Method and apparatus for providing multi-point haptic feedback texture systems

• US 10,338,682 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2017
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Heubel, Robert W., Steger, Ryan, Lacroix, Robert A., Bakircioglu, Muge
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Dong Hui
• Application Number:
  US15/810,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20180143689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating haptic surface texture with a deformable surface layer are disclosed. The haptic device includes a flexible surface layer, a haptic substrate, and a deforming mechanism. The flexible surface layer is made of elastic materials and is capable of reconfiguring its surface characteristics. The haptic substrate, in one embodiment, provides a first pattern in response to a first activating signal. Alternatively, the haptic substrate is capable of providing a second pattern in accordance with a second activating signal. The deforming mechanism is configured to change the flexible surface from a first surface characteristic to a second surface characteristic in accordance with the first pattern.

Claims

1. A tactile device comprising:

a transparent grille having a predefined pattern of openings therethrough, wherein the transparent grille comprises a touch-sensitive surface configured to sense an input;

a haptic deformable material layer coupled to the transparent grille and configured to receive an activating signal based on the input sensed by the touch-sensitive surface and to partially change shape in accordance with the activating signal and the predefined pattern of openings; and

a deformation mechanism coupled to the haptic deformable material layer and configured to provide haptic force feedback to control the haptic deformable material layer in accordance with the transparent grille and create a vacuum between the transparent grille and the haptic deformable material layer to pull a portion of the haptic deformable material layer through at least one opening of the predefined pattern of openings.

2. The tactile device of claim 1, wherein the haptic deformable material layer includes a plurality of flexible haptic actuators.

3. The tactile device of claim 2, wherein each flexible haptic actuator of the plurality of flexible haptic actuators is configured to be independently controlled.

4. The tactile device of claim 1, wherein the activating signal is configured to cause the deformation mechanism to change the shape of a surface topography of the transparent grille from a first surface pattern to a second surface pattern in response to the activating signal.

5. The tactile device of claim 4, wherein the activating signal is configured to cause the deformation mechanism to change the shape of the surface topography of the transparent grille from a smooth texture to a coarse texture.

6. The tactile device of claim 1, wherein the transparent grille forms an uppermost layer of the tactile device.

7. The tactile device of claim 1, wherein the haptic deformable material layer comprises at least one of a piezoelectric material, an electroactive polymer, or a shape memory alloy.

8. The tactile device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to sense a contact on the touch-sensitive surface and generate the activating signal when the sensor senses the contact.

9. The tactile device of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to receive an input selection and generate the activating signal, wherein the haptic deformable material layer is operable to generate a confirmation feedback in response to receiving the activating signal.

10. The tactile device of claim 1, wherein the haptic deformable material layer and the deformation mechanism comprise a single layer.

11. The tactile device of claim 1, wherein the deformation mechanism comprises a vacuum generator.

12. A method comprising:

sensing, by a touch-sensitive surface of a transparent grille, an input, wherein the transparent grille comprises a predefined pattern of openings;

receiving, by a haptic deformable material layer coupled to the transparent grille, an activating signal based on the input sensed by the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the haptic deformable material layer partially changes shape in accordance with the activating signal and the predefined pattern of openings; and

in response to receiving the activating signal, creating, by a deformation mechanism coupled to the haptic deformable material layer, a vacuum between the transparent grille and through at least one of the predefined pattern of openings to provide a haptic force feedback to control the haptic deformable material layer in accordance with the transparent grille.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the haptic deformable material layer includes a plurality of flexible haptic actuators.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of flexible haptic actuators are independently controllable.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the activating signal is configured to cause the deformation mechanism to change the shape of a surface topography of the transparent grille from a first surface pattern to a second surface pattern in response to the activating signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the activating signal is configured to cause the deformation mechanism to change the shape of the surface topography of the transparent grille from a smooth texture to a coarse texture.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the haptic deformable material layer comprises at least one of a piezoelectric material, an electroactive polymer, or a shape memory alloy.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the transparent grille is coupled to an uppermost surface of the haptic deformable material layer.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sensing, by a sensor, the input on the touch-sensitive surface; and

generating the activating signal in response to sensing the input.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a confirmation feedback based on an input selection, the confirmation feedback being configured to provide a confirmation of the input selection;

generating the activating signal based on the confirmation feedback; and

transmitting the activating signal to the haptic deformable material layer, the haptic deformable material layer being configured to receive the activating signal and responsively produce the confirmation feedback.