Systems and methods for haptic sound

• US 8,139,803 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immerz Inc. |
• Original Assignee: Immerz Inc. |
• Inventors: Afshar, Shahriar S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faulk, Devona
• Assistant Examiner(s): Paul, Disler
• Application Number:
  US11/433,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20070038164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,139 Days
• Field of Search: 381333-334, 381/385, 381 61- 62, 381/67, 181130-131, 600 46- 47, 600 26- 28, 601 26- 28, 601 46- 47
• US Class Current: 381/333
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0263 using rotating unbalanced masses
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/023 Transducers incorporated in garment, rucksacks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2400/03 Transducers capable of generating both sound as well as tactile vibration, e.g. as used in cellular phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers

Abstract

Systems and methods for applying vibration to the human body. A vibration system includes a vibrator capable of converting an electrical signal into vibration. In one aspect, the vibrator is arranged on or about the human body on a pectoralis major muscle and spaced away from a sternum. In another aspect, the vibrator is arranged on or about the human body such that a first pattern of vibrations are generated on the body'"'"'s surface. The first pattern of vibrations matches in relative amplitude a second pattern of vibrations generated on the body'"'"'s surface when the body generates sound.

Claims

1. A vibration system comprising:

a vibrator capable of converting an electrical signal into a vibration, and

a support structure for arranging the vibrator at a location on or about a human body such that a first pattern of vibrations are generated on the body'"'"'s surface,

wherein said first pattern matches in relative amplitude a second pattern of vibrations generated on the body'"'"'s surface when the body generates sound.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second vibrator arranged on or about the body on a pectoralis major muscle and spaced away from the sternum.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the support structure includes a curved harness adapted to fit over a shoulder of the body and having two ends configured to flex inwardly toward each other.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the support structure includes a second curved harness adapted to fit over a shoulder of the body and having two ends configured to flex inwardly toward each other.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the two ends of each curved harness are adapted to flex inwardly and push a vibrator against the body.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising an adjustable endpiece nested within a free end of each curved harness and capable of sliding in and out of the free end.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising an adductor joint at a point of attachment of the two curved harnesses, adapted to adduct the two curved harnesses.

8. The system of claim 5, further comprising a harness joint at a midsection of each curved harness adapted to allow a free end of each curved harness to fold towards a point of attachment of the two curved harnesses.

9. The system of claim 5, further comprising a vibrator joint at a point of attachment of a vibrator to a free end of a curved harness, adapted to adjust an angle between the vibrator and the free end.

10. The system of claim 5, further comprising a vibrator positioned at a point of attachment of the two curved harnesses, adapted to convert a rear channel electrical audio signal of a surround sound system into a vibration.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the support structure includes a bent element adapted to fit on a front of a shoulder of the body and having an end adapted to attach to the vibrator.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a vibrator joint at a point of attachment of the vibrator to the bent element, adapted to adjust an angle between the vibrator and the bent element.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the support structure includes a semi-circular element adapted to fit around a back of a neck of the body and having two ends each adapted to attach to a bent element.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a bent element joint at a point of attachment of a bent element to the semi-circular element, adapted to fold the bent element and the semi-circular element together in a common plane.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the support structure includes a long element vertically centered on an upper back of the body, attached to a midpoint of the semi-circular element at an angle adapted to push a vibrator against the body.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a midpoint joint at a point of attachment of the long element to the semi-circular element, adapted to fold the two elements together in a common plane.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the support structure includes a first stretchable band adapted to fit around a neck, a second stretchable band connected to the first stretchable band and adapted to depend from the first stretchable band, and a fastener adapted to fasten the second stretchable band to a waistband.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a video display for generating a visual image.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pitch controller capable of modulating a pitch characteristic of an electrical signal.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising a volume controller capable of raising and lowering an amplitude characteristic of an electrical signal.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fade-in device capable of gradually raising an amplitude characteristic of an electrical signal.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising an amplitude-ceiling device capable of imposing an upper limit on an amplitude characteristic of an electrical signal.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a signal processing device capable of detecting that no electrical signal has been received for a preset amount of time,

a power supply for powering a signal processing device, and

an automatic shut-off device capable of turning off the signal processing device in response to the signal processing device detecting that no electrical signal is being received for the preset amount of time.

24. The system of claim 1, further comprising a bass-enhancement device capable of sampling a first electrical signal to create a sampled signal, modulating a pitch characteristic of the sampled signal to create a modulated sampled signal, and mixing the modulated sampled signal with the first electrical signal.

25. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a low frequency cross-over circuit capable of filtering through low frequency sound from an electrical signal, and

an amplifier capable of amplifying the electrical signal.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the vibrator includes at least one of an inertial transducer, an off-balance rotor, a tactile transducer, or a piezoelectric transducer.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein a surface of the vibrator is made of at least one of synthetic rubber, silicone, foam cushion, or speaker cover fabric.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein a surface of the support structure is made of at least one of synthetic rubber or speaker cover fabric.

29. The system of claim 1, further comprising an audio speaker for generating sound.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the support structure disposes a plurality of vibrators on a front-back coronal plane of the body and symmetrically across a left-right median plane of the body.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the vibrator is arranged on or about a side of a torso of the body.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein the support structure includes a stretchable band adapted to encircle a torso of the body.