Directional tactile feedback for haptic feedback interface devices

• US 6,864,877 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Martin, Kenneth M., Rosenberg, Louis B., Braun, Adam C., Goldenberg, Alex S., Moore, David F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jimmy H.
• Application Number:
  US09/967,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/158, 345/159, 345/701, 345/702, 463/37, 463/38
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

Directional haptic feedback provided in a haptic feedback interface device. An interface device includes at least two actuator assemblies, which each include a moving inertial mass. A single control signal provided to the actuator assemblies at different magnitudes provides directional inertial sensations felt by the user. A greater magnitude waveform can be applied to one actuator to provide a sensation having a direction approximately corresponding to a position of that actuator in the housing. In another embodiment, the actuator assemblies each include a rotary inertial mass and the control signals have different duty cycles to provide directional sensations. For power-consumption efficiency, the control signals can be interlaced or pulsed at a different frequency and duty cycle to reduce average power requirements.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a first control signal and a second control signal, the first control signal having a period substantially identical to a period of the second control signal, the first control signal having a magnitude different from a magnitude of the second control signal; and

outputting the first control signal and the second control signal respectively to a first actuator and a second actuator at substantially the same time,

the first actuator configured to output a first haptic sensation responsive to the first control signal, the second actuator configured to output a second haptic sensation responsive to the second control signal, wherein the magnitude of the first control signal relates to the magnitude of the second control signal according to a predetermined ratio.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined ratio is associated with a spatial relationship between the first actuator and a second actuator.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving a high level command including a balance parameter, the predetermined ratio being associated with the balance parameter.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the balance parameter is configured to change dynamically so as to cause the first haptic sensation and the second haptic sensation to impart a sweeping haptic effect.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the sweeping haptic effect is correlated with at least one of a sound effect and a visual effect.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the magnitude of the first control signal is associated with a first current applied to the first actuator, the magnitude of the second control signal is associated with a second current applied to the second actuator, the method further comprising dynamically varying the first current and the second current in accordance with the balance parameter.

7. A method, comprising:

generating a first control signal and a second control signal, the first control signal having a duty cycle different from a duty cycle of the second control signal;

outputting the first control signal to a first actuator, the first actuator configured to output a first haptic sensation responsive to the first control signal; and

outputting the second control signal to a second actuator, the second actuator configured to output a second haptic sensation responsive to the second control signal, wherein the duty cycle of the first control signal relates to the duty cycle of the second control signal according to a predetermined ratio.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the predetermined ratio is associated with a spatial relationship between the first actuator and a second actuator.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising receiving a high level command including a balance parameter, the predetermined ratio being associated with the balance parameter.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the balance parameter is configured to change dynamically so as to cause the first haptic sensation and the second haptic sensation to impart a sweeping haptic effect.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the sweeping haptic effect is correlated with at least one of a sound effect and a visual effect.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a first actuator configured to receive a first control signal from the processor and output a first haptic sensation; and

a second actuator configured to receive a second control signal from the processor and output a second haptic sensation,

the first control signal having a period substantially identical to a period of the second control signal, the first control signal having a magnitude different from a magnitude of the second control signal, the processor configured to output the first control signal and the second control signal respectively to the first actuator and the second actuator at substantially the same time, wherein the magnitude of the first control signal relates to the magnitude of the second control signal according to a predetermined ratio.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the predetermined ratio is associated with a spatial relationship between the first actuator and a second actuator.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to receive a high level command including a balance parameter, the predetermined ratio being associated with the balance parameter.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the balance parameter is configured to change dynamically so as to cause the first haptic sensation and the second haptic sensation to impart a sweeping haptic effect.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the sweeping haptic effect is correlated with at least one of a sound effect and a visual effect.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the magnitude of the first control signal is associated with a first current applied to the first actuator, and the magnitude of the second control signal is associated with a second current applied to the second actuator, the first current and the second current configured to change dynamically in accordance with the balance parameter.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a first actuator configured to receive a first control signal from the processor and to output a first haptic sensation; and

a second actuator configured to receive a second control signal from the processor and output a second haptic sensation,

the first control signal having a duty cycle different from a duty cycle of the second control signal, wherein the duty cycle of the first control signal relates to the duty cycle of the second control signal according to a predetermined ratio.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the predetermined ratio is associated with a spatial relationship between the first actuator and a second actuator.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to receive a high level command including a balance parameter, the predetermined ratio being associated with the balance parameter.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the balance parameter is configured to change dynamically so as to cause the first haptic sensation and the second haptic sensation to impart a sweeping haptic effect.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein the sweeping haptic effect is correlated with at least one of a sound effect and a visual effect.

23. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code, comprising:

program code for generating a first control signal and a second control signal, the first control signal having a period substantially identical to a period of the second control signal, the first control signal having a magnitude different from a magnitude of the second control signal; and

program code for outputting the first control signal and the second control signal respectively to a first actuator and a second actuator at substantially the same time,

the first actuator configured to output a first haptic sensation responsive to the first control signal, the second actuator configured to output a second haptic sensation responsive to the second control signal, wherein the magnitude of the first control signal relates to the magnitude of the second control signal according to a predetermined ratio.

24. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 23, further comprising program code for receiving a high level command including a balance parameter, the predetermined ratio being associated with the balance parameter.

25. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 24, wherein the balance parameter is configured to change dynamically so as to cause the first haptic sensation and the second haptic sensation to impart a sweeping haptic effect.

26. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code, comprising:

program code for generating a first control signal and a second control signal, the first control signal having a duty cycle different from a duty cycle of the second control signal;

program code for outputting the first control signal to a first actuator, the first actuator configured to output a first haptic sensation responsive to the first control signal; and

program code for outputting the second control signal to a second actuator, the second actuator configured to output a second haptic sensation responsive to the second control signal, wherein the duty cycle of the first control signal relates to the duty cycle of the second control signal according to a predetermined ratio.

27. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 26, further comprising program code for receiving a high level command including a balance parameter, the predetermined ratio being associated with the balance parameter.

28. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the balance parameter is configured to change dynamically so as to cause the first haptic sensation and the second haptic sensation to impart a sweeping haptic effect.