Haptic interface device and actuator assembly providing linear haptic sensations

• US 7,432,910 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2004
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Shahoian, Erik J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said; Mansour M
• Application Number:
  US10/782,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20040227726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-173, 715/701, 715/702, 463 37- 38, 200/5.R, 200/179, 200/16.C, 200/16.D
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/015 Force feedback applied to a joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

An interface device and method providing haptic sensations to a user. A user physically contacts a housing of the interface device, and a sensor device detects the manipulation of the interface device by the user. An actuator assembly includes an actuator that provides output forces to the user as haptic sensations. In one embodiment, the actuator outputs a rotary force, and a flexure coupled to the actuator moves an inertial mass and/or a contact member. The flexure can be a unitary member that includes flex joints allowing a portion of the flexure to be linearly moved. The flexure can converts rotary force output by the actuator to linear motion, where the linear motion causes a force that is transmitted to the user. In another embodiment, the actuator outputs a force, and a mechanism coupling the actuator to the device housing uses the force to move the actuator with respect to the device housing. The actuator acts as an inertial mass when in motion to provide an inertial force that can be transmitted to the user. The mechanism can be a flexure including at least one flex joint or a mechanism with bearings.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a sensor configured to output a sensor signal associated with one of a movement and a position of a housing to which the sensor is coupled;

an actuator coupled to the housing, the actuator being configured to output a rotary force based on a haptic feedback signal received from a processor, the haptic feedback signal being based on the sensor signal; and

a flexure having a plurality of flexible joints, the flexure being coupled to the actuator and the housing, the flexure being configured to translate the rotary force to a linear motion of the flexure, the flexure operative to output haptic feedback based on the rotary force.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the linear motion is substantially along an axis perpendicular to a base of the housing, the base being configured to contact a planar support surface.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes an inertial mass, the inertial mass being configured to be moved linearly with the linear motion of the flexure, the haptic feedback including an inertial force.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the flexure is coupled to a moveable contact member, the movable contact member being configured to receive user input.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the flexure is coupled to a button coupled to the housing, the button configured to receive user input.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a rotating member coupled to a rotating shaft of the actuator and to at least one flex joint from the plurality of flex joints.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexure includes a first arm member and a second arm member, the first arm member and the second arm member being configured to couple a linear moving portion of the flexure to a stationary portion of the flexure, the first arm member and the second arm member are coupled to the linear moving portion by at least one flex joint from the plurality of flex joints.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexure includes a central member, a first branch member and a second branch member, the central member of the flexure is coupled to a rotating shaft of the actuator, the first branch member and the second branch member arranged in a substantially Y-configuration.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexure includes a central member, a first branch member and a second branch member, the central member of the flexure is coupled to a rotating shaft of the actuator, the first branch member and the second branch member arranged in a substantially Y-configuration, at least one of the flex joints from the plurality of flex joints being disposed on each of the first branch member and the second branch member, at least one flex joint from the plurality of flex joints is disposed on the central member.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexure includes:

a rotating member coupled to the housing by at least one flex joint from the plurality of flex joints, and

a first arm member and a second arm member, the first arm member and the second arm member coupling the actuator to the housing by at least one flex joint from the plurality of flex joints.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexure includes:

a rotating member coupled to the housing by at least one flex joint from the plurality of flex joints, and

a first arm member and a second arm member, the first arm member and the second arm member coupling the actuator to the housing by at least one flex joint from the plurality of flex joints, the rotating member being coupled to the housing by a first flex joint and a second flex joint from the plurality of flex joints, the actuator being coupled to the housing by the first arm member and the second arm member, the first arm member and the second arm member including at least two of the flex joints from the plurality of flex joints.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuator is driven bi-directionally, the haptic feedback including at least one of a pulse and a vibration.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexure includes at least one stop to prevent motion of a shaft of the actuator past a desired portion of a full revolution.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the linear motion is associated with a graphical representation displayed by the processor, the sensor signal being associated with a position of a cursor displayed in the graphical representation.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the haptic feedback includes a pulse associated with a simulated interaction of a cursor with a graphical object displayed in a graphical user interface.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the haptic feedback includes a pulse associated with a simulated interaction of a cursor with a graphical object displayed in a graphical user interface, the pulse having a magnitude associated with a characteristic of the graphical object.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the haptic feedback includes a pulse associated with a simulated interaction of a cursor with a graphical object from a plurality of graphical objects displayed in a graphical user interface, the pulse having a magnitude associated with a type of the graphical object from the plurality of the graphical objects.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the haptic feedback includes a pulse associated with a simulated interaction of a cursor with an item in a graphical menu.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the haptic feedback includes at least one of a pulse, vibration, and texture force.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a ball that is configured to frictionally contact a surface over which the housing is movable.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an optical sensor configured to detect a relative movement of the optical sensor with respect to a surface over which the housing is movable.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuator is positioned such that a rotating shaft of the actuator is configured to rotate about an axis substantially orthogonal to a base of the housing.

23. A device, comprising:

a housing;

a sensor coupled to the housing, the sensor configured to output a sensor signal associated with one of a movement and a position of the housing

an actuator assembly including a stationary portion that is mounted to the housing and an actuator portion that is movable with respect to the housing in response to said sensor signal; and

a mechanism including a flexure having at least a first flex joint and a second flex joint, the mechanism configured to couple the actuator portion of the actuator assembly to the housing such that movement of the actuator portion operates to provide haptic feedback to the housing in the form of an inertial force that is transferred to the housing by way of the stationary portion of the actuator assembly.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the actuator is configured to be moved in approximately a linear motion with respect to the housing.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein actuator is configured to output a rotary force.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein the actuator is configured to be moved in approximately a substantially linear motion, the linear motion being along a z-axis substantially orthogonal to an x-y plane, the device being configured to move in the x-y plane.

27. The device of claim 23, further comprising a contact member, the actuator being coupled to the contact member, the contact member being configured to move with respect to the housing in response to the force output by the actuator, the contact member being further configured to receive an external input force.

28. The device of claim 23, wherein the mechanism includes mechanical rotary bearings.

29. The device of claim 23, wherein the flexure includes:

a rotating member coupled to the housing by at least the first flex joint, and

a first arm member and a second arm member each configured to couple the actuator to the housing by at least the first flex joint.

30. The device of claim 23, wherein the flexure includes at least one stop to prevent rotation of a shaft of the actuator past a desired portion of a full revolution.

31. The device of claim 23, wherein the actuator is configured to move bi-directionally to output at least one of a pulse and a vibration.

32. The device of claim 23, wherein the haptic feedback is associated with a graphical representation displayed by a processor, a position of the housing in a planar workspace being associated with a position of a cursor displayed in the graphical representation.

33. The device of claim 23, wherein the haptic feedback is a pulse associated with the simulated interaction of a cursor with a graphical object displayed in a graphical user interface.

34. A method, comprising:

generating a sensor signal associated with one of a movement and a position of an interface device; and

imparting haptic feedback to a housing of the interface device by way of an actuator assembly having a stationary portion that is rigidly mounted to the housing and a movable actuator portion that is movable with respect to the housing in response to the sensor signal, the movable actuator portion being coupled to the housing by way of a flexure having at least one flex joint.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the haptic feedback is associated with a haptic feedback signal received by the interface device from a processor.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the actuator is moved in approximately a linear motion.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the haptic feedback output by the actuator is associated with a rotary motion of the actuator.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the actuator is moved in approximately a linear motion along a z-axis substantially orthogonal to a base of the housing.

39. An apparatus configured to be coupled to an interface device to thereby provide haptic feedback to the interface device in response to a control signal, the apparatus comprising:

an actuator having an actuator mass, an actuator housing and a rotating shaft; and

a flexure mechanism coupling the actuator housing to the interface device by way of at least one flex joint enabling relative motion between the actuator and the interface device in response to roatation of the roating shaft caused by said control signal, said relative motion imparting an inertial force to the interface device to thereby provide said haptic feedback.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the actuator moves approximately linearly.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the inertial force output by the actuator is a rotary force.

42. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein a rotating shaft of the actuator is coupled to a flexure arm including the at least one flex joint, the flexure arm being configured to be coupled to a portion of the interface device housing, the interface device housing being flexibly coupled to a carriage, the carriage being coupled to the actuator housing.

43. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the flexure mechanism includes a travel limiter configured to limit the movement of the actuator within a desired range of motion.