Vector-specific haptic feedback

• US 8,203,531 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2009
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pacinian Corporation (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Peterson, Cody George, Huska, Andrew Parris, Schlosser, James William, Krumpelman, Douglas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUBER, PAUL W
• Application Number:
  US12/403,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20090231277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

In one or more embodiments, vector-specific movement can be imparted to a user interface device (UID) to provide vector-specific haptic feedback. In at least some embodiments, this vectored movement can be based on input received by the UID. The input can include information associated with the user'"'"'s interaction with an associated device integrated with or communicatively linked with the UID, and or with an application implemented on the associated device. In at least some embodiments, the UID can be configured with a controller, a microprocessor(s), and a vector-specific actuator that includes an electrically-deformable material.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, on a user interface device (UID), an input, the input including event-associated information, the event-associated information based on a user'"'"'s interaction with an application implemented on another device;

responsive to receiving the event-associated information of the input, determining one or more directions representative of the user'"'"'s interaction with the application and one or more magnitudes representative of the user'"'"'s interaction with the application;

responsive to determining, imparting one or more vector-specific movements to the UID via an electrically-deformable material associated with the UID, the imparted one or more vector-specific movements correlating to the determined one or more directions and the determined one or more magnitudes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the UID comprises at least one of:

a video game controller, a mouse, a key or keyboard element, or a component of a computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the UID is selected from a group consisting of a component of the other device, a component integrated with the other device, and a component separate from and communicatively linked with the other device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein imparting the one or more vector-specific movements to the UID comprises:

utilizing the event-associated information to determine one or more drive parameters, wherein the one or more drive parameters specify one or both of the direction or the magnitude of the one or more vector-specific movements; and

applying, in accordance with the one or more drive parameters, one or more drive voltages to the electrically-deformable material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one or both of the direction or the magnitude of the one or more vector-specific movements is further based at least in part on information other than the input.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information other than the input comprises information associated with the UlD'"'"'s orientation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically-deformable material comprises an electroactive polymer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically-deformable material comprises an electrostatic material.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein imparting the one or more vector-specific movements to the UID comprises imparting a plurality of individual vector-specific movements, at least two of which overlap.

10. A user interface device comprising;

a controller configured to receive an input, the input including information about an event associated with an application implemented on a device communicatively linked with the user interface device;

an actuator interface module configured to apply one or more drive voltages to one or more regions of a vector-specific actuator;

the vector-specific actuator configured to impart one or more vector-specific movements to the user interface device, the one or more vector-specific movements correlating with the event associated with the application implemented on the communicatively linked device;

an electrically-deformable material associated with the controller and configured to be electrically driven to impart vector-specific movement to the user interface device, wherein one or both of a direction or a magnitude of the vector-specific movement is based at least in part on the input.

11. The user interface device of claim 10, wherein the user interface device is selected from a group consisting of a video game controller, a mouse, a key or keyboard element, and a component of a computing device.

12. The user interface device of claim 10, wherein one or more vector-specific movements impart a plurality of individual vector-specific movements, at least two of which overlap.

13. The user interface device of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to utilize the input to determine one or more drive parameters, wherein the one or more drive parameters specify at least one of the direction, the magnitude, a start time, or a duration time of the vector-specific movement.

14. The user interface device of claim 10, wherein the actuator interface module is further configured to cause the one or more drive voltages to be applied to the electrically deformable material sufficient to impart the one or more vector-specific movements.

15. The user interface device of claim 10, wherein the electrically-deformable material comprises at least one of an electroactive polymer or an electrostatic material.

16. The user interface device of claim 10, wherein one or both of the direction or the magnitude of the one or more vector-specific movements is further based at least in part on information other than the input, wherein the information other than the input comprises information associated with the user interface device'"'"'s orientation.

17. The user interface device of claim 10, wherein the information about the event is selected from a group consisting of event acceleration, event magnitude, event timing, and event direction.

18. A system comprising;

a user interface device (UID) configured to be communicatively linked with an associated device and, to be responsive to receiving an event-related input from the associated device, to provide vector-specific haptic feedback via a vectored movement of the UID; and

an electrically-deformable material associated with the UID and configured to be electrically driven to impart the vectored movement based, at least in part, on the event-related input including event information received from the associated device, which is configured to implement one or more user-interaction applications.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the UID is selected from a group consisting of a video game controller, a mouse, a key or keyboard element, and a component of a computing device.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a controller configured to determine, based at least in part on the event-related input including event information, one or more drive parameters, wherein the one or more drive parameters specify one or both of the direction or the magnitude of the vector-specific movement.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the controller is further configured to cause one or more drive voltages to be applied to the actuator according to the one or more drive parameters.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the electrically-deformable material comprises at least one of an electro active polymer or an electrostatic material.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more user-interaction applications is selected from a group consisting of a video game, a user interface, and a simulator.

24. A system comprising:

a user interface device (UID) configured to provide vectored movement responsive to receiving an input, the input comprising information about an event associated with an application implemented on a device communicatively linked with the UID;

an electrically-deformable material associated with the UID and responsive to one or more drive voltages being applied to the electrically-deformable material; and

a vector-specific actuator configured to impart the vectored movement to the UID, the vectored movement correlating with the event associated with the application implemented on the communicatively linked device.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the UID is selected from a group consisting of a video game controller, a mouse, a key or keyboard element, and a component of a computing device.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the electrically-deformable material comprises an electro active polymer.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the electrically-deformable material comprises an electrostatic material.

28. The system of claim 24, further comprising a controller configured to determine, based at least in part on the input, one or more drive parameters, wherein the one or more drive parameters specify one or both of a direction or a magnitude of the vectored movement.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the controller is further configured to cause one or more drive voltages to be applied, in accordance with the one or more drive parameters, to the electrically-deformable material sufficient to impart the vectored movement to the UID.