Haptic feedback system with stored effects

• US 8,098,234 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2007
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Lacroix, Robert A., Gregorio, Pedro, Tierling, Kollin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhou, Hong
• Application Number:
  US11/748,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20080198139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,709 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-173, 455/466, 455/567, 710/5, 710/6, 710/8, 710/69, 715701-702
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/048 Arrangements providing optical indication of the incoming call, e.g. flasher circuits

Abstract

A haptic feedback system that includes a controller, a memory coupled to the controller, an actuator drive circuit coupled to the controller, and an actuator coupled to the actuator drive circuit. The memory stores at least one haptic effect that is executed by the controller in order to create a haptic effect.

Claims

1. A haptic feedback system comprising:

a controller;

a memory coupled to said controller;

an actuator drive circuit coupled to said controller; and

an actuator coupled to said actuator drive circuit;

wherein said memory stores at least one haptic effect that drives the actuator;

wherein the stored haptic effect comprises a plurality of data bytes, and each data byte defines a haptic parameter comprising either a magnitude or a time duration, and wherein a data byte comprises an indication of an optional slope of the magnitude;

wherein the controller generates a haptic effect by receiving a first magnitude data byte and a second time duration data byte from the memory and generating a signal of the magnitude specified in the first magnitude data byte and for a duration specified in the second time duration data byte and, when the optional slope is indicated in the first magnitude data byte, the magnitude is adjusted by the slope; and

applying the signal to the actuator.

2. The haptic feedback system of claim 1, wherein said haptic effect comprises a plurality of discrete magnitude points.

3. The haptic feedback system of claim 2, wherein the magnitude is held constant over a time period.

4. The haptic feedback system of claim 2, wherein the magnitude is modulated over a time period as a function of time.

5. The haptic feedback system of claim 2, wherein said discrete magnitude points comprise a start point, a sustain point, a brake point, and a zero point.

6. The haptic feedback system of claim 1, wherein said haptic effect is a precomputed haptic effect.

7. The haptic feedback system of claim 6, wherein said haptic effect is generated with an effect design tool.

8. The haptic feedback system of claim 1, wherein said actuator is a Linear Resonant Actuator.

9. The haptic feedback system of claim 1, wherein said actuator is a piezo actuator.

10. The haptic feedback system of claim 1, wherein the haptic effect is stored as a digitized streamed envelope construct.

11. The haptic feedback system of claim 1, wherein the haptic effect is generated when a first priority of the haptic effect is higher than a second priority of a current haptic effect.

12. A method of generating a haptic effect comprising:

retrieving a stored haptic effect;

generating drive signals based on the stored haptic effect; and

applying the drive signals to an actuator;

wherein the stored haptic effect comprises a plurality of data bytes, and each data byte defines a haptic parameter comprising either a magnitude or a time duration, and wherein a data byte comprises an indication of an optional slope of the magnitude;

generating the haptic effect by receiving a first magnitude data byte and a second time duration data byte and generating a signal of the magnitude specified in the first magnitude data byte and for a duration specified in the second time duration data byte and adjusting the magnitude by the slope when the optional slope is indicated in the first magnitude data byte; and

applying the signal to the actuator.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the haptic effect comprises a plurality of discrete magnitude points.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the magnitude is held constant over a time period.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the magnitude is modulated over a time period as a function of time.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the discrete magnitude points comprise a start point, a sustain point, a brake point, and a zero point.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the haptic effect is a pre-computed haptic effect.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the haptic effect is generated with an effect design tool.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the actuator is a Linear Resonant Actuator.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the actuator is a piezo actuator.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the haptic effect is stored as a digitized streamed envelope construct.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the haptic effect comprises determining if a first priority of the haptic effect is higher than a second priority of a current haptic effect.

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

retrieve a stored haptic effect;

generate drive signals based on the stored haptic effect; and

apply the drive signals to an actuator;

wherein the stored haptic effect comprises a plurality of data bytes, and each data byte defines a haptic parameter comprising either a magnitude or a time duration, and wherein a data byte comprises an indication of an optional slope of the magnitude;

wherein the processor generates a haptic effect by receiving a first magnitude data byte and a second time duration data byte and generating a signal of the magnitude specified in the first magnitude data byte and for a duration specified in the second time duration data byte and adjusting the magnitude by the slope when the optional slope is indicated in the first magnitude data byte; and

applying the signal to the actuator.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the haptic effect comprises a plurality of discrete magnitude points.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the magnitude is held constant over a time period.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the magnitude is modulated over a time period as a function of time.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the discrete magnitude points comprise a start point, a sustain point, a brake point, and a zero point.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the haptic effect is generated with an effect design tool.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the actuator is a Linear Resonant Actuator.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the actuator is a piezo actuator.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the haptic effect is stored as a digitized streamed envelope construct.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the haptic effect is a pre-computed haptic effect.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the haptic effect is generated when a first priority of the haptic effect is higher than a second priority of a current haptic effect.