FEEL PRESENTING DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20070290988A1
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tokita, Toshinobu, Iwase, Yoshihiko, Nogami, Atsushi, Nishimura, Naoki
• Application Number:
  US11/760,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20070290988A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

The present invention provides a device configured to present the feel of a plane or an object surface to a user using equipment configured to generate physical vibration such as a vibration motor or the like. A plurality of vibration motors including an eccentric rotor are put on a human body, and torque generated at the vibration motor along with an angular velocity fluctuation is provided to a skin surface in the horizontal direction with a different timing. Alternately generating torque by the plurality of vibration motors enables the user to perceive a plane or an object surface.

Claims

1. A tactile-feedback device configured to present predetermined perception to a user, comprising:

a plurality of stimulation units; and

a control unit configured to set a first state and a second state of the stimulation units with a predetermined cycle, and perform control so as to change the cycle as to at least two stimulation units;

wherein the control unit is configured to control the at least two stimulation units to have different cycles.

2. A tactile-feedback device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined perception is of a plane and/or object surface.

3. A tactile-feedback device according to claim 1, wherein the stimulation unit is arranged to generate force in parallel to a skin surface.

4. A tactile-feedback device according to claim 3, wherein the stimulation unit comprises a rotor, and is arranged to generate a force parallel to a skin surface using torque generated by varying the angular velocity of the rotor to present stimulus to a user.

5. A tactile-feedback device according to claim 4, wherein the stimulation unit includes a vibration motor.

6. A tactile-feedback device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display apparatus configured to display a virtual object visually;

wherein the control unit is configured to perform control based on the positional relation between a virtual object displayed on the display apparatus and the stimulation unit.

7. A tactile-feedback device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a position detection unit configured to detect the position of a user; and

a contact determining unit configured to determine the contact between a user and a virtual object;

wherein the control unit performs control based on the determination result of the contact determining unit.

8. A tactile-feedback device according to claim 1, configured to present a virtual object,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the at least two stimulation units to have different cycles when the user is positioned within a predetermined range of the surface of the virtual object.

9. A tactile-feedback device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to set at least one stimulation unit to a first state, and set at least one stimulation unit to a second state, and to perform control to sequentially change the state of the stimulation units which are in a first state or in a second state.

10. A tactile-feedback device according to claim 1, wherein the first state of the stimulation units is an ON state and the second state of the stimulation units is an OFF state.

11. A tactile-feedback method for presenting a predetermined perception to a user using at least two stimulation units, comprising:

a control step of setting a first state and a second state of the at least two stimulation units with a predetermined cycle, such that at least two of the stimulation units have different cycles.

12. A tactile-feedback method according to claim 11, including a step of presenting a virtual object, wherein the control step includes controlling drive of each of the at least two stimulation units placed on a body of a user when the user is positioned within a predetermined range of the surface of the virtual object.

13. A tactile-feedback method according to claim 11, the control step comprising:

a first control step arranged to set at least one stimulation unit to a first state, and set at least one stimulation unit to a second state, of the at least two stimulation units placed on a body of the user; and

a second control step of sequentially changing the state of the stimulation units which are in a first state or in an second state after predetermined time elapses.

14. A tactile-feedback method according to claim 11, wherein the first state of the stimulation units is an ON state and the second state of the stimulation units is an OFF state.

15. A program that, when run on a control unit, performs a method according to claim 11.

16. A storage medium storing a program according to claim 15.