US 11,747,906 B2
Gesture detection using piezo-electric actuators
Simon Chaput, Magog (CA); and Guillaume Chauvette, Montréal (CA)
Assigned to Boréas Technologies Inc., Bromont (CA)
Filed by Boréas Technologies Inc., Bromont (CA)
Filed on May 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/740,647.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/188,634, filed on May 14, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0365603 A1, Nov. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. G06F 3/01 (2006.01); G06F 3/02 (2006.01); G06F 3/041 (2006.01); B06B 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/016 (2013.01) [B06B 1/0622 (2013.01); G06F 3/02 (2013.01); G06F 3/0414 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gesture detection system comprising:
a button structure for mounting in an outer frame of a mobile device;
a first piezo-electric actuator in contact with the button structure configured to generate a first varying electrical signal in response to a dynamic force application to the button structure;
a second piezo-electric actuator in contact with the button structure configured to generate a second varying electrical signal in response to the dynamic force application to the button structure;
a processor; and
a first memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, are configured to:
i) determine magnitude and position of the dynamic force application on the button structure over time, based on the first varying electrical signal and the second varying electrical signal,
ii) determine a gesture corresponding to the magnitude and the position of the dynamic force application over time, wherein when the first varying electrical signal increases and the second varying electrical signal decreases, the processor is configured to determine that the gesture comprises a moving force application across the button structure; and
iii) provide a response signal based on the gesture, wherein the response signal comprises a haptic activation signal to the first piezo-electric actuator and/or the second piezo-electric actuator for generating a haptic response thereon based on the gesture.