Products and processes for providing multimodal feedback in a user interface device

• US 20060061558A1
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Grant, Danny, Ramstein, Christophe
• Granted Patent: US 9,046,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

Products and processes for providing multimodal feedback in a user interface device are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, an apparatus comprises a manipulandum and an actuator in communication with the manipulandum. In one embodiment, the actuator may be operable to provide haptic feedback to the manipulandum and to produce an audible sound correlated with the haptic feedback.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a manipulandum; and

an actuator in communication with the manipulandum, the actuator operable to provide haptic feedback to the manipulandum and to produce an audible sound correlated with the haptic feedback.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a processor in communication with the actuator, the processor operable to send a signal to the actuator.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the signal comprises an actuating signal and an audio signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises a direct current motor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator is in communication with a loudspeaker disposed less than approximately ten centimeters from the manipulandum.

6. A method comprising:

providing a manipulandum; and

providing an actuator in communication with the manipulandum, the actuator operable to provide haptic feedback to the manipulandum and to produce an audible sound correlated with the haptic feedback.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising providing a processor in communication with the actuator, the processor operable to send a signal to the actuator.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the signal comprises an actuating signal and an audio signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the actuator comprises a direct current motor.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the actuator is in communication with a loudspeaker disposed less than approximately 10 centimeters from the manipulandum.

11. A computer readable medium comprising instructions, that, when executed, cause a processor to perform the steps of:

generating an audio signal to produce an audible sound from an actuator in communication with a manipulandum; and

sending the audio signal to the actuator, the audible sound correlating with a haptic effect communicated to the manipulandum.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the haptic effect is produced by the actuator.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11 further comprising instructions, that, when executed, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

generating an actuating signal to provide the haptic effect to the manipulandum; and

sending the actuating signal to the actuator.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the actuator is in communication with a loudspeaker disposed less than approximately 10 centimeters from the manipulandum.