THREE DIMENSIONAL (3D) TACTILE FEEDBACK APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20140002249A1
• Filed: 01/22/2013
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LIM, Soo Chul, Lee, Hyung Kew, Park, Joon Ah, Lee, Bho Ram, Lee, Hyun Jeong, Han, Seung Ju
• Granted Patent: US 9,111,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3D) tactile feedback apparatus and method for implementing the same may include a tactile feedback providing unit which provides a 3D tactile feedback, in response to a motion input by a user, a position measuring unit which measures a position of the tactile feedback providing unit, and a movement controlling unit which controls a movement of the tactile feedback providing unit based on the position of the tactile feedback providing unit.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional (3D) tactile feedback apparatus, comprising:

a tactile feedback providing unit to provide a 3D tactile feedback in response to a motion input;

a position measuring unit to measure a position of the tactile feedback providing unit; and

a movement controlling unit to control a movement of the tactile feedback providing unit, based on the position of the tactile feedback providing unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the movement controlling unit controls the movement of the tactile feedback providing unit independently in an X-axial direction and in a Y-axial direction, the X-axial direction and the Y-axial direction constituting a horizontal direction.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position measuring unit measures a horizontal position of the tactile feedback providing unit, by sensing the tactile feedback providing unit using at least one sensor disposed adjacent to a bottom surface of the tactile feedback providing unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the position measuring unit measures the horizontal position of the tactile feedback providing unit, based on a position of at least one sensor sensing the tactile feedback providing unit, among the at least one sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the position measuring unit measures the horizontal position of the tactile feedback providing unit, based on an area of the tactile feedback providing unit sensed by each of a plurality of sensors, when the tactile feedback providing unit is sensed by the plurality of sensors.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position measuring unit measures a horizontal position of the tactile feedback providing unit, using at least one sensor connected to a side surface of the tactile feedback providing unit and at least one sensor connected to an inner side surface of the movement controlling unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the movement controlling unit comprises:

a first moving unit to move the tactile feedback providing unit in an X-axial direction; and

a second moving unit to move the first moving unit in a Y-axial direction.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the position measuring unit receives the position of the tactile feedback providing unit from at least one first sensor connected to the first moving unit, and determines the received position of the tactile feedback providing unit to be an X-axial coordinate of the tactile feedback providing unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the position measuring unit receives a position of the first moving unit from at least one second sensor connected to the second moving unit, and determines the received position of the first moving unit to be a Y-axial coordinate of the tactile feedback providing unit.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the movement controlling unit determines a position to which the tactile feedback providing unit is to be moved, based on the motion input, and controls the movement of the tactile feedback providing unit to move the tactile feedback providing unit to the determined position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the movement controlling unit controls the tactile feedback providing unit in a Z-axial direction corresponding to a vertical direction when a horizontal movement of the tactile feedback providing unit is determined.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tactile feedback providing unit changes a shape of a portion in contact with a user, depending on a type of tactile feedback to be provided to the user.

13. A three-dimensional (3D) tactile feedback apparatus method, comprising:

measuring a position of a tactile feedback providing unit that provides a 3D tactile feedback, in response to a motion input; and

controlling a movement of the tactile feedback providing unit, based on the position of the tactile feedback providing unit.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling comprises controlling the movement of the tactile feedback providing unit independently in an X-axial direction and in a Y-axial direction, the X-axial direction and the Y-axial direction constituting a horizontal direction.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the measuring comprises measuring a horizontal position of the tactile feedback providing unit, by sensing the tactile feedback providing unit using at least one sensor disposed adjacent to a bottom surface of the tactile feedback providing unit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the measuring comprises measuring the horizontal position of the tactile feedback providing unit, based on a position of at least one sensor sensing the tactile feedback providing unit, among the at least one sensor.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the measuring comprises measuring the horizontal position of the tactile feedback providing unit, based on an area of the tactile feedback providing unit sensed by each of a plurality of sensors, when the tactile feedback providing unit is sensed by the plurality of sensors.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling comprises determining a position to which the tactile feedback providing unit is to be moved, based on the motion input, and controlling the movement of the tactile feedback providing unit to move the tactile feedback providing unit in the determined direction and to the determined position.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling comprises controlling the tactile feedback providing unit in a Z-axial direction corresponding to a vertical direction when a horizontal movement of the tactile feedback providing unit is determined.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprises:

changing a shape of a portion in contact with a user, depending on types of tactile feedback to be provided to the user.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a program for instructing a computer to perform the method of claim 13.

22. A three-dimensional (3D) tactile feedback apparatus, comprising:

a tactile feedback providing unit to provide a 3D tactile feedback in response to a motion input;

a movement controlling unit to control a movement of the tactile feedback providing unit, based on a position of the tactile feedback providing unit;

at least one first sensor connected to a surface of the tactile feedback providing unit; and

at least one second sensor connected to a surface of the movement controlling unit,

wherein at least one of the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor sense an area and position of the other to determine the position of the tactile feedback providing unit.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one first sensor is connected to a bottom surface of the tactile feedback providing unit, the at least one second sensor includes at least third and fourth sensors connected to a top internal surface of the movement controlling unit, and the at least third and fourth sensors sense different respective areas of the first sensor to determine the position of the tactile feedback providing unit.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the 3D tactile feedback apparatus further comprises:

a position measuring unit to measure a position of the tactile feedback providing unit; and

at least one actuator connected to a side surface of the movement controlling unit to move the tactile feedback providing unit in a horizontal direction,

wherein when the at least one actuator expands in a first horizontal direction, the position measuring unit measures the position of the tactile feedback providing unit by matching a first side of the tactile feedback providing unit to a first side of the at least one first sensor sensed by the third sensor, and by matching a second side of the tactile feedback providing unit to a second side of the at least one first sensor sensed by the fourth sensor.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the movement controlling unit includes a first moving unit enclosing the tactile feedback providing unit and a second moving unit enclosing the first moving unit,

wherein the at least one first sensor is connected to a side surface of the tactile feedback providing unit, the at least one second sensor is connected to an internal side surface of the first moving unit, and the at least one second sensor senses the first sensor and sets a position of the first sensor to a position of the tactile feedback providing unit.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein a third sensor is connected to an internal side of the second moving unit and a fourth sensor is connected to an external side surface of the first moving unit,

wherein the third sensor senses the fourth sensor and sets a position of the fourth sensor to a position of the first moving unit.