Control schemes for haptic feedback interface devices

• US 8,519,948 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Grant, Danny A, Goldenberg, Alex S, Gomez, Daniel H
• Primary Examiner(s): JOSEPH, DENNIS P
• Application Number:
  US11/981,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20080073131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,128 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/184
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A method is disclosed that includes outputting haptic feedback based on a movement of an object in a first direction from a first position to a second position. The haptic feedback is discontinued when the object is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction subsequent to the movement in the first direction. The haptic feedback is output again when the object moves past the second position in the first direction.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving from a sensor a signal that is associated with an active actuator;

receiving from the sensor a signal that is associated with a resistive actuator, wherein the resistive actuator is separate and different from the active actuator;

filtering the signal associated with the active actuator using a first filter to produce a first filtered signal based on a first requirement of the active actuator, wherein the first filter is associated with the active actuator;

filtering the signal associated with the resistive actuator using a second filter to produce a second filtered signal based on a second requirement of the resistive actuator, wherein the first requirement is different than the second requirement, the second filter is associated with the resistive actuator, and the first filter filters differently than the second filter based on the first and second requirements;

generating a first haptic feedback signal based on the first filtered signal, wherein the first haptic feedback signal is generated prior to outputting a first haptic feedback, and wherein the first haptic feedback signal causes the first haptic feedback to be output based on the first requirement of the active actuator;

generating a second haptic feedback signal based on the second filtered signal, wherein the second haptic feedback signal is generated prior to outputting a second haptic feedback, and wherein the second haptic feedback signal causes the second haptic feedback to be output based on the second requirement of the resistive actuator;

outputting, by the active actuator, the first haptic feedback based on the first haptic feedback signal; and

outputting, by the resistive actuator, the second haptic feedback based on the second haptic feedback signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first filtered signal is associated with a first direction and the second filtered signal is associated with a second direction opposite the first direction, and

wherein outputting the first haptic feedback comprises outputting the first haptic feedback in the first direction based on the first filtered signal and outputting the second haptic feedback in the second direction based on the second filtered signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the signal associated with the active actuator using a first filter comprises filtering the signal associated with the active actuator at a first frequency, and

wherein filtering the signal associated with the resistive actuator using the second filter comprises filtering the signal associated with the resistive actuator at a second frequency different than the first frequency.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first frequency is higher than the second frequency.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first frequency is substantially 100 Hz.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the second frequency is substantially 10 Hz.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the second haptic feedback is different from the first haptic feedback.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first haptic feedback occurs in a first direction and the second haptic feedback occurs in a second direction opposite the first direction.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the signal associated with the active actuator using a first filter comprises filtering the signal associated with the active actuator based on a delay or a level of noise.

10. A device, comprising:

an active actuator;

a resistive actuator, wherein the resistive actuator is separate and different from the active;

a sensor coupled to the active actuator and the resistive actuator;

the sensor configured to output a first signal associated with the active actuator and a second signal associated with the resistive actuator;

a first filter coupled to the sensor, the first filter configured to produce a first filtered signal based on a first requirement of the active actuator and the first signal, wherein the first filter is associated with the active actuator;

a second filter coupled to the sensor, the second filter configured to produce a second filtered signal based on a second requirement of the resistive actuator and the second signal, wherein the first requirement is different than the second requirement, the second filter is associated with the resistive actuator, and the first filter filters differently than the second filter based on the first and second requirements; and

a processor configured to;

generate a first haptic feedback signal based on the first filtered signal, wherein the first haptic feedback signal is generated prior to output of a first haptic feedback, and wherein the first haptic feedback signal causes the first haptic feedback to be output based on the first requirement of the active actuator; and

generate a second haptic feedback signal based on the second filtered signal, wherein the second haptic feedback signal is generated prior to output of a second haptic feedback, and wherein the second haptic feedback signal causes the second haptic feedback to be output based on the second requirement of the resistive actuator;

wherein the active actuator outputs a first haptic feedback in response to the first haptic feedback signal and the resistive actuator outputs a second haptic feedback in response to the second haptic feedback signal.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the first filter is further configured to produce the first filtered signal based on a first frequency, and

wherein the second filter is further configured to produce the second filtered signal based on a second frequency different than the first frequency.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the first frequency is higher than the second frequency.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the first frequency is substantially 100 Hz.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the second frequency is substantially 10 Hz.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein:

the second haptic feedback is different from the first haptic feedback.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the first haptic feedback occurs in a first direction and the second haptic feedback occurs in a second direction opposite the first direction.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the first filter is further configured to filter the first signal based on a signal delay or a level of noise.

18. A method, comprising:

receiving from a sensor a signal associated with a first type of actuator;

receiving from the sensor a signal associated with a second type of actuator different from the first type of actuator;

filtering the signal associated with the first type of actuator at a first frequency to produce a first filtered signal, wherein said filtering the signal associated with the first type of actuator comprises filtering the signal using a first filter associated with the first type of actuator;

filtering the signal associated with the second type of actuator at a second frequency to produce a second filtered signal, wherein the first frequency is higher than the second frequency wherein said filtering the signal associated with the second type of actuator comprises filtering the signal using a second filter associated with the second type of actuator;

generating a first haptic feedback signal based the first filtered signal;

generating a second haptic feedback signal based the second filtered signal;

outputting, by the first type of actuator, a first haptic feedback based on the first haptic feedback signal; and

outputting, by the second type of actuator, a second haptic feedback based on the second haptic feedback signal.