Haptic device with indirect haptic feedback
First Claim
1. An indirect haptic device, comprising a substrate having a touch surface, a piezoelectric bending element laminated to the substrate, a position sensor that senses a position of a user'"'"'s appendage relative to the touch surface, a control device connected to the position sensor and piezoelectric bending element, wherein the piezoelectric bending element imparts ultrasonic vibrations to the substrate and the control device modulates the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrations to reduce friction felt by the user'"'"'s appendage on the touch surface in response to a sensed position of the user'"'"'s appendage relative to the touch surface and/or a derivative thereof, and wherein the piezoelectric bending element does not alter the contour of the touch surface in a manner that is perceptible to a user'"'"'s sight or touch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A haptic device provides indirect haptic feedback and virtual texture sensations to a user by modulation of friction of a touch surface of the device in response to one or more sensed parameters and/or time. The sensed parameters can include, but are not limited to, sensed position of the user'"'"'s finger, derivatives of sensed finger position such as velocity and/or acceleration, sensed finger pressure, and/or sensed direction of motion of the finger. The touch surface is adapted to be touched by a user'"'"'s bare finger, thumb or other appendage and/or by an instrument such as a stylus held by the user.
132 Citations
49 Claims
- 1. An indirect haptic device, comprising a substrate having a touch surface, a piezoelectric bending element laminated to the substrate, a position sensor that senses a position of a user'"'"'s appendage relative to the touch surface, a control device connected to the position sensor and piezoelectric bending element, wherein the piezoelectric bending element imparts ultrasonic vibrations to the substrate and the control device modulates the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrations to reduce friction felt by the user'"'"'s appendage on the touch surface in response to a sensed position of the user'"'"'s appendage relative to the touch surface and/or a derivative thereof, and wherein the piezoelectric bending element does not alter the contour of the touch surface in a manner that is perceptible to a user'"'"'s sight or touch.
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26. An indirect haptic device, comprising a substrate having a touch surface, a piezoelectric bending element laminated to the substrate for imparting ultrasonic vibrations to the substrate, and a control device to modulate an amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrations over time to modulate a reduction in friction of the touch surface felt by a user'"'"'s appendage on the touch surface over time, wherein the ultrasonic vibrations do not alter the contour of the touch surface in a manner that is perceptible to a user'"'"'s sight or touch.
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27. An indirect haptic device, comprising a substrate having a touch surface, a piezoelectric bending element laminated to the substrate for imparting ultrasonic vibrations to the substrate, and a control device to modulate a reduction in friction of the touch surface felt by a user'"'"'s appendage on the touch surface by modulating an amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrations in response to a sensed direction of motion of the user'"'"'s appendage relative to the touch surface, wherein the ultrasonic vibrations do not alter the contour of the touch surface in a manner that is perceptible to a user'"'"'s sight or touch.
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28. An apparatus, comprising a plurality of indirect haptic devices arranged in a pattern that a user'"'"'s appendage can explore, each of the indirect haptic devices including a substrate having a touch surface that is adapted to be engaged by a user'"'"'s appendage and a piezoelectric bending element laminated to the substrate for imparting ultrasonic vibrations to the substrate;
- and one or more control devices to provide different modulated amplitudes of ultrasonic vibration at different indirect haptic devices to modulate a reduction in friction of respective touch surfaces felt by the user'"'"'s appendage exploring different indirect haptic devices of the pattern, wherein the ultrasonic vibrations do not alter the contour of the touch surface in a manner that is perceptible to a user'"'"'s sight or touch.
- View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
- 42. An indirect haptic device, comprising a substrate having a touch surface that is adapted to be engaged by a user'"'"'s appendage, a piezoelectric bending element laminated to the substrate for imparting ultrasonic vibrations to the substrate, a pressure sensor, and a control device to vary friction felt by the user'"'"'s appendage by varying an amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrations to vary a reduction in friction of the touch surface felt by the user'"'"'s appendage in response to a sensed pressure of the user'"'"'s appendage on the touch surface, wherein the ultrasonic vibrations do not alter the contour of the touch surface in a manner that is perceptible to a user'"'"'s sight or touch.
- 47. A method of controlling an indirect haptic device, comprising ultrasonically vibrating a substrate having a touch surface using a piezoelectric bending element laminated to the substrate, sensing a parameter of operation or determining time, and modulating an amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrations to in turn modulate a reduction in friction of the touch surface felt by the user'"'"'s appendage in response to the sensed parameter or determined time so as to vary friction felt by a user of the touch surface, wherein the ultrasonic vibrations do not alter the contour of the touch surface in a manner that is perceptible to a user'"'"'s sight or touch.
Specification