Haptic devices having multiple operational modes including at least one resonant mode

• US 7,369,115 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2004
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Grant, Danny, Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Hayward, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala; Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kovalick; Vincent E.
• Application Number:
  US10/792,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20050007342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/161, 345/204, 310/316.01, 310/320, 310/321, 341/20, 367/138
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0603 using a piezoelectric bender, e.g. bimorph
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2042 Cantilevers, i.e. having one fixed end

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a signal source, a driver and an electro-mechanical transducer. The signal source is configured to output a haptic feedback signal. The driver is configured to receive the haptic feedback signal and output a drive signal. The electro-mechanical transducer is configured to receive the drive signal. The electro-mechanical transducer is configured to have a set of operational modes. Each operational mode from the set of operational modes has at least one resonant mode from a set of resonant modes.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a drive signal associated with a haptic feedback signal, the drive signal having operating at a predetermined drive frequency; and

applying the drive signal to an electro-mechanical transducer to cause the transducer to produce a haptic effect, the electro-mechanical transducer operating in at least one resonant mode from a plurality of resonant modes in response to the predetermined drive frequency of the drive signal.

2. The method of claim 1, the electro-mechanical transducer being a first electro-mechanical device, the method further comprising:

applying the drive signal to a second electro-mechanical device different from the first electro-mechanical device, the first electro-mechanical device and the second electro-mechanical device collectively operating in one operational mode from a plurality of operational modes in response to the drive signal for the first electro-mechanical device and the drive signal for the second electro-mechanical device.

3. The method of claim 1, the electro-mechanical transducer being a first electro-mechanical device, the method further comprising:

applying the drive signal to a second electro-mechanical device different from the first electro-mechanical device, the first electro-mechanical device and the second electro-mechanical device collectively operating in one operational mode from a plurality of operational modes in response to the drive signal for the first electro-mechanical device and the drive signal for the second electro-mechanical device, the plurality of operational modes including a first operational mode and a second operational mode; and

changing from the first operational mode to the second operational mode, at least one the resonant mode of first electro-mechanical device and the resonant mode of the second electro-mechanical device for the first operational mode differing for the second operational mode.

4. The method of claim 1, the electro-mechanical transducer being a first electro-mechanical device, further comprising:

applying the drive signal to a second electro-mechanical device different from the first electro-mechanical device, the first electro-mechanical device and the second electro-mechanical device collectively operating in one operational mode from a plurality of operational modes in response to the drive signal for the first electro-mechanical device and the drive signal for the second electro-mechanical device,

the first operational mode being associated with the applying the drive signal to the first electro-mechanical device when the drive signal to the second electro-mechanical device is not applied,

the second operational mode being associated with the applying the drive signal to the second electro-mechanical device when the drive signal to the first electro-mechanical device is not applied.

5. A method, comprising:

receiving a drive signal;

applying the drive signal to a first electro-mechanical transducer, the electro-mechanical transducer having a plurality of operational modes in response to the drive signal, each operational mode from the plurality of operational modes having its own combination of at least one resonant mode from a plurality of resonant modes;

applying the drive signal to a second electro-mechanical device different from the first electro-mechanical device, the second electro-mechanical device and the first electro-mechanical device collectively having the plurality of operational modes, the plurality of operational modes including a first operational mode and a second operational mode; and

changing from the first operational mode to the second operational mode by altering a characteristic of the drive signal.

6. The method of claim 5, the electro-mechanical transducer being a first electro-mechanical device, the plurality of operational modes including a first operational mode and a second operational mode, the drive signal being associated with the first operational mode, the method further comprising:

applying the drive signal to a second electro-mechanical device different from the first electro-mechanical device, the second electro-mechanical device and the first electro-mechanical device collectively having the plurality of operational modes.

7. The method of claim 5, the plurality of operational modes including a first operational mode and a second operational mode, the drive signal being associated with the first operational mode, the method further comprising:

changing from the first operational mode to the second operational mode by altering a characteristic of the drive signal.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a signal source, the signal source being configured to output a haptic feedback signal;

a driver, the driver being configured to receive the haptic feedback signal and output a drive signal having a predetermined drive frequency; and

an electro-mechanical transducer being configured to receive the drive signal, the electro-mechanical transducer being operative in a plurality of operational modes, each operational mode from the plurality of operational modes having at least one resonant mode from a plurality of resonant modes, wherein the electro-mechanical transducer outputs a haptic effect in the at least one resonant mode in response to the predetermined drive frequency.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the electro-mechanical transducer is a piezoelectric transducer.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the electro-mechanical transducer is an electro-active polymer.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, the electro-mechanical transducer being a first electro-mechanical device, the apparatus further comprising:

a second electro-mechanical device different from the first electro-mechanical device, the second electro-mechanical device being configured to receive the drive signal, the plurality of operational modes being associated with the first electro-mechanical transducer and the second electro-mechanical transducer collectively.

12. A handheld communication device comprising:

a cantilevered transducer being configured to receive a drive signal, the cantilevered transducer being operative in a plurality of operational modes, each operational mode from the plurality of operational modes having at least one resonant mode from a plurality of resonant modes, wherein the electro-mechanical transducer outputs a haptic effect in the at least one resonant mode in response to the predetermined drive frequency.

13. A method of producing a haptic effect in a handheld communication device, the method comprising:

providing a cantilevered transducer having a first fixed end and a second end which is flexibly moveable with respect to the first fixed end, the transducer having a mass fixed thereon a predetermined length from the first end;

receiving a drive signal associated with a haptic feedback signal, the drive signal having operating at a drive frequency; and

applying the drive signal to the transducer to produce a haptic effect, the electro-mechanical transducer operating in at least one resonant mode from a plurality of resonant modes in response to the drive frequency of the drive signal.