Vibrotactile haptic feedback devices
First Claim
1. A haptic feedback device for providing vibrotactile sensations to a user, said haptic feedback device coupled to a host computer and comprising:
- a housing grasped by said user;
a first actuator coupled to said housing;
a mass, wherein said mass can be oscillated by said actuator, and wherein a coupling provided between said first actuator and said mass or between said mass and said housing has a compliance that can be varied, wherein varying said compliance allows vibrotactile sensations having different magnitudes for a given drive signal to be output to said user grasping said housing, wherein said compliance is provided by a flexure coupling said mass to said housing, wherein said first actuator is grounded to said housing and moves said mass which includes a magnet; and
a second actuator, said second actuator being grounded and providing a magnetic force on said mass to provide a variable tension in said flexure.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for controlling magnitude and frequency of vibrotactile sensations for haptic feedback devices. A haptic feedback device, such as a gamepad controller, mouse, remote control, etc., includes a housing grasped by the user, an actuator coupled to the housing, and a mass. In some embodiments, the mass can be oscillated by the actuator and a coupling between the actuator and the mass or between the mass and the housing has a compliance that can be varied. Varying the compliance allows vibrotactile sensations having different magnitudes for a given drive signal to be output to the user grasping the housing. In other embodiments, the actuator is a rotary actuator and the mass is an eccentric mass rotatable by the actuator about an axis of rotation. The eccentric mass has an eccentricity that can be varied relative to the axis of rotation while the mass is rotating. Varying the eccentricity allows vibrotactile sensations having different magnitudes for a given drive signal to be output to the user grasping the housing.
353 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A haptic feedback device for providing vibrotactile sensations to a user, said haptic feedback device coupled to a host computer and comprising:
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a housing grasped by said user;
a first actuator coupled to said housing;
a mass, wherein said mass can be oscillated by said actuator, and wherein a coupling provided between said first actuator and said mass or between said mass and said housing has a compliance that can be varied, wherein varying said compliance allows vibrotactile sensations having different magnitudes for a given drive signal to be output to said user grasping said housing, wherein said compliance is provided by a flexure coupling said mass to said housing, wherein said first actuator is grounded to said housing and moves said mass which includes a magnet; and
a second actuator, said second actuator being grounded and providing a magnetic force on said mass to provide a variable tension in said flexure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A haptic feedback device for providing vibrotactile sensations to a user, said haptic feedback device coupled to a host computer and comprising:
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a housing grasped by said user;
an actuator coupled to said housing; and
a mass, wherein said mass can be oscillated by said actuator, and wherein a coupling provided between said actuator and said mass or between said mass and said housing has a compliance that can be varied, wherein varying said compliance allows vibrotactile sensations having different magnitudes for a given drive signal to be output to said user grasping said housing, wherein said compliance is provided by a flexible member coupled between said mass and said housing, wherein said actuator moves said mass using a magnetic field produced by said actuator and wherein a compliance of said flexible member can be varied by moving a pair of grounded pincher rollers along a length of said flexible member. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A haptic feedback device for providing vibrotactile sensations to a user, said haptic feedback device coupled to a host computer and comprising:
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a housing grasped by said user;
a rotary actuator coupled to said housing; and
an eccentric mass coupled to and rotatable by said actuator about an axis of rotation, said eccentric mass having an eccentricity that can be varied relative to said axis of rotation while said mass is rotating, wherein varying said eccentricity allows vibrotactile sensations having different magnitudes for a given drive signal to be output to said user grasping said housing, wherein said eccentric mass includes a plurality of discs slidably coupled to,a rotating shaft that is coupled to said actuator, wherein a magnetic field is controlled to cause a desired number of said discs to frictionally engage with said shaft to provide a desired eccentricity of said mass. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A haptic feedback device for providing vibrotactile sensations to a user, said haptic feedback device coupled to a host computer and comprising:
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a housing grasped by said user;
a rotary actuator coupled to said housing; and
an eccentric mass coupled to and rotatable by said actuator about an axis of rotation, said eccentric mass having an eccentricity that can be varied relative to said axis of rotation while said mass is rotating, wherein varying said eccentricity allows vibrotactile sensations having different magnitudes for a given drive signal to be output to said user grasping said housing, wherein said mass includes a slotted member having a plurality of different slots radiating from a center aperture in said slotted member, at least two of said slots having a different length, wherein said actuator rotates a spindle having a keyed portion that engages in one of said slots to provide a desired eccentricity to said mass. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A haptic feedback device for providing vibrotactile sensations to a user, said haptic feedback device coupled to a host computer and comprising:
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a housing grasped by said user;
a rotary actuator coupled to said housing; and
an eccentric mass coupled to and rotatable by said actuator about an axis of rotation, said eccentric mass having an eccentricity that can be varied relative to said axis of rotation while said mass is rotating, wherein varying said eccentricity allows vibrotactile sensations having different magnitudes for a given drive signal to be output to said user grasping said housing, wherein said mass includes a hopper that encloses a plurality of balls, and wherein an inlet to said hopper can be opened to allow additional balls to move inside said hopper and change a distance between a center of mass of said hopper and said axis of rotation, thereby change said eccentricity of said mass. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A haptic feedback device for providing vibrotactile sensations to a user, said haptic feedback device coupled to a host computer and comprising:
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a housing grasped by said user;
a rotary actuator coupled to said housing; and
an eccentric mass coupled to and rotatable by said actuator about an axis of rotation, said eccentric mass having an eccentricity that can be varied relative to said axis of rotation while said mass is rotating, wherein varying said eccentricity allows vibrotactile sensations having different magnitudes for a given drive signal to be output to said user grasping said housing, wherein said mass includes a rotating disc having a plurality of sockets, and wherein at least one ball can be pulled into one of said sockets by a selective magnetic field, thereby changing a distance between a center of mass of said rotating disc and said axis of rotation to change said eccentricity of said mass. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method for providing vibrotactile sensations for an interface device coupled to a host microprocessor, the method comprising:
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rotating an eccentric mass about an axis of rotation with force provided by an actuator coupled to a housing of said interface device; and
varying an eccentricity of said eccentric mass relative to said axis of rotation while said mass is rotating, wherein varying said eccentricity allows vibrotactile sensations having different magnitudes for a given drive signal to be output to said user grasping said housing, wherein said varying an eccentricity includes moving a rotating keyed portion into a slot of a slotted member, said slotted member having a plurality of different slots radiating from a center aperture in said slotted member, at least two of said slots having a different length. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification