METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DYNAMICALLY CONFIGURABLE TACTILE FEEDBACK FOR NAVIGATIONAL SUPPORT

• US 20090073112A1
• Filed: 09/14/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: West, Frances W., Basson, Sara H., Kelley, Edward E., Kanevsky, Dimitri
• Application Number:
  US11/855,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20090073112A1
• 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

A method for providing dynamically configurable tactile indicator signals on a control surface for navigational support, includes: detecting at least one of an operator'"'"'s hands positioned on a control surface; routing control signals to a series of tactile sensors in proximity to the detected positions of at least one of the operator'"'"'s hands; wherein the control signals actuate tactile feedback devices; wherein the control signals are based on navigational information; providing tactile feedback to the operator via the actuated tactile feedback devices; wherein the tactile feedback is dynamically configured in response to the number of operator hands detected on the control surface; and wherein the tactile feedback is dynamically configured in response to the position of at least one of the operators hands on the control surface.

Claims

1. A method for providing dynamically configurable tactile indicator signals on a control surface for navigational support, the method comprising:

detecting at least one of an operator'"'"'s hands positioned on a control surface;

routing control signals to a series of tactile sensors in proximity to the detected positions of at least one of the operator'"'"'s hands;

wherein the control signals actuate tactile feedback devices;

wherein the control signals are based on navigational information;

providing tactile feedback to the operator via the actuated tactile feedback devices;

wherein the tactile feedback is dynamically configured in response to the number of operator hands detected on the control surface; and

wherein the tactile feedback is dynamically configured in response to the position of at least one of the operators hands on the control surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection of at least one of the operator hands is based on a series of sensors within the control surface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the control surface comprises at least one of the following:

steering wheels, airplane control yokes, maritime controls, motorcycle handlebars, and bicycle handlebars.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the tactile feedback is vibratory.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the pattern of vibration imparts the navigational information to the operator.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the intensity of vibration imparts the navigational information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the navigational information is derived from global positioning systems (GPS) devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting at least one of an operator'"'"'s hands positioned on a control surface further comprises:

determining the number and placement of the operator'"'"'s fingers on the control surface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining of the number and placement of the operator'"'"'s fingers includes the use of:

fingerprint data, and geometric patterns of fingers, whereby when the position of one distal finger is determined the positions of the other fingers are derived.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining of the number and placement of the operator'"'"'s fingers includes observational inputs from one or more cameras.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the tactile feedback is dynamically configured in response to the position of at least one or more of the operator'"'"'s fingers on the control surface.

12. A system for providing dynamically configurable tactile indicator signals for navigational support, the system comprising:

a control surface including a series of sensors and tactile feedback devices embedded therein;

a central processing unit (CPU) in electrical signal communication with a GPS device and the control surface;

wherein the CPU is configured with software to;

detect at least one of an operator'"'"'s hands positioned on the control surface;

route control signals to the series of tactile feedback devices in proximity to the detected positions of at least one of the operator'"'"'s hands;

wherein the control signals actuate the tactile feedback devices that provide tactile feedback to the operator;

wherein the control signals are based on navigational information derived from the GPS device;

wherein the tactile feedback is dynamically configured in response to the number of operator hands detected on the control surface; and

wherein the tactile feedback is dynamically configured in response to the position of at least one of the operators hands on the control surface.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the detection of at least one of the operator hands is based on the series of sensors within the control surface.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the control surface comprises at least one of the following:

steering wheels, airplane control yokes, maritime controls, motorcycle handlebars, and bicycle handlebars.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the tactile feedback is vibratory.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the pattern and intensity of vibration imparts the navigational information to the operator.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the detection of at least one of an operator'"'"'s hands positioned on the control surface further comprises:

the determination of the number and placement of the operator'"'"'s fingers on the control surface.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the determination of the number and placement of the operator'"'"'s fingers includes the use of:

fingerprint data, and geometric patterns of fingers, whereby when the position of one distal finger is determined the positions of the other fingers are derived.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the determination of the number and placement of the operator'"'"'s fingers includes observational inputs from one or more cameras.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the tactile feedback is dynamically configured in response to the position of at least one or more of the operator'"'"'s fingers on the control surface.