Digital envelope modulator for haptic feedback devices
First Claim
1. A haptic feedback device comprising:
- a user interface device;
a transducer coupled to the user interface device and configured to impart a haptic force to the user interface device at a resonance frequency of the haptic feedback device based on an output signal;
a sensor configured to output a sensor signal; and
a signal generation module comprising a programmable microcontroller, the signal generation module configured to determine the resonance frequency based on the sensor signal and to provide the output signal, wherein the output signal is a composite signal comprising a carrier component and an envelope component, and wherein the microcontroller is programmable to control at least one of the carrier component or the envelope component to change the haptic force based on the sensor signal and a change to the resonance frequency caused by an external force.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A haptic feedback device includes a signal generation module configured to output a composite signal representable by a carrier signal and an envelope signal. The signal generation module includes a microcontroller capable of being programmed such that the carrier signal falls within a resonance frequency band of the haptic feedback device. The haptic feedback device also includes a user interface device, and a transducer configured to impart haptic force to the user interface device in response to the composite signal. A tactile mapping submodule, a duration mapping submodule, and an attack/decay mapping submodule may also be included. The tactile mapping submodule enables compensation for haptic output at different positions on the haptic feedback device, whereas the duration and attack/decay submodules enable prevention of unwanted audio output.
100 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A haptic feedback device comprising:
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a user interface device; a transducer coupled to the user interface device and configured to impart a haptic force to the user interface device at a resonance frequency of the haptic feedback device based on an output signal; a sensor configured to output a sensor signal; and a signal generation module comprising a programmable microcontroller, the signal generation module configured to determine the resonance frequency based on the sensor signal and to provide the output signal, wherein the output signal is a composite signal comprising a carrier component and an envelope component, and wherein the microcontroller is programmable to control at least one of the carrier component or the envelope component to change the haptic force based on the sensor signal and a change to the resonance frequency caused by an external force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for generating haptic feedback using a haptic feedback device, the method comprising:
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generating an output signal; generating haptic force based on the output signal at a resonance frequency of the haptic feedback device; receiving a sensor signal; determining the resonance frequency based on the sensor signal; and modifying the output signal in response to the sensor signal and a change in the resonance frequency caused by an external force. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A haptic feedback device comprising:
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a user interface device; a transducer coupled to the user interface device and configured to impart a haptic force to the user interface device, based on an output signal, such that the user interface device outputs haptic feedback at a targeted location; a sensor configured to output a sensor signal; and a signal generation module comprising a programmable microcontroller and a tactile mapping submodule, the signal generation module configured to determine the resonance frequency based on the sensor signal and to generate the output signal with reference to the tactile mapping submodule such that the output signal is based in part on the targeted location, and wherein the output signal is a composite signal comprising a carrier component and an envelope component, and wherein the microcontroller is programmable to control at least one of the carrier component or the envelope component to change the haptic force based on the sensor signal and a change to a resonance frequency of the haptic feedback device caused by an external force.
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15. A haptic feedback device comprising:
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a user interface device; a sensor configured to output a sensor signal; a signal generation module configured to determine the resonance frequency based on the sensor signal and to provide an output signal, wherein the output signal is a composite signal comprising a carrier component and an envelope component, and wherein the microcontroller is programmable to control at least one of the carrier component or the envelope component to change the haptic force based on the sensor signal and a change to the resonance frequency caused by an external force; a tactile mapping submodule configured to adjust the output signal based in part on a location on the user interface device at which a haptic force is to be output; and a transducer configured to receive an adjusted output signal and impart the haptic force to the user interface device in response to the adjusted output signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for generating haptic feedback using a haptic feedback device, the method comprising:
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generating an output signal, wherein the output signal is a composite signal comprising a carrier component and an envelope component; adjusting at least one of the carrier component or the envelope component of the output signal based in part on a location on the haptic feedback device to output haptic force; receiving a sensor signal; determining the resonance frequency based on the sensor signal; and adjusting at least one of the carrier component or the envelope component to change the haptic force based on the sensor signal and a change to a resonance frequency of the haptic feedback device caused by an external force.
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20. A haptic feedback device comprising:
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a user interface device; a transducer configured to impart haptic force to the user interface device based in part on an output signal, the transducer configured to output the haptic force for a duration beginning and/or ending substantially at a zero crossing point of the output signal; a sensor configured to output a sensor signal; and a signal generation module comprising a duration mapping submodule and a microcontroller, the signal generation module configured to determine the resonance frequency based on the sensor signal and to generate the output signal based in part on the duration mapping submodule, wherein the output signal is a composite signal comprising a carrier component and an envelope component, and wherein the microcontroller is programmable to control at least one of the carrier component or the envelope component to change the haptic force based on the sensor signal and a change to a resonance frequency of the haptic feedback device caused by an external force. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for generating haptic feedback using a haptic feedback device, the method comprising:
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generating an output signal wherein the output signal is a composite signal comprising a carrier component and an envelope component; imparting a haptic force on the haptic feedback device for a duration beginning and/or ending substantially at a zero crossing point of the output signal; receiving a sensor signal; determining the resonance frequency based on the sensor signal; and modifying at least one of the carrier component or the envelope component to change the haptic force based on the sensor signal and a change to the resonance frequency of the haptic feedback device caused by an external force. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A haptic feedback device comprising:
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a user interface device; a sensor configured to output a sensor; a signal generation module comprising a microcontroller, the signal generation module configured to determine the resonance frequency based on the sensor signal and to generate an output signal wherein the output signal is a composite signal comprising a carrier component and an envelope component and wherein the microcontroller is programmable to control at least one of the carrier component or the envelope component to change the haptic force based on the sensor signal and a change to a resonance frequency caused by an external force; an attack/decay mapping submodule configured to modify at least one of the carrier component or the envelope component to substantially eliminate discontinuities at at least one zero crossing point of the output signal; a transducer configured to impart haptic force to the user interface device in response to the-output signal, the haptic force beginning and/or ending at the at least one zero crossing point. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for generating haptic feedback using a haptic feedback device, the method comprising:
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generating an output signal, wherein the output signal is a composite signal comprising a carrier component and an envelope component; imparting a haptic force on the haptic feedback device in response to the output signal, the haptic force beginning and/or ending at at least one zero crossing point of the output signal; modifying at least one of the carrier component or the envelope component to substantially eliminate discontinuities at at least one zero crossing point of the output signal; receiving a sensor signal; determining the resonance frequency based on the sensor signal; and modifying at least one of the carrier component or the envelope component to change the haptic force based on the sensor signal and a change to the resonance frequency caused by an external force.
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Specification