Haptic devices having multiple operational modes including at least one resonant mode

• US 20080170037A1
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Grant, Danny A., Hayward, Vincent
• Granted Patent: US 8,576,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/161
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0603 using a piezoelectric bender, e.g. bimorph
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2042 Cantilevers, i.e. having one fixed end

Abstract

An electronic device and method of operating comprises a housing; a base coupled to the housing; and an electro-mechanical transducer coupled to the base, the electro-mechanical transducer configured to operate in a resonant mode and output a haptic effect upon receiving a drive signal at a predetermined drive frequency. In an embodiment, the electro-mechanical transducer further comprises a plurality of electro-mechanical transducers, each electro-mechanical transducer configured to operate in its respective resonant mode and output a respective haptic effect upon receiving a drive signal having a predetermined drive frequency. Alternatively or additionally, the electro-mechanical transducer further comprises a plurality of spaced apart electro-mechanical devices coupled thereto in a serial fashion between a first end proximal to the base and a second end distal to the base.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a base coupled to the housing; and

an electro-mechanical transducer coupled to the base, the electro-mechanical transducer configured to operate in a resonant mode and output a haptic effect upon receiving a drive signal at a predetermined drive frequency.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the housing is of a mobile telephone device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the housing is of a video game controller.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the base imparts the haptic effect to the housing such that a user grasping the housing feels the haptic effect.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electro-mechanical transducer further comprises a plurality of electro-mechanical devices arranged in a parallel fashion with respect to the base, each electro-mechanical device including a piezoelectric bar and a mass coupled to the piezoelectric bar, the mass of each electro-mechanical device located a respective predetermined distance from the base.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electro-mechanical transducer further comprises a plurality of spaced apart electro-mechanical devices coupled thereto in a serial fashion between a first end proximal to the base and a second end distal to the base.

7. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a base coupled to the housing; and

a plurality of electro-mechanical transducers coupled to the base, each electro-mechanical transducer configured to operate in its respective resonant mode and output a respective haptic effect upon receiving a drive signal having a predetermined drive frequency.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein each electro-mechanical transducer further comprises an electro-mechanical device having a piezoelectric bar and a mass coupled to the piezoelectric bar, the mass of each electro-mechanical device located a predetermined distance from the base.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 wherein at least one mass is located a different predetermined distance from the base than a mass of another electro-mechanical device in the plurality.

10. The electronic device of claim 8 wherein at least one mass has a weight different than a mass of another electro-mechanical device in the plurality.

11. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein the drive frequency of the drive signal applied to two or more of the electro-mechanical transducers in the plurality has a substantially same value.

12. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein the drive frequency of the drive signal applied to at least one electro-mechanical transducer in the plurality is at a higher order of the resonant frequency of another electro-mechanical transducer in the plurality.

13. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein at least one of the electro-mechanical transducer includes a plurality of spaced apart electro-mechanical devices coupled thereto in a serial fashion between a first end proximal to the base and a second end distal to the base.

14. A method of outputting haptic effects from an electronic device, the method comprising:

coupling a plurality of electro-mechanical transducers to a base in a housing, wherein each electro-mechanical transducer has an electro-mechanical device coupled thereto, each electro-mechanical transducer capable of operating at a respective resonant mode; and

applying a drive signal at a predetermined drive frequency to at least one electro-mechanical transducer in the plurality to output a haptic effect therefrom.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein each electro-mechanical device of the plurality further comprises a piezoelectric bar having a mass coupled thereto, the mass of each electro-mechanical device located a predetermined distance from the base.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein at least one mass is located a different distance from the base than a mass of another electro-mechanical device in the plurality.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein at least one mass has a weight different than a mass of another electro-mechanical device in the plurality.

18. The method of claim 15 the drive frequency of the drive signal applied to two or more of the electro-mechanical transducers in the plurality has a substantially same value.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the drive frequency applied to at least one electro-mechanical transducer of the plurality is at a higher order of the resonant frequency of another electro-mechanical transducer in the plurality.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of the electro-mechanical transducers includes a plurality of spaced apart electro-mechanical devices coupled thereto in a serial fashion between a first end proximal to the base and a second end distal to the base.

21. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

selectively applying the drive signal to a first electro-mechanical transducer and a second electro-mechanical transducer to operate the first and second electro-mechanical transducers at their respective resonant mode frequencies in a first operational mode to collectively output a first haptic effect; and

selectively applying the drive signal to the first electro-mechanical transducer and a third electro-mechanical transducer to operate the first and third electro-mechanical transducers at their respective resonant mode frequencies in a second operational mode to collectively output a second haptic effect.