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 touch attributes of the gesture and determining information requested by the gesture;
in response to detecting the gesture and identifying the type of gesture, actuating an actuator to provide tactile feedback to communicate the information by indicating a number of unread or unanswered messages received at the electronic device or a number of calls missed at the electronic device.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein actuating the actuator to provide tactile feedback is carried out prior to completion of the gesture.
3. 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.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein attributes of the tactile feedback depend on attributes of the gesture.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the tactile feedback provided is dependent on the force with which the gesture is applied.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the gesture is associated with information that is not displayed on the touch-sensitive display.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the tactile feedback is provided in pulses to indicate a quantity.
8. 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:
detect a gesture on a touch-sensitive display of the portable electronic device;
identify a type of the gesture based on touch attributes of the gesture and determine information requested by the gesture;
in response to detecting the gesture and identifying the type of gesture, actuate an actuator to provide tactile feedback to communicate the information by indicating a number of unread or unanswered messages received at the electronic device or a number of calls missed at the electronic device.
9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 8 , wherein the stored instructions are executable by the processor to cause the portable electronic device to monitor for the gesture in an area of the touch-sensitive display that comprises only part of the touch-sensitive display and to actuate the actuator to communicate the information in response to detecting the gesture in the area of the touch-sensitive display.
10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 8 , wherein attributes of the tactile feedback depend on attributes of the gesture.
11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 8 , wherein the tactile feedback provided is dependent on the force with which the gesture is applied.
12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 8 , wherein the gesture is associated with information that is not displayed on the touch-sensitive display.
13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 8 , wherein the tactile feedback is provided in pulses to indicate a quantity.
14. 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 a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device;
identify a type of the gesture based on touch attributes of the gesture and determine information requested by the gesture;
in response to detecting the gesture and identifying the type of gesture, actuate the actuator to provide tactile feedback to communicate the information by indicating a number of unread or unanswered messages received at the electronic device or a number of calls missed at the electronic device.
15. The portable electronic device according to claim 14 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to actuate the actuator to provide tactile feedback prior to completion of the gesture.
16. The portable electronic device according to claim 14 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to monitor for the gesture in an area of the 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 14 , wherein attributes of the tactile feedback depend on attributes of the gesture.
18. The portable electronic device according to claim 14 , wherein the tactile feedback provided is dependent on the force with which the gesture is applied.
19. The portable electronic device according to claim 14 , wherein the gesture is associated with information that is not displayed on the touch-sensitive display.
20. The portable electronic device according to claim 14 , wherein the tactile feedback is provided in pulses to indicate a quantity.