EXTERNALLY-ACTIVATED HAPTIC DEVICES AND SYSTEMS

• US 20170193760A1
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Published: 07/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Levesque, Vincent, Birnbaum, David M., Saboune, Jamal, Belley, Benoit, Khoshkava, Vahid, Forest, Simon, Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel
• Granted Patent: US 9,928,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10415 the interrogation device being fixed in its position, such as an access control device for reading wireless access cards, or a wireless ATM banking machines in general G07F19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0833 Card having specific functional components
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/01 Details for indicating displaying information in general G09F, G09G
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Examples of externally-activated devices and systems are disclosed. One example system includes a first device having an actuation component; and a second device having a haptic output component, wherein: the first device and the second device are configured to be physically separable from each other; the actuation component is configured to transmit an actuation signal to the haptic output component while the first device and the second device are physically separated from each other, and the haptic output component configured to output a haptic effect in response to receiving the actuation signal and while the first device and the second device are physically separated from each other, the haptic effect based on the actuation signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing; and

a haptic output component coupled to the housing, the haptic output component configured to be physically separable from an actuation component, and in response to receipt of an actuation signal transmitted from the actuation component while the haptic output component is physically separated from the actuation component, output a haptic effect based on the actuation signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the haptic output component comprises an RFID tag, and wherein the actuation signal comprises an electromagnetic field.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the RFID tag is configured to transmit an RFID signal in response to receipt of the actuation signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuation signal comprises a varying electromagnetic field.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the haptic output component comprises at least one of a magnet or a ferromagnetic material.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wireless power antenna, and wherein the haptic output component comprises an actuator.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus further comprises a rechargeable power source, the rechargeable power source configured to receive energy from the wireless power antenna and to provide power to the actuator.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuation signal comprises a radiated thermal energy.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the haptic output component comprises at least one of a shape memory alloy or a bimetallic strip.

10. A system comprising:

a first device comprising an actuation component; and

a second device comprising a haptic output component, wherein;

the first device and the second device configured to be physically separable from each other;

the actuation component configured to transmit an actuation signal to the haptic output component while the first device and the second device are physically separated from each other, and

the haptic output component configured to output a haptic effect in response to receiving the actuation signal and while the first device and the second device are physically separated from each other, the haptic effect based on the actuation signal.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the haptic output component comprises an RFID tag, and wherein the actuation signal comprises an electromagnetic field.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the RFID tag is configured to transmit an RFID signal in response to receipt of the actuation signal.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the actuation signal comprises a varying electromagnetic field.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the haptic output component comprises at least one of a magnet or a ferromagnetic material.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising a wireless power antenna, and wherein the haptic output component comprises an actuator.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the apparatus further comprises a rechargeable power source, the rechargeable power source configured to receive energy from the wireless power antenna and to provide power to the actuator.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the actuation signal comprises a radiated thermal energy.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the haptic output component comprises at least one of a shape memory alloy or a bimetallic strip.

19. A method comprising:

detecting a haptic device within proximity of an actuation device, the haptic device comprising a haptic output component;

in response to detection of the haptic device in proximity of the actuation device, generating and outputting an actuation signal, the actuation signal configured to cause the haptic output component to output a haptic effect while the haptic device and the actuation device are physically separated from each other;

detecting the haptic device leaving proximity of the actuation device; and

in response to detection of the haptic device leaving proximity of the actuation device, discontinuing output of the actuation signal.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising obtaining information from the haptic device, and wherein generating and outputting the actuation signal is based on the obtained information.