Multiple Actuation Handheld Device

A method for operating a mobile device comprising:

• displaying a graphical environment through a touch screen of a housing of the mobile device;
• sensing a position of a user's input in contact with the touch screen;
• identifying a haptic event occurring in association with an interaction within the graphical environment;
• and
• transmitting an activating signal to an actuator, wherein the actuator imparts a haptic effect corresponding to the haptic event to the touch screen upon determining the haptic event is a foreground event.

A method for operating a mobile device comprising:

• displaying a graphical environment through a touch screen of a housing of the mobile device;
• sensing a position of a user's input in contact with the touch screen;
• identifying a haptic event occurring in association with an interaction within the graphical environment;
• and
• transmitting an activating signal to an actuator, wherein the actuator imparts a haptic effect corresponding to the haptic event to the housing upon determining the haptic event is a background event.

A device comprising:

• a housing;
• a processor coupled to the housing, the processor configured to process a software program stored in a memory;
• a touch screen coupled to the housing, the touch screen configured to display one or more virtual strings, wherein a sensor signal associated with a user's interaction with the virtual string on the touch screen is provided to the processor;
• and
• an actuator coupled to the touch screen and positioned within the housing, the actuator configured to output a first haptic effect to the touch screen upon the sensor signal indicating the user contacting with the virtual string.