Method of providing tactile feedback and apparatus
A method includes detecting a query gesture and actuating, in response to the query gesture, an actuator to provide tactile feedback including information associated with the query gesture. The query gesture may be detected on a touch-sensitive display of a portable electronic device.
1. A method comprising:
detecting a gesture on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device;
identifying a type of the gesture based on a shape of the gesture and determining information associated with the shape of the gesture;
in response to detecting the gesture and identifying the information associated with the shape of the gesture, actuating an actuator to provide tactile feedback to communicate the information by indicating a number of messages received at the electronic device or a number of calls received at the electronic device.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the information comprises a number of unread messages received at the electronic device.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the information comprises a number of unanswered messages received at the electronic device.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the number of calls received comprises a number of missed calls at the electronic device.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, entering a mode that monitors for the gesture.
6. The method according to claim 1 , comprising monitoring for the gesture in an area of a touch-sensitive display that comprises only part of the touch-sensitive display and wherein the actuator is actuated to communicate the information in response to detecting the gesture in the area of the touch-sensitive display.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein attributes of the tactile feedback depend on attributes of the gesture.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the tactile feedback provided is dependent on the force of the gesture.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the gesture is associated with information that is not displayed on the touch-sensitive display.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the tactile feedback is provided in pulses to indicate a quantity.
11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored instructions executable by a processor of a portable electronic device to cause the portable electronic device to implement the method of claim 1 .
12. A portable electronic device comprising:
a touch-sensitive display;
an actuator;
a microprocessor coupled to the touch-sensitive display and the actuator and configured to:
detect a gesture on the touch-sensitive display;
identify a type of the gesture based on a shape of the gesture and determining information associated with the shape of the gesture;
in response to detecting the gesture and identifying the information associated with the shape of the gesture, actuate the actuator to provide tactile feedback to communicate the information by indicating a number of messages received at the electronic device or a number of calls received at the electronic device.
13. The portable electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein the information comprises a number of unread messages received at the electronic device.
14. The portable electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein the number of calls received comprises a number of missed calls at the electronic device.
15. The portable electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein the microprocessor is operable to enter a mode that monitors for the gesture prior to detecting the gesture.
16. The portable electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein the processor is operable to monitor for the gesture in an area of a touch-sensitive display that comprises only part of the touch-sensitive display and wherein the actuator is actuated to communicate the information in response to detecting the gesture in the area of the touch-sensitive display.
17. The portable electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein attributes of the tactile feedback depend on attributes of the gesture.
18. The portable electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein the tactile feedback provided is dependent on the force of the gesture.
19. The portable electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein the gesture is associated with information that is not displayed on the touch-sensitive display.
20. The portable electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to actuate the actuator to provide pulses to indicate a quantity.