Tactile interface module and method for generating haptic feedback

A haptic-feedback-providing touch-interface module, comprising:

• a touch surface that is able to detect at least one characteristic of a press of a user;
• at least one haptic-feedback actuator that is configured to transmit haptic feedback to the touch surface;
• a controlling and processing unit that is connected, on the one hand, to the touch surface, and, on the other hand, to said at least one actuator,
• wherein the controlling and processing unit is configured to activate the haptic-feedback actuator in a first time window to induce at least one mechanical wave that propagates over the touch surface and that is able to be felt as haptic feedback, and in a second time window to generate at least one mechanical pulse that is out of phase with respect to the mechanical wave to attenuate this mechanical wave,
• wherein at least one control signal transmitted by the controlling and processing unit to activate the haptic-feedback actuator and generate an out-of-phase mechanical pulse is an isolated signal,
• wherein the haptic-feedback actuator is not supplied with an electric current just before and just after the at least one control signal, and
• wherein said at least one haptic-feedback actuator includes:
• a chassis that makes contact with the touch interface via a contact wall in order to transmit haptic feedback to the touch surface;
• a stator that is connected to the chassis;
• a movable core that is connected, via at least one elastic element, to the chassis and that is driven to move by the stator to generate the haptic feedback;
• an electromagnet and at least one permanent magnet, one of which is borne by the stator and the other of which is borne by the movable core;
• and
• a damper that is placed between the movable core and the contact wall, and
• wherein said at least one elastic element is dimensioned so that in the non-powered state of the electromagnet the movable core applies a bearing force in the direction of the contact wall, and so that in a powered state in which the electromagnet is powered with a predefined bias the movable core separates from the contact wall.