IP Library Granted Patent US 11,243,610
Granted Patent B2
US 11,243,610 · App. 17/188,542 · Granted Feb 8, 2022

System and method for generating high-frequency and mid-frequency audible sound via piezoelectric actuators of a haptic keyboard

Inventors: Priyank Gajiwala (Austin, TX); Michiel Knoppert (Amsterdam, NL); James H. Hallar (Austin, TX); Thomas M. Hinskens (Utrecht, NL); Frank van Valkenhoef (Hertogenbosch, NL)
Assignee: Dell Products, LP
G06F3/016G06F3/0219G06F3/0414H04R17/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,243,610
App. No.
17/188,542
Granted
Feb 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A haptic keyboard based sound system of an information handling system comprising a coversheet to identify a plurality of key locations of a haptic keyboard and a first key having a piezoelectric element for haptic tactile feedback upon key actuation, a support layer, a contact foil placed between the coversheet and support layer, and a haptic feedback and piezo sound controller operatively coupled to the contact foil to receive the mid-frequency portion of an audio signal and the high frequency portion of the audio signal from an audio controller operably connected to the haptic feedback and piezo sound controller, and send a piezo audio signal to the piezoelectric element to cause the piezoelectric element to generate a mid-frequency and high-frequency sound audio according to the received mid-frequency portion of an audio signal and the high frequency portion of the audio signal.

Claims (57)

1. A haptic keyboard based sound system of an information handling system, comprising:

a coversheet to identify a plurality of key locations of a haptic keyboard and a first key having a piezoelectric element with contact foil to generate haptic tactile feedback upon key actuation; and

a haptic feedback and piezo sound controller operatively coupled to the contact foil to:

receive an audio signal from an audio controller operably connected to the haptic feedback and piezo sound controller; and

send a piezo audio signal to the piezoelectric element to cause the piezoelectric element to generate sound audio according to the received audio signal.

2. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 1 wherein the piezoelectric element is configured to receive a high-frequency audio signal portion of the audio signal to generate high-frequency sound audio.

3. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 1 wherein the piezoelectric element is configured to receive a mid-frequency audio signal portion of the audio signal to generate mid-frequency sound audio.

4. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 1 further comprising:

a low-frequency speaker operably connected to the audio controller; and

the audio controller transmitting a low-frequency audio signal portion of the audio signal to the low-frequency speaker to generate low-frequency sound audio.

5. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 1 further comprising:

the haptic feedback and piezo sound controller configured to send a plurality of piezo audio signals to plural piezoelectric elements associated with a plurality of keys of the haptic keyboard to cause the piezoelectric elements to generate mid-frequency and high-frequency sound audio according to the received audio signal.

6. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 1 further comprising:

the haptic feedback and piezo sound controller configured to send a plurality of piezo audio signals to plural piezoelectric elements associated with a plurality of keys of the haptic keyboard that are not currently being actuated to cause the piezoelectric elements to generate sound audio.

7. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 1 further comprising:

the haptic feedback and piezo sound controller configured to send a piezo audio signal to a haptic touchpad piezoelectric element when the piezoelectric elements associated with a plurality of keys of the haptic keyboard are being actuated to cause the haptic touchpad piezoelectric elements to generate sound audio.

8. A haptic keyboard based sound system of an information handling system, comprising:

a coversheet to identify a plurality of key locations of a haptic keyboard and a haptic touchpad region of a haptic touchpad;

a contact foil under the coversheet operatively coupled to a first plurality of piezoelectric elements to generate haptic tactile feedback upon key actuation;

a second plurality of piezoelectric elements to generate tactile feedback for the haptic touchpad region;

a haptic sound controller operatively configured to:

receive an audio signal and send a piezo audio signal to at least one piezoelectric element of the haptic keyboard or haptic touchpad to cause the piezoelectric element to generate sound audio according to the received audio signal.

9. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 8 further comprising:

the haptic sound controller operatively configured to generate sound audio at a haptic touchpad piezoelectric element according to the received audio signal when the haptic keyboard is being actuated.

10. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 8 further comprising:

the haptic sound controller operatively configured to generate sound audio at a haptic keyboard piezoelectric element according to the received audio signal when the haptic touchpad is being actuated.

11. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 8 further comprising:

the haptic sound controller to:

identify a first plurality of piezoelectric elements associated in memory with mid-frequency audio; and

send a piezo audio signal to the first plurality of piezoelectric elements to generate a mid-frequency haptic sound feedback according to the mid-frequency audio signal.

12. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 8 further comprising:

the haptic sound controller to:

identify a first plurality of piezoelectric elements associated in memory with high-frequency audio; and

send a piezo audio signal to the first plurality of piezoelectric elements to generate a high-frequency haptic sound feedback according to the high-frequency audio signal.

13. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 12 , wherein the first plurality of piezoelectric elements is situated beneath the touchpad.

14. A haptic keyboard based sound system of an information handling system, comprising:

a coversheet to identify a plurality of key locations of a haptic keyboard and a first key having a piezoelectric element with a contact foil to generate haptic tactile feedback upon key actuation; and

a haptic feedback and piezo sound controller operatively coupled to the contact foil to:

receive an audio signal and send a piezo audio signal to the piezoelectric element to cause the piezoelectric element to generate sound audio according to the received audio signal.

15. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 14 further comprising:

the haptic feedback and piezo sound controller to send a mid-frequency portion of the audio signal and a high frequency portion of the audio signal as the piezo audio signal to the piezoelectric element.

16. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 14 further comprising:

the haptic feedback and piezo sound controller to send a high frequency portion of the audio signal as the piezo audio signal to the piezoelectric element.

17. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 14 further comprising:

the haptic feedback and piezo sound controller to receive a portion of the audio signal with a separated high-frequency portion filtered from the audio signal by an audio controller.

18. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 14 further comprising:

the haptic feedback and piezo sound controller to:

identify a first plurality of piezoelectric elements in a first region and second plurality of piezoelectric elements in a second region; and

generate sound audio according to the received audio signal at the second region when the first plurality of piezoelectric elements in the first region are being actuated during typing.

19. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 14 further comprising:

the haptic feedback and piezo sound controller to:

identify a first plurality of piezoelectric elements under the haptic keyboard and second plurality of piezoelectric elements under a haptic touchpad designated on the coversheet; and

generate sound audio according to the received audio signal at the haptic touchpad when the first plurality of piezoelectric elements of the haptic keyboard are being actuated.

20. The haptic keyboard based sound system of claim 14 further comprising:

the haptic feedback and piezo sound controller to:

identify a first plurality of piezoelectric elements under the haptic keyboard and second plurality of piezoelectric elements under a haptic touchpad designated on the coversheet; and

generate sound audio according to the received audio signal at the haptic keyboard when the haptic touchpad is being used.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0280) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062022/0255 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0001) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062021/0844 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0124) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062022/0012 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058297/0332 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0280 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0124 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE MISSING PATENTS THAT WERE ON THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULED SUBMITTED BUT NOT ENTERED PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 056250 FRAME: 0541. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 17, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 056311/0781 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 14, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 056250/0541 →