Method and apparatus for generating haptic feedback from plasma actuation

• US 8,345,013 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2009
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Heubel, Robert W., Bakircioglu, Muge, Swalen, Douglas King
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMPSON, LIXI CHOW
• Application Number:
  US12/353,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20100177050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A method and device for generating haptic feedback over a touch surface using plasma actuation are disclosed. A haptic device includes a touch surface, plasma, and a substrate. In one embodiment, the touch surface, which can be made of flexible and/or deformable materials, is capable of sensing one or more events. The substrate is situated adjacent to the touch surface with a separation gap, which physically separates the substrate from the touch surface. The substrate provides haptic feedback in response to the event(s). The plasma is capable of accumulating at one or more pockets located in the separation gap, and configured to facilitate the haptic feedback via energy transfer.

Claims

1. A haptic device, comprising:

a touch surface capable of sensing a first event; and

a substrate situated adjacent to the touch surface with a separation gap between the substrate and the touch surface, the separation gap comprising one or more plasma pockets, wherein the substrate is configured to provide plasma that accumulates at the separation gap, the accumulated plasma causing an energy transfer that imparts a first haptic feedback to the touch surface via the one or more plasma pockets in response to the first event,

wherein the substrate is further configured to provide first plasma having a first concentration to a first pocket and second plasma having a second concentration to a second pocket, wherein the first concentration is different than the second concentration to cause a first amount of energy transfer that is different than a second amount of energy transfer.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the touch surface comprises a flexible deformable touch pad.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the touch surface capable of sensing a first event is configured to detect a contact when the touch surface deforms in response to a depression by a finger.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the touch surface capable of sensing a first event is configured to detect a contact when the touch surface deforms in response to a contact by a stylus.

5. The device of claim 1,

wherein the touch surface is capable of sensing a second event independent of the first event;

wherein the separation gap includes a plurality of plasma pockets capable of housing the plasma; and

wherein the substrate generates a second haptic feedback in response to the second event.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor capable of sensing capacitance from a touch of the touch surface by an object.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is coupled to a power supply and is capable of producing the plasma.

8. The device of claim 1,

wherein the flexible surface comprises a touch-sensitive surface capable of sensing a touch on its surface;

and

wherein the plasma is ionized gas having free electrons.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the energy transfer includes a plasma strike moving from the substrate to the touch surface.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the first amount of energy transfer is performed independently of the second amount of energy transfer.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the first amount of energy transfer facilitates a second haptic feedback that is different than a third haptic feedback facilitated by the second amount of energy transfer.

12. A method of providing haptic feedback via a device comprising a touch surface, a substrate and a separation gap disposed between the touch surface and the substrate, the method comprising:

generating plasma facilitated by the substrate, the substrate capable of drawing current from a power source;

providing first plasma having a first concentration to a first pocket of the separation gap and second plasma having a second concentration to a second pocket of the separation gap, wherein the first concentration is different than the second concentration to cause a first amount of energy transfer that is different than a second amount of energy transfer;

detecting a contact over a first surface of the touch surface; and

transferring energy from the substrate through the provided plasma at the pocket to the touch surface in response to the contact.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

coupling a substrate with a power source; and

coupling a touch sensitive device to the touch surface for detecting the contact.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein generating plasma facilitated by the substrate capable of drawing current from a power source includes providing ionized gas with free electrons.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising placing a touch surface over the substrate having a separation gap between the touch surface and the substrate, wherein placing a touch surface over the substrate having a separation gap between the touch surface and the surface and the substrate includes:

depositing a touch-sensitive flexible surface capable of sensing a depressing by a user'"'"'s finger; and

dividing the separation gap into a plurality of pockets capable of housing the plasma.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising placing a touch surface over the substrate having a separation gap between the touch surface and the substrate, wherein placing a touch surface over the substrate having a separation gap between the touch surface and the substrate includes:

depositing a touch-sensitive surface capable of sensing a finger capacitance from a touch by a user'"'"'s finger; and

dividing the separation gap into a plurality of pockets capable of housing the plasma.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein providing first plasma in the first separation gap further includes filling the first pocket in the first separation gap with ionized gas with negative carriers.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting a contact over a first surface of the touch surface further includes sensing a depression of a finger tip on a deformable touch surface.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein transferring energy from the substrate through the provided plasma to the touch surface further includes providing tactile feedback to the contact at the first surface in response to energy transfer from plasmas gas via a second surface of the touch surface to the first surface.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein transferring energy from the substrate through the provided plasma to the touch surface includes releasing static discharge built up by the plasma.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting a contact over a first surface of the touch surface further includes sensing a change of capacitance caused by a touch of a finger tip on the touch surface.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein transferring energy from the substrate through plasma to the touch surface further includes initiating an energy transfer in response to the change of capacitance caused by the touch of a finger tip.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting a contact over a first surface of the touch surface further includes sensing a contact by an object on a deformable touch surface.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein sensing a contact by an object on a deformable touch surface includes detecting a touch on the first surface of the touch surface by a stylus.

25. An apparatus of providing haptic feedback, comprising:

means for generating plasma facilitated by a substrate capable of drawing current from a power source;

means for aggregating plasma in at a pocket of a separation gap situated between the substrate and a touch surface;

means for detecting a contact over a first surface of the touch surface; and

means for transferring energy from the substrate through the aggregated plasma at the pocket to the touch surface in response to the contact,

wherein the mean for aggregating plasma at the pocket of the separation gap includes mean for providing first plasma having a first concentration to the first pocket of the separation gap and second plasma having a second concentration to a second pocket of the separation gap, wherein the first concentration is different than the second concentration to cause a first amount of energy transfer that is different than a second amount of energy transfer.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

means for coupling a substrate with a power source; and

means for coupling a touch sensitive device to the touch surface for detecting the contact.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein means for generating plasma facilitated by a substrate capable of drawing current from a power source includes means for providing ionized gas with free electrons.