to a device and feel haptic output provided by the device. As the haptic output can be felt by the user when the palm or user digit is placed on the device, the haptic feedback is difficult to observe by another person thus enabling the haptic output to be personal and confidential. This feedback mechanism may be utilized for example when unlocking a device. For example, the user may place a finger on the device and in response the device produces haptic feedback which has a recognizable pattern. If the user then reacts to the haptic output pattern, by lifting the finger for example, at a predetermined phase of the pattern, the device may be unlocked. If the pre-determined pattern of the haptic output and the predetermined phases at which to react are known only to the user, then this unlocking mechanism can be secure and difficult to observe by others thus increasing the security of the device. Further examples of embodiments of the present invention are discussed below in reference to the
Turning now to
Upon detecting the input at the location of the icon, the device 600 produces a haptic output pattern 602 as illustrated in
Regarding the haptic output pattern 602, an association to a user response is present. The user response defines the type of user input that is to be given at a given stage of the haptic output pattern 602 by the user in order to access the secured data. In this example of an embodiment, as illustrated in
As in this example of an embodiment, the user response defines more than one pre-determined stages in the haptic output pattern 602 in which a certain user input is to be given. As the user input 603 has so far corresponded to the user response, the haptic output pattern continues 604 as is illustrated in
In
In the example embodiment explained above with regard to
The present invention is also applicable to wearable devices such as a device worn on a wrist of a user or a device attached to some part of the user's body. A near-eye display that may remind glasses may also be such a device. In
In
The device 700 may be capable of for example showing heart rate of the user, allow data to be sent to another device, receive data on the device 700 itself, and initiate communication and/or control playing of music. In order to access the activities of the device 700, the user may place his finger 701 on the device 700 as illustrated in
Responsive to the user input, the device 700 is activated as illustrated in
Turning now to the example of an embodiment illustrated in
In
When the device is held in a grip and the user places a user digit 806 from the other hand to the device 800, the device receives an indication that the user is available for interaction. This is illustrated in
If the user input corresponds to the user response associated with the haptic output pattern, the device is unlocked to an active mode as is illustrated in
Turning now to
Embodiments of the invention may be implemented in software, hardware, application logic or a combination of software, hardware and application logic. In an example embodiment, the application logic, software or an instruction set is maintained on any one of various conventional computer-readable media. In the context of this document, a “computer-readable medium” may be any media or means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate or transport the instructions for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer, with one example of a computer described. A computer-readable medium may comprise a computer-readable storage medium that may be any media or means that can contain or store the instructions for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer.
If desired, the different functions discussed herein may be performed in a different order and/or concurrently with each other. Furthermore, if desired, one or more of the above-described functions may be optional or may be combined.
Although various aspects of the invention are set out in the independent claims, other aspects of the invention comprise other combinations of features from the described embodiments and/or the dependent claims with the features of the independent claims, and not solely the combinations explicitly set out in the claims.
It is also noted herein that while the above describes example embodiments of the invention, these descriptions should not be viewed in a limiting sense. Rather, there are several variations and modifications which may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
