# US 11,442,547 B1 · Software defined hard keys leveraging flexible display hardware to achieve haptic display solution > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,442,547 B1 - Document ID: US11442547B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/315,734 - Filed: 2021-05-10 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-10 - Assignees: Rockwell Collins, Inc. - Applicants: Rockwell Collins, Inc. - Inventors: Lyle Richard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11442547B1 ## CPC - G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user} - B64D 43/00: Arrangements or adaptations of instruments - G06F 3/03547: {Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface} - H04R 1/02: Casings; Cabinets {; Supports therefor;} Mountings therein (H04R1/28 takes precedence {; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075}) - G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means - G06F 2203/04102: Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper - H04R 2499/15: Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) ## Abstract A system and method for a haptic display is disclosed. The haptic display includes a display head and an actuator layer. The actuator layer includes a pin board configured with a plurality of opening, and a plurality of pins configured to translate within the plurality of openings. One or more of the plurality of pins includes a display interaction end configured to physically interact with the display head and an actuation end. The actuation layer further includes a plurality of linear actuator elements physically coupled to the actuation end of the plurality of pins configured to bias a set of the pins against the display head. A bias of the set of pins against the display head generates a protrusion on the flexible surface that may be reduced by a biasing force of a user, wherein the user detects a reduction of the protrusion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a haptic display comprising: a display head configured with a flexible surface; an actuator layer comprising: a pin board configured with a plurality of openings; a plurality of pins configured to translate within the plurality of openings, wherein one or more of the plurality of pins comprises: a display interaction end configured to physically interact with the display head; and an actuation end; and a plurality of linear actuator elements physically coupled to the actuation end of the plurality of pins configured to bias a set of the plurality of pins against the display head, wherein a bias of the set of the plurality of pins against the display head generates a protrusion on the flexible surface, wherein the protrusion may be reduced by a biasing force of a user, wherein the biasing force of the set of the plurality of pins against the display head is adjusted based upon an input condition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to output a driving signal to the plurality of linear actuator elements. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the display head is configured to display an image that overlaps the protrusion, wherein the image indicates a functional characteristic of the protrusion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is coupled to a device, wherein the reduction of the protrusion drives a change in at least one parameter of the device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further including an instrument panel, wherein the haptic display is integrated within the instrument panel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the instrument panel is configured within an aircraft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a speaker, wherein the speaker is configured to emit a sound upon the reduction of the protrusion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein upon the reduction of the protrusion, the remaining pins within the set of the plurality of pins are reduced to a default height. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the protrusion comprises one or more sections. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the display head is configured to display a display element that overlaps the one of the one or more sections, wherein the display element indicates a functional characteristic of the one of the one or more sections. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the system is coupled to a device, wherein the reduction of the protrusion corresponding to the one of the one or more sections drives a change in at least one parameter of the device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the bias of the set of the plurality of pins against the display head is reduced upon an indication that the set of the plurality of pins is pressed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the input condition includes pin velocity, wherein the bias of the set of the plurality of pins against the display head is increased upon an indication that a user has pressed one or more of the pins of the set of the plurality of pins with a pin velocity exceeding a predetermined threshold pin velocity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the input condition includes pin biasing force, wherein the bias of the set of the plurality of pins against the display head is increased upon an indication that a user has pressed one or more of the pins of the set of the plurality of pins with a pin biasing force exceeding a predetermined threshold pin biasing force. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises two sets of the plurality of pins configured to bias their respective set of the plurality of pins against the display head with differing biasing forces. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising an electrical actuator matrix hardware controller configured to: determining whether pressure against the one or more pins of the plurality of pins has reached a predefined pressure threshold signaling to the corresponding linear actuator elements to return the corresponding pins to the nominal and/or default position upon reaching the predefined pressure threshold; transmitting a hard key press confirmation message. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the electrical actuator matrix hardware controller is further configured to determine the input condition, wherein the input condition includes pin velocity, wherein the bias of the set of the plurality of pins against the display head is increased upon an indication that a user has pressed one or more of the pins of the set of the plurality of pins with a pin velocity exceeding a predetermined threshold pin velocity. ### Claim 18 A method for operating a haptic display comprising: generating a display element on a display head; translating a pin subset of a plurality of pins based on the display element; forming a protrusion upon the display head, wherein the protrusion corresponds to the display element; contacting the protrusion and display element via a user; determining a biasing velocity or biasing force of the user; adjusting the biasing force of the pin subset based upon the biasing velocity or the biasing force; biasing the protrusion via the user; and outputting a response based on at least one of the contacting of the display element or the biasing of the protrusion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising resetting a position of the pin subset. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: modifying the display element based on at least one of the display element shape, or position of the display element on the display head; and modifying the protrusion based on a modification of the display element.