Haptic effect generation system

• US 10,297,120 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2016
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Israr, Ali, Fritz, Adam A., Schwemler, Zachary T., Zhao, Siyan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Quang
• Application Number:
  US15/377,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20180165925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

A haptic effect generation system includes a computing platform including a hardware processor, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and a memory storing a haptic software code, as well as a haptic transformer coupled to the computing platform. The haptic transformer receives an input signal, and transforms the input signal to a first audio signal corresponding to the input signal. The ADC converts the first audio signal to a first audio data. The hardware processor executes the haptic software code to receive the first audio data from the ADC, and to generate a second audio data using the first audio data, the second audio data corresponding to a desired haptic effect. The DAC converts the second audio data to a second audio signal. The haptic transformer then transforms the second audio signal to a haptic actuator signal for producing the desired haptic effect.

Claims

1. A haptic effect generation system comprising:

a computing platform including a hardware processor, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and a memory storing a haptic software code; and

a haptic transformer coupled to the computing platform, the haptic transformer configured to receive a non-audio input signal having a non-zero frequency, and to transform the non-audio input signal to a first audio signal corresponding to the non-audio input signal;

the ADC configured to convert the first audio signal to a first audio data;

the hardware processor configured to execute the haptic software code to;

receive the first audio data from the ADC; and

generate a second audio data using the first audio data, wherein the second audio data corresponds to a desired haptic effect;

the DAC configured to convert the second audio data to a second audio signal; and

the haptic transformer further configured to transform the second audio signal to a haptic actuator signal for producing the desired haptic effect.

2. The haptic effect generation system of claim 1, wherein the haptic transformer is further configured to produce the haptic actuator signal as an output.

3. The haptic effect generation system of claim 1, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to save the second audio data in a haptic data file.

4. The haptic effect generation system of claim 1, wherein the haptic transformer comprises a filtering and modulation circuit for transforming the non-audio input signal to the first audio signal.

5. The haptic effect generation system of claim 1, wherein the haptic transformer comprises a frequency converter, driver, and amplifier circuit for transforming the second audio signal to the haptic actuator signal.

6. The haptic effect generation system of claim 1, wherein the haptic actuator signal has a frequency of less than or equal to approximately three hundred hertz.

7. The haptic effect generation system of claim 1, further comprising an input source generating the non-audio input signal.

8. The haptic effect generation system of claim 7, wherein the input source comprises at least one of an accelerometer, a pulse sensor, a stretch sensor, a potentiometer, a switch, a dial, a force sensor, and a pressure sensor.

9. The haptic effect generation system of claim 1, further comprising first and second haptic actuators.

10. The haptic effect generation system of claim 1, wherein the desired haptic effect is one of an apparent tactile motion sensation, a phantom tactile sensation, and a sensory saltation effect.

11. A method for use by a haptic effect generation system including a haptic transformer coupled to a computing platform having a hardware processor, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and a memory storing a haptic software code, the method comprising:

receiving, by the haptic transformer, a non-audio input signal;

transforming, by the haptic transformer, the non-audio input signal to a first audio signal corresponding to the non-audio input signal;

converting, by the ADC, the first audio signal to a first audio data;

receiving, by the hardware processor executing the haptic software code, the first audio data from the ADC;

generating, by the hardware processor executing the haptic software code, a second audio data using the first audio data, the second audio data corresponding to a desired haptic effect;

converting, by the DAC, the second audio data to a second audio signal; and

transforming the second audio signal to a haptic actuator signal for producing the desired haptic effect.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

producing, by the haptic transformer, the haptic actuator signal as an output.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

saving, by the haptic software code executed by the hardware processor, the second audio data in a haptic data file.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the haptic transformer comprises a filtering and modulation circuit for transforming the non-audio input signal to the first audio signal, and a frequency converter, driver, and amplifier circuit for transforming the second audio signal to the haptic actuator signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the filtering and modulation circuit and the frequency converter, driver, and amplifier circuit includes an analog circuit.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the haptic actuator signal has a frequency of less than or equal to approximately three hundred hertz.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising using first and second haptic actuators to produce the desired haptic effect.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the desired haptic effect is one of an apparent tactile motion sensation, a phantom tactile sensation, and a sensory saltation effect.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating the non-audio input signal using at least one of an accelerometer, a pulse sensor, a stretch sensor, a potentiometer, a switch, a dial, a force sensor, and a pressure sensor.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the haptic actuator signal has a frequency of less than or equal to approximately three hundred hertz.