Systems And Methods For Increasing Haptic Bandwidth In An Electronic Device

• US 20110115709A1
• Filed: 11/16/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel
• Application Number:
  US12/947,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20110115709A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

Systems and methods for increasing the haptic bandwidth of an electronic device are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment of a system is an apparatus having a first actuator; a second actuator; and a processor coupled to the first and second actuators, the processor configured to apply a first command signal to the first actuator to output a first haptic effect from a first start time to a first stop time, the processor configured to apply a second command signal to the second actuator to output a second haptic effect from a second start time to a second stop time.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first actuator;

a second actuator;

a processor coupled to the first and second actuators, the processor configured to apply a first command signal to the first actuator to output a first haptic effect from a first start time to a first stop time, the processor configured to apply a second command signal to the second actuator to output a second haptic effect from a second start time to a second stop time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first haptic effect and the second haptic effect are vibrations.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is an eccentric rotating mass.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second actuator is an eccentric rotating mass.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is a linear resonating actuator.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second actuator is a linear resonating actuator.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a touch sensitive component coupled to the processor, the touch sensitive component configured to display a graphical object thereon; and

a sensor coupled to the touch sensitive component and the processor, the sensor configured to detect a position of a user input on the touch sensitive component, wherein the processor is configured to activate the first and second actuators upon the sensor indicating the user'"'"'s input on a haptic enabled area in the graphical object.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to activate the first and second actuators upon a software program indicating a haptic event has occurred.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third actuator coupled to the processor, wherein the third actuator outputs a third haptic effect different than the first and second haptic effects.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the third actuator is coupled to a touch sensitive component, wherein the third haptic effect is a high-frequency vibration applied to the touch sensitive component to provide a texture effect or to reduce a friction force between the touch sensitive component and a user'"'"'s input.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor applies a AC voltage to at least a portion of the first command signal to achieve a desired change in velocity from the first actuator.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor applies a AC voltage to at least a portion of the second command signal to achieve a desired change in velocity from the second actuator.

13. A method comprising:

receiving an interaction signal at a processor of an interaction occurring within a graphical environment, the interaction corresponding to a haptic effect;

applying a first input signal to a first actuator to output a first haptic effect, wherein the first actuator outputs the first haptic effect beginning at a first time and terminating at a second time; and

applying a second input signal to a second actuator to output a second haptic effect, wherein the second actuator outputs the second haptic effect beginning at a third time, wherein the third time occurs after the second time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second haptic effect terminates at a fourth time, the method further comprising:

applying the first input signal to the first actuator to output the first haptic effect beginning at a fifth time, wherein the fifth time occurs after the fourth time.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

displaying the graphical environment via a touch sensitive component coupled to the processor;

detecting a selection of a haptic area in the graphical environment; and

sending the interaction signal corresponding to the selection of the haptic area to the processor.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising outputting a third haptic effect via a third actuator upon receiving a corresponding input command signal from the processor, wherein the third haptic effect different than the first and second haptic effects.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a body;

a processor within the body; and

a plurality of actuators within the body and coupled to the processor, each actuator configured to output a corresponding haptic effect upon receiving a respective input signal from the processor,

wherein the processor is configured to;

receive an interaction signal indicating an interaction, the interaction corresponding to a haptic effect;

apply a first input signal to a first actuator of the plurality of actuators to output a first haptic effect, wherein the first actuator outputs the first haptic effect beginning at a first time and terminating at a second time; and

apply a second input signal to a second actuator of the plurality of actuators to output a second haptic effect, wherein the second actuator outputs the second haptic effect beginning at a third time, wherein the third time occurs after the second time.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising:

a touch sensitive component coupled to the processor and the body, the touch sensitive component configured to display a graphical object thereon; and

a sensor coupled to the touch sensitive component and the processor, the sensor configured to detect a position of a user input on the touch sensitive component, wherein the processor is configured to activate at least the first and second actuators upon the sensor indicating the user'"'"'s input on a haptic enabled area in the graphical object.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to activate the first and second actuators upon a software program indicating a haptic event has occurred.

20. The device of claim 17, further comprising a third actuator coupled to the processor, wherein the third actuator outputs a third haptic effect different than the first and second haptic effects.

21. A system comprising:

a piezoelectric actuator;

a second actuator; and

a processor in communication with the first actuator and the second actuator, the processor configured to;

generate a first actuator signal, the first actuator signal configured to cause a vibration at a frequency of greater than approximately 20 kHz;

generate a second actuator signal, the second actuator signal configured to cause a vibration between approximately 100-300 Hz;

transmit the first actuator signal to the piezoelectric actuator; and

transmit the second actuator signal to the second actuator.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium configured to store first and second actuator information, the first actuator information comprising at least one parameter describing a characteristic of the first actuator, and the second actuator information comprising at least one parameters describing a characteristic of the second actuator.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive a command;

determine a haptic effect based on the command;

select one of the piezoelectric actuator or the second actuator based at least in part on the haptic effect, the first actuator information, and the second actuator information;

if the piezoelectric actuator is selected, generate the first actuator signal and transmit the first actuator signal to the piezoelectric actuator,

if the second actuator is selected, generate the second actuator signal and transmit the first actuator signal to the second actuator.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a command,

determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the command,

transmit the first actuator signal to the piezoelectric actuator if the haptic effect comprises a friction haptic effect, and

transmit the second actuator signal to the second actuator if the haptic effect comprises a vibrational haptic effect.

25. The system of claim 21, further comprising a touch-sensitive input device, and wherein the piezoelectric actuator is coupled to the touch-sensitive input device.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the second actuator comprises one of an eccentric rotating mass, a linear resonant actuator, or a piezoelectric actuator.

27. The system of claim 21, further comprising a third actuator, the third actuator comprising a second piezoelectric actuator,

wherein the piezoelectric actuator is a first piezoelectric actuator and is configured to output haptic effects in a first direction, and

wherein the second piezoelectric actuator is configured to output haptic effects in a second direction, the second direction different from the first direction.