Hybrid haptic device utilizing mechanical and programmable haptic effects

• US 8,174,512 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Ramstein, Christophe, Tashjian, Greg, Grant, Danny A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRAWLEY, KEITH L
• Application Number:
  US11/479,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20070279401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,139 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345163-164, 345/167, 345/184, 463/37, 715701-702
• US Class Current: 345/184
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/08 Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/03 Means for enhancing the operator's awareness of arrival of the controlling member at a command or datum position; Providing feel, e.g. means for creating a counterforce arrangements for indicating the position of the controlling member G05G1/015
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 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: H01H 19/11 with indexing means
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/008 with a haptic or a tactile feedback controlled by electrical means, e.g. a motor or magnetofriction

Abstract

System and method for a rotary control in a device that comprises a knob, a shaft supporting the knob and coupled to rotate therewith a base supporting the shaft. A sensor, operationally coupled to the base, is configured to detect an aspect of manipulation of the knob, which may include information relating to position, velocity, acceleration, torque, rate of rotation, time of rotation, or a combination thereof. A mechanical haptic assembly is operationally coupled between the base and the shaft to provide mechanical based haptic effects in response to movement of the knob with respect to the base. A programmable electronic-based actuator is operationally coupled to the knob and provides electronic-based haptic force feedback to the knob.

Claims

1. A rotary input control device, comprising:

a rotatable shaft;

a manipulandum coupled to the shaft;

a mechanical haptic assembly coupled to the manipulandum and configured to generate one or more mechanical haptic effects in response to rotation of the manipulandum;

a sensor configured to measure manipulation of the manipulandum and to output manipulation information;

a controller coupled to the sensor and configured to receive manipulation information and mechanical haptic assembly information and output a haptic output signal based at least in part on the mechanical haptic assembly information; and

an actuator operationally coupled to the manipulandum and the controller and responsive to the haptic output signal to provide a programmable haptic effect in response to rotation of the manipulandum;

wherein the mechanical haptic assembly comprises a plurality of mechanical detents and the mechanical haptic assembly information comprises at least one of;

a number of the mechanical detents, a width of the mechanical detents, or a location of the center of the mechanical detents;

wherein the controller generates the haptic output signal using at least an algorithm, and the mechanical haptic assembly information is provided as an input to the algorithm;

wherein the actuator overlays the programmable haptic effect onto the one or more mechanical haptic effects based on at least one programmable haptic effect profile; and

wherein the controller is further configured to output an output signal to turn off the programmable haptic effect, wherein the one or more mechanical haptic effects are generated in response to rotation of the manipulandum.

2. The rotary input control device of claim 1, further comprising:

an audio transducer;

wherein the controller is configured to output an audio signal to the audio transducer in response to rotation of the manipulandum.

3. The rotary input control device of claim 1, wherein the mechanical haptic assembly includes a mechanical hard stop.

4. The rotary input control device of claim 1, further comprising an electromechanical switch that allows rotation of the manipulandum without generating mechanical haptic effects.

5. The rotary input control device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to measure a speed at which the manipulandum is rotated.

6. The rotary input control device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to measure detection of a radial position of at least a portion of a mechanical detent.

7. The rotary input control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate the haptic output signal while the manipulandum is at a rest position of a detent.

8. The rotary input control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate the haptic output signal while the mechanical haptic assembly is captured at a specific detent and wherein the haptic output signal is responsive, at least in part, to the specific detent in which the mechanical haptic assembly is captured.

9. The rotary input control device of claim 1, wherein the programmable haptic effect is a resistive force feedback.

10. The rotary input control device of claim 1, wherein the programmable haptic effect is an active force feedback.

11. The rotary input control device of claim 1, wherein the haptic output signal serves to create at least one hard stop.

12. The rotary input control device of claim 1, wherein the haptic output signal serves to create a hard stop to separate a number of mechanical detents according to a state of a user interface at a given time.

13. The rotary input control device of claim 1, wherein:

the controller is configured to output an audio signal to an audio transducer in response to the manipulandum entering a detent.

20. The rotary input control device of claim 1, wherein the algorithm comprises a look-up table.

14. A method for interacting with a rotary input control device, the method comprising:

rotating a knob and a coupled mechanical haptic assembly in synchrony with one another;

generating mechanical haptic effects from the mechanical haptic assembly in response to the rotation;

sensing by a sensor manipulation of the rotary input control device;

outputting a haptic output signal from a controller coupled to the sensor, the haptic output signal based at least in part on the sensor output and mechanical haptic assembly information; and

generating one or more programmable haptic effects from an actuator operationally coupled to the rotary input control device and responsive to the haptic output signal;

wherein the mechanical haptic assembly comprises a plurality of mechanical detents and the mechanical haptic assembly information comprises at least one of;

a number of the mechanical detents, a width of the mechanical detents, or a location of the center of the mechanical detents;

wherein the controller generates the haptic output signal using at least an algorithm, and the mechanical haptic assembly information is provided as an input to the algorithm;

wherein the actuator overlays the one or more programmable haptic effects onto the one or more mechanical haptic effects based on at least one programmable haptic effect profile; and

wherein the controller further outputs an output signal to turn off the programmable haptic effect, wherein the one or more mechanical haptic effects are generated in response to rotation.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

generating programmable audio effects from an audio transducer coupled to the rotary input control device.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

generating mechanical detents by rotation of the mechanical haptic assembly.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the mechanical haptic assembly is configured to create a hard stop with the rotation.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensing includes a rotary position attained by the manipulandum.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensing includes a speed at which the manipulandum is rotated.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the algorithm comprises a look-up table.