Vibrotactile haptic feedback devices
First Claim
1. A device, comprising:
- a mass;
an actuator configured to vibrate the mass; and
a coupling disposed between the actuator and the mass or between the mass and a housing, the coupling having a first configuration with a compliance and a second configuration with a compliance, the compliance of the coupling in the first configuration being different from the compliance of the coupling in the second configuration, the actuator being configured to output haptic feedback associated with the first configuration of the coupling and haptic feedback associated with the second configuration of the coupling, the haptic feedback associated with the first configuration of the coupling being different from the haptic feedback associated with the second configuration of the coupling.
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for controlling magnitude and frequency of vibrotactile sensations for haptic feedback devices. A haptic feedback device, such as a gamepad controller, mouse, remote control, etc., includes a housing, an actuator coupled to the housing, and a mass. In some embodiments, the mass can be oscillated by the actuator and a coupling between the actuator and the mass or between the mass and the housing has a variable compliance. Varying the compliance allows vibrotactile sensations having different magnitudes for a given drive signal to be output. In other embodiments, the actuator is a rotary actuator and the mass is an eccentric mass rotatable by the actuator about an axis of rotation. The eccentric mass has an eccentricity that can be varied relative to the axis of rotation while the mass is rotating. Varying the eccentricity allows vibrotactile sensations having different magnitudes for a given drive signal.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A device, comprising:
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a mass;
an actuator configured to vibrate the mass; and
a coupling disposed between the actuator and the mass or between the mass and a housing, the coupling having a first configuration with a compliance and a second configuration with a compliance, the compliance of the coupling in the first configuration being different from the compliance of the coupling in the second configuration, the actuator being configured to output haptic feedback associated with the first configuration of the coupling and haptic feedback associated with the second configuration of the coupling, the haptic feedback associated with the first configuration of the coupling being different from the haptic feedback associated with the second configuration of the coupling. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus, comprising:
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a rotary actuator having an axis of rotation;
an eccentric mass configured to be rotated by the rotary actuator about the axis of rotation in one of a first rotary direction and a second rotary direction opposite the first rotary direction, the eccentric mass having a first configuration with an eccentricity relative to the axis of rotation and a second configuration with an eccentricity relative to the axis of rotation; and
the rotary actuator is configured to output, in response to a drive signal, a first haptic sensation when the eccentric mass is in its first configuration and a second haptic sensation when the eccentric mass is in its second configuration, a magnitude of the first haptic sensation being different from a magnitude of the second haptic sensation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification