Targeting Location Through Haptic Feedback Signals

• US 20090076723A1
• Filed: 09/14/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Moloney, David John
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3652 Guidance using non-audiovisual output, e.g. tactile, haptic or electric stimuli

Abstract

A data processing apparatus and a method of operating a data processing apparatus are disclosed. The data processing apparatus comprises a memory for storing target location data representative of the location of a target, a position determining component configured to generate a position signal representative of a position of the data processing apparatus, and an orientation determining component configured to generate an orientation signal representative of an orientation of the data processing apparatus. The data processing apparatus also comprises a haptic transducer configured to provide haptic feedback to a user of the data processing apparatus and a processor configured to process the target location data, position signal and orientation signal in order to generate a transducer control signal that is configured to actuate the haptic transducer to provide directional haptic feedback to a user relative to the target location.

Claims

1. Data processing apparatus comprising:

memory configured to store target location data representative of the location of a target;

a position determining component configured to generate a position signal representative of a position of the data processing apparatus;

an orientation determining component configured to generate an orientation signal representative of an orientation of the data processing apparatus;

a haptic transducer configured to provide haptic feedback to a user of the data processing apparatus; and

a processor configured to process the target location data, position signal and orientation signal in order to generate a transducer control signal that is configured to actuate the haptic transducer to provide directional haptic feedback to a user relative to the target location.

2. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate the transducer control signal periodically.

3. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transducer control signal represents a relative direction from the data processing apparatus to the target location, and wherein the transducer control signal is configured to actuate the haptic transducer to generate directional haptic feedback in a direction towards the target location.

4. The data processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the haptic transducer is configured to provide directional haptic feedback in two dimensions.

5. The data processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the haptic transducer is configured to provide directional haptic feedback signals in three dimensions.

6. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine if a current relative direction of motion of the data processing apparatus is towards the target location, and to generate a transducer control signal responsive to that determination.

7. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data processing apparatus further comprises:

one or more accelerometers configured to generate acceleration signals representative of the acceleration of the data processing apparatus; and

wherein the processor is configured to process the acceleration signals to determine the distance and direction travelled by the data processing apparatus after a position signal is generated by the position determining component, and to use the determined distance and direction to generate the transducer control signal.

8. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position determining component is configured to receive signals from a plurality of transmitters.

9. The data processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the position determining component is a global positioning system (GPS).

10. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the orientation determining component is a gravity sensor.

11. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data processing apparatus comprises one of a mobile computing device, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a personal computer and a laptop.

12. The data processing apparatus of claim 1 comprising a first and second separate physical device, wherein:

the position determining component and the memory are located within the first physical device; and

the haptic transducer and the orientation determining component are located within the second physical device.

13. The data processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second physical device comprises a wireless receiver configured to receive a signal from the first device that is configured to actuate the haptic transducer to provide the directional haptic feedback.

14. A method of operating data processing apparatus comprising:

storing target location data representative of the location of a target in memory;

generating a position signal representative of a position of the data processing apparatus;

generating an orientation signal representative of an orientation of the data processing apparatus;

processing the target location data, position signal and orientation signal in order to generate a transducer control signal; and

providing directional haptic feedback to a user of the data processing apparatus relative to the target location by actuating a haptic transducer responsive to the transducer control signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of processing further comprises processing to generate the transducer control signal periodically.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the transducer control signal represents a relative direction from the data processing apparatus to the target location, and wherein the transducer control signal actuates the haptic transducer to generate directional haptic feedback in a direction towards the target location.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein actuating the haptic transducer provides directional haptic feedback in two dimensions.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein actuating the haptic transducer provides directional haptic feedback signals in three dimensions.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining if a current relative direction of motion of the data processing apparatus is towards the target location; and

generating a transducer control signal responsive to that determination.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

generating acceleration signals representative of the acceleration of the data processing apparatus; and

processing the acceleration signals to determine the distance and direction travelled by the data processing apparatus after a position signal is generated by the position determining component, and to use the determined distance and direction to generate the transducer control signal.