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Mobile Phone Patent Abstract
A mobile phone or telecommunications terminal that sends and receives
tactile icons (tactile sensation patterns, including vibration patterns)
discernible by feel to a user of the mobile phone or terminal, indicative
of a message desired to be communicated between users of such a
mobile phone or terminal (not information concerning the operation
of the mobile phone or terminal). The mobile phone or terminal includes
a source of tactile sensations (such as a vibratory device) that
produces a tactile sensation in response to control signals issued
by a controller when a message including a tactile icon is received;
the control signals are based on instructions included in the mobile
phone or terminal on how to interpret a tactile sensation pattern.
The source of tactile sensations is for example an eccentric electric
motor, a source of puffs of air, an electric signal, a razor-type
linear vibrator, a solenoid, or a piezoelectric material.
Mobile Phone Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus included in a communications terminal, comprising:
means for receiving a tactile sensation pattern signal from another
communications terminal independent of any existing or attempted
voice connection; a control means, responsive to the tactile sensation
pattern signal, for providing a control signal; and means for producing
a tactile sensation in response to the control signal; wherein the
tactile sensation pattern signal comprises respective instructions
for producing each disturbance in a pattern of disturbances, each
disturbance sensible as a tactile sensation, the pattern of disturbances
suggesting by itself associations or meanings independent of any
existing or attempted voice connection and so directly communicating
to any user of the apparatus the associations or meanings independent
of any existing or attempted voice connection.
2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the tactile sensation pattern
signal is communicated independent of a voice telephone call.
3. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the tactile sensation pattern
signal is communicated as at least part of a message according to
a short or multimedia message service.
4. A communication terminal including an apparatus as in claim
1.
5. A communication system including a base station and also including
a communication terminal as in claim 4.
6. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the control means (106)
is further responsive to an instructions signal for instructing
how to interpret a tactile sensation pattern signal, and the apparatus
further comprises means (140a) for providing the instructions on
how to interpret a tactile sensation pattern signal.
7. An apparatus as in claim 6, further comprising means (140b 140c
140d 140e) for creating a tactile sensation pattern corresponding
to the tactile sensation pattern signal and at least temporarily
storing the tactile sensation pattern.
8. An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the means (140b 140c 140d
140e) for creating a tactile sensation pattern includes: a) means
(140b) for composing and editing a tactile sensation pattern; b)
a data store (140e) for storing a plurality of tactile sensation
patterns; and c) means (140d) for selecting a tactile sensation
pattern from the data store.
9. An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the means (140b 140c 140d
140e) for creating a tactile sensation pattern includes: a) means
(140c) for downloading and editing a tactile sensation pattern;
b) a data store (140e) for storing a plurality of tactile sensation
patterns; and c) means (140d) for selecting a tactile sensation
pattern from the data store.
10. An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the means (100) for producing
a tactile sensation is selected from the group comprising: an eccentric
electric motor, an intermittent source of air flow, an electric
signal, a razor-type linear vibrator, a solenoid, a piezoelectric
material, means for shaking a component of the apparatus, means
for sliding back and forth a component of the apparatus, means for
opening and closing a flip of the apparatus, and means for moving
a sliding component back and forth.
11. An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the means for producing
a tactile sensation is electrically coupled to the control means
but is physically attached to the user of the apparatus.
12. A method for use by a communication terminal, comprising: a
step of receiving a tactile sensation pattern signal from another
communication terminal independent of any existing or attempted
voice connection; a control step, responsive to the tactile sensation
pattern signal, for providing a control signal; and a step of producing
a tactile sensation in response to the control signal; wherein the
tactile sensation pattern signal comprises respective instructions
for producing each disturbance in a pattern of disturbances, each
disturbance sensible as a tactile sensation, the pattern of disturbances
suggesting by itself associations or meanings independent of an
existing or attempted voice connection and so directly communicating
to any user of the apparatus the associations or meanings independent
of any existing or attempted voice connection.
13. A method as in claim 12, wherein the step responsive to a tactile
sensation is further responsive to instructions on how to interpret
a tactile sensation pattern.
14. A method as in claim 12, wherein the tactile sensation pattern
signal is communicated independent of a voice telephone call.
15. A method as in claim 12, wherein the tactile sensation pattern
signal communicates an associated meaning or communicates a logical
meaning or communicates a rhythm or communicates an imitation of
a vibratory force.
16. A method as in claim 12, further comprising: a step of downloading
and editing a tactile sensation pattern to provide the tactile sensation
pattern; and a step of storing the tactile sensation pattern in
the data store of tactile sensation patterns.
17. A method as in claim 12, wherein the tactile sensation pattern
signal is communicated as at least part of a data message according
to a short or multimedia message service.
18. A method as in claim 17, wherein the tactile sensation pattern
signal is a tactile icon communicated as at least part of a short
message according to a short or multimedia message service.
19. A method, comprising: a step in which a communication terminal
receives from a user an indication of a tactile sensation pattern
in a data store of tactile sensation patterns hosted by the communication
terminal, wherein the tactile sensation pattern comprises a pattern
of disturbances each representing a tactile sensation, the pattern
of disturbances having an association or meaning the user would
like to communicate to a user of another communication terminal;
a step in which the communication terminal receives from the user
of the communication terminal an indication of the user of the other
communication terminal or an indication of the other communication
terminal; and a step in which the communication terminal provides
a tactile sensation pattern signal corresponding to the tactile
sensation pattern and communicates the tactile sensation pattern
signal to the other communication terminal independent of any existing
or attempted voice connection to the other communication terminal;
wherein the tactile sensation pattern signal comprises respective
instructions for producing each disturbance in the tactile sensation
pattern of disturbances.
20. A method as in claim 19, further comprising: a step of downloading
and editing a tactile sensation pattern to provide the tactile sensation
pattern; and a step of storing the tactile sensation pattern in
the data store of tactile sensation patterns.
Mobile Phone Patent Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to cellular telecommunications, and
more particularly to mobile phones or other telecommunications terminals
able to produce vibrations greater than 0 Hz or other tactile sensations
discernible by the sense of touch or feel to users of such mobile
phones or telecommunications terminals.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With respect to human-machine interaction, mobile phones (using
a wireless telephone network) are by their very nature a dramatic
improvement over landline phones; a mobile phone obviously imposes
fewer limitations on a user than a landline phone does, enabling
more natural and expressive communication because the machine interface
is almost not noticed. The mobile phone industry strives constantly
to make using a mobile phone an even more natural and complete communication
experience.
Therefore, many mobile phones today offer modes of expression not
usually found in landline phones. For example, many mobile phones
today include small video displays and offer communication via pictures
(for example of cartoon-like drawings or logos) and associated text
presented on the displays. Thus, the sense of sight is engaged by
mobile phones. And of course mobile phones, like landline phones,
also engage the sense of hearing.
NTT DoCoMo has an email service called Paldio Email.
Panasonic has made phones (models 623p and 632p) that have a feature
called BeatMelody (see http://www.mci.panasonic.co.jp/pcd/623p/beatmelody/index.html,
a Japanese language website), which apparently allows a user to
attach simple vibration patterns to email. It is believed by the
inventors that the Panasonic phones use the NTT DoCoMo Paldio email
service to deliver the vibrations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,028,531 (the '531 patent) to Wanderlich for Terminal
Units for a Mobile Communication System introduces devices that
can be used for sending and receiving different kinds of vibration
patterns for interpersonal communication; see especially column
6, line 52 to column 7, line 44. The '531 patent also discloses
various types of vibratable devices, including a personal vibrator
of the type used on a human body with a user engaging portion that
may comprise a smooth-ended rod, a smooth plug, or a vibratory aperture.
A patent application having Ser. No. 09/717,862, assigned to the
present assignee, with a date of priority of Nov. 26, 1999, having
Sami Ronkainen as the sole inventor, discloses tactile feedback,
using vibration, as part of a phone user interface. The disclosure
also introduces a new way of using a vibration motor included in
mobile phones for alerting a user of the mobile phone to an incoming
call or a message, such as a message conveyed by the so-called short
message service (SMS).
As far as the inventors are aware, the vibrating Panasonic mobile
phones have only a few different vibration patterns, which have
no logical or associated meaning. The same is true of the vibrating
mobile phones disclosed in the '531 patent. The vibrations there
are mathematically generated by systematically varying amplitude,
frequency and duration of vibration of a vibrator; in addition,
the communication of such vibration patterns is done with paging
systems, not with smarter (full) mobile communication systems such
as mobile communication systems according to the Global System for
Mobile Communications (GSM).
In Sami Ronkainen's invention, the vibrations have associated meanings,
but the meanings are associated only with the user interface of
the mobile phone. According to the invention disclosed there, a
user can choose different vibration patterns for different callers,
but there is no suggestion of sending vibration patterns as a means
of communicating a message to the user of the receiving mobile phone.
What is therefore needed in mobile phones, besides a way to engage
the senses of sight and hearing, as described above, is also a way
to engage the sense of touch, not simply as it is engaged in holding
a mobile phone, but as part of the communication experience, i.e.
in communicating a message to the user of a receiving mobile phone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in a first aspect of the invention, an apparatus is
provided including: means for producing a tactile sensation for
a user of the apparatus in response to a control signal; and a control
means, responsive to a tactile sensation pattern signal and responsive
to an instructions signal for instructing how to interpret a tactile
sensation pattern, for providing the control signal; wherein the
tactile sensation is expressive of information intended to be communicated
to the user of the apparatus and exclusive of information indicating
a call is waiting to be answered.
In accord with the first aspect of the invention, the apparatus
may also include means for providing the instructions on how to
interpret a tactile sensation pattern. Further, the apparatus may
also include means for creating a tactile sensation pattern and
at least temporarily storing the tactile sensation. Moreover, in
some applications, the means for creating a tactile sensation may
include: means for composing and editing a tactile sensation; a
data store for storing a plurality of tactile sensation patterns;
and means for selecting a tactile sensation pattern from the data
store. Also in some applications, the means for creating a tactile
sensation may include: means for downloading and editing a tactile
sensation; a data store for storing a plurality of tactile sensation
patterns; and means for selecting a tactile sensation pattern from
the data store. Also further, the means for producing a tactile
sensation is typically either: an eccentric electric motor, an intermittent
source of air flow, an electric signal, a razor-type linear vibrator,
a solenoid, a piezoelectric material, means for shaking a component
of the apparatus, means for sliding back and forth a component of
the apparatus, means for opening and closing a flip of the apparatus,
or means for moving a sliding component back and forth. Also further,
the means for producing a tactile sensation may be electrically
coupled to the control means but may be physically attached to the
user of the apparatus.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a wireless terminal
is provided including an apparatus as in the first aspect of the
invention.
According to a third aspect of the invention, a communication system
is provided including a base station and also including a wireless
terminal as in the second aspect of the invention.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a method if provided
for use by a wireless terminal, including: a step, responsive to
a tactile sensation pattern and responsive to instructions on how
to interpret a tactile sensation pattern, of providing a control
signal; and a step, responsive to the control signal, of producing
a tactile sensation sensible to a user of the mobile phone; wherein
the tactile sensation is expressive of information intended to be
communicated to the user of the apparatus and exclusive of information
indicating a call is waiting to be answered.
Thus, the inventors have taken the mobile phone ringing tones ("audible
icons") and visual icons/smilies as two modes of message each
packed in a compact, non-verbal, stylized way and extend the notion
of compact, non-verbal, stylized message modes to include the tactile
mode.
In contrast with the prior art, the invention enables the user
of a mobile phone to determine the type of the vibration (i.e. the
vibration pattern) to be communicated over the mobile phone. There
is in principle no restriction on the type of vibration (or tactile
icon) that can be communicated. A user can choose a tactile icon
from a menu or create one on the fly. A description of the vibration
pattern so determined can then be sent via a mobile communication
system according to various paradigms, including SMS, ringing tones,
and picture messages according to enhanced SMS or some other bearer
service (such as multimedia message service) or protocol (such as
wireless access protocol). The vibration pattern being communicated
can have but is not limited to a logical meaning, or can be a rhythm,
or be an imitation of the vibratory force that would be caused by
a bouncing ball.
Users of mobile phones can then of course further enrich their
communication experience by combining vibration patterns (tactile
icons) with text (lexical icons), pictures (visual icons), animations
(enhanced visual icons) or sounds (vibrations in the audible range,
and as such, audible icons). These various icons/modes of messaging,
when used in combination, have a synergistic effect enriching the
communication experience.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention
will become apparent from a consideration of the subsequent detailed
description presented in connection with accompanying drawings,
in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a mobile phone according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is an illustration of a very few of many different possible
vibration patterns (tactile icons) of use according to the invention;
FIG. 3 is an illustration of different ways in which a vibration
pattern of use according to the invention can vary; and
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
In providing a tactile message mode for a mobile phone, the inventors
first used the original vibration motor in a mobile phone mock-up
to create different kind of vibration patterns, each such pattern
being identified as a tactile icon. The inventors performed a user
study and discovered that such tactile icons (such as different
vibration patterns, but also including other tactile sensations
discernible by the sense of touch or feel) convey meanings and suggest
associations for people and between people. The inventors determined
that tactile icons can be sent and received as smart messages in
much the same way as ringing tones and business cards are sent and
received by mobile phones, and can also be sent as an attachment
to a text message, a picture message, or any other multimedia message.
No additional hardware is needed to implement tactile icons even
in existing mobile phones including an ordinary vibration motor.
All that is needed is software to produce the tactile icons and
to handle their messaging.
New Use of the Vibrating Element of an Ordinary Mobile Phone
An ordinary mobile phone is equipped with a component able to create
vibrations, which are conducted to the user via the casing of the
mobile phone (when the casing is in direct or indirect physical
contact with the user). Typically the vibrating component is a small
eccentric electric motor, i.e. an electric motor having a weight
mounted on its axis where the center of the mass of the weight does
not lie along the axis of the motor. The vibrating component can
be any type of vibratable device, including for example a linear
vibrator and a piezoelectric device.
According to the invention, such a vibration motor of an ordinary
mobile phone is used to create different kinds of vibration patterns.
Referring now to FIG. 1, an ordinary mobile phone includes a vibration
motor 100 under the control of a microcontroller 106; the microcontroller
controls the action of the vibration motor via a DC driver (not
shown). The vibration motor produces a vibration, used in the prior
art to give a silent alarm notifying the user of the mobile phone
of an incoming call or a waiting message. Preferably, frequencies
between 130 Hz and 250 Hz are used when producing vibration with
a vibration motor.
According to the invention, such a microcontroller is programmed
to cause the vibration motor to produce different kinds of vibration
patterns (tactile icons), as determined by the user of the mobile
phone using software specially developed for the task of composing
tactile icons or selecting tactile icons from a menu. The program
used by the microcontroller in causing the vibrations, i.e. the
vibration pattern interpreter 140a, is held in non-volatile memory
140 in the mobile phone. The memory 140 also holds a vibration pattern
composer program 140b by which a user interfaces with the mobile
phone to create new tactile icons/vibrations patterns or edit existing
tactile icons, stored vibration patterns 140e either created by
the user (using the composer) or downloaded from a service providing
tactile icons using another stored program, a vibration pattern
downloader 140c, or saved from an already received message bearing
tactile icons, and a vibration pattern selector program 140c enabling
a user to select which stored tactile icon to communicate as a message
using the mobile phone.
Still referring to FIG. 1, as indicated above, a mobile phone according
to the invention need only have a vibration motor 100 or other means
of producing a tactile sensation and software means (stored in the
mobile phone in a memory 140) for executing vibration patterns (i.e.
for interpreting the vibration patterns to the controller 106 by
providing instructions to the controller so that the controller
can command the vibration motor accordingly) and for managing vibration
patterns (creating them, editing them, saving them or downloading
them, and selecting one or another to communicate), as well as a
data store of some sort or another for storing vibration patterns
(in the memory 140). In addition, such a mobile phone usually also
includes an antenna 102, a transceiver 104, and a battery 116 or
an accumulator in place of a battery. Instead of either a battery
or an accumulator, the mobile phone can use as a source of power
a car battery or, when used in a house, external mains power for
the house. In addition, the mobile phone usually includes a keypad
108, a display 110, a microphone 112, and a loudspeaker 114.
Referring now to FIG. 2, various vibration patterns and their associated
or logical meaning are illustrated. For each pattern, vibration
(at some unspecified frequency greater than 0 Hz) as a function
of time is indicated. In the case of imitating the vibratory force
that would be caused by a bouncing ball as it bounces to a standstill,
a lower frequency vibration would correspond to the bouncing of
a larger, heavier ball, such as a basketball, and a higher frequency
vibration would correspond to the bouncing of a smaller, lighter-weight
ball, such as a ping pong ball or a golf ball. The vibration indicating
an alert is usually generated using simple repeating cycles where
the motor is on for about 500 ms and then off for about 500 ms in
each cycle.
Vibration pulses of any length can be used for building tactile
icons. As mentioned, only the duration of the on and off periods
is indicated in FIG. 2, and other parameters, such as frequency
and amplitude, could also be varied when specifying a vibration
pattern/tactile icon. (Although a rotating vibration motor, strictly
speaking, has a constant amplitude, the frequency of the vibration
can be changed by changing the speed of rotation, and it turns out
that the perceived intensity of vibration is proportional to the
rotating speed so in that sense the intensity can be changed even
for a rotating vibration motor.)
Referring now to FIG. 3, the different ways vibration patterns
may vary is indicated, using a coordinate system in which the x-axis
represents time and the y-axis represents amplitude (a vibration-producing
device capable of varying vibration in both amplitude and frequency
being assumed for illustration). A dashed line 208 depicts a vibration
pattern in which both the amplitude and frequency are constant,
the vibration device being simply turned on and off over and over
again at the desired frequency (at least for a period of time).
A curve 204 depicts a vibration pattern in which the amplitude is
constant but the frequency increases from a low frequency to a high
frequency at the end of the pattern. A curve 206 depicts a vibration
pattern in which both amplitude and frequency vary. Finally, a dashed
line 202 depicts a pattern in which the amplitude increases, but
the frequency remains constant, in this case the frequency being
the rate at which the vibration device is turned on and off.
Referring now to FIG. 4, a flowchart of the invention is shown
as a method for use by a mobile phone including a first step 401
in which, in response to a tactile sensation pattern (which could
either have been received by the mobile phone or which could have
been indicated by an indicator or pointer in a message received
by the mobile phone, and indicator or pointer that indicates a predetermined
tactile sensation pattern known to the mobile phone), and using
instructions on how to interpret the tactile sensation pattern,
the mobile phone converts the tactile sensation pattern into a control
signal, and then, in a second step 402, based on the control signal,
the mobile phone produces a tactile sensation.
How Tactile Icons are Communicated
According to the preferred embodiment, tactile icons are communicated
between mobile phones (or between a mobile phone and a landline
phone) as smart messages, in much the same way as ringing tones
and business cards are communicated today. (Ringing tones are today
often downloaded by mobile phone users from a web service to personalize
the ringing tones of their mobile phones.) In other embodiments,
tactile icons are communicated as an attachment to a text message,
a picture message, or some other multimedia message.
In the preferred embodiment, what is communicated as a tactile
icon is an on/off pattern, such as indicated in FIG. 2, at some
specified frequency (and possibly indicating a variation in amplitude
during the pattern). In some embodiments, however, a tactile icon
selector is all that is communicated, and the receiving mobile terminal
creates the vibration pattern predetermined to correspond to the
communicated selector.
Of course the source or the receiver of a tactile icon may, according
to the invention, be a device other than a mobile phone, and may
be other than a phone at all. For example, a tactile icon can be
sent with a PC and be received with a vibrating mouse.
The mobile phones can, but need not be, equipped with editor software
to compose vibration patterns. With a composer one could create
personal tactile icons quickly and send them to his or her closest
friends.
Different tactile icons can, but need not be, provided through
mobile network based services. For example, tactile icons could
be downloaded from a web service, just as ringing tones and logos
are downloaded today.
Tactile icons could also be communicated as a game or as an aspect
of a game. For example, an operator could send a rhythm pattern
(non-audible) to a customer (who has registered for receiving games)
and the task would be to guess the song behind the rhythm.
How Tactile Icons are Converted to Actual Vibrations Sensible to
Users of Mobile Phones
As already mentioned, a tactile icon can be translated into actual
vibration (at any frequency greater than 0 Hz) using an eccentric
weight mounted on the axis of a motor 100 under the control of a
microcontroller 106 (FIG. 1). Of course a tactile icon actuator
can also be implemented as other kinds of devices, including for
example a solenoid or a piezoelectric actuator. In the case of a
piezoelectric actuator, not only the frequency of the vibration
but also its amplitude could be varied.
The vibration motor or other means for producing vibration can
be located either in the mobile phone as a separate component (as
indicated in FIG. 1), or in the battery 116, or as a separate component
attachable to the mobile phone, or as a separate component or part
of a component coupled only electrically to the mobile phone (to
receive commands from the microcontroller 106) but physically attached
to the user of the mobile phone so as to communicate vibration patterns
to the user, such as a vibratable device (for example, a piezoelectric
disk) included in a wristband to be worn by a user and connected
electrically to the controller 106.
The invention is also intended to comprehend other tactile sensations
besides those created by actual mechanical vibrations, such as tactile
sensations caused by puffs of air or tactile sensations caused by
a small electric current (what is called electro-tactile stimulation,
using two electrical contact areas on the skin of the user receiving
the tactile sensation). As already mentioned, low frequency vibrations
can also be produced by artificially shaking some inside parts of
a mobile phone such as the battery, or by moving a component of
a mobile phone, including for example opening and closing a flip
or by sliding back and forth a component that slides.
Scope of the Invention
It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are
only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present
invention. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements may
be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the
spirit and scope of the present invention, and the appended claims
are intended to cover such modifications and arrangements.
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