Haptic devices having multiple operational modes including at least one resonant mode

• US 8,576,174 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Grant, Danny A., Hayward, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Boddie, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENGLISH, ALECIA DIANE
• Application Number:
  US12/075,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20080170037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,062 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/169, 715700-702
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0603 using a piezoelectric bender, e.g. bimorph
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2042 Cantilevers, i.e. having one fixed end

Abstract

An electronic device and method of operating comprises a housing; a base coupled to the housing; and an electro-mechanical transducer coupled to the base, the electro-mechanical transducer configured to operate in a resonant mode and output a haptic effect upon receiving a drive signal at a predetermined drive frequency. In an embodiment, the electro-mechanical transducer further comprises a plurality of electro-mechanical transducers, each electro-mechanical transducer configured to operate in its respective resonant mode and output a respective haptic effect upon receiving a drive signal having a predetermined drive frequency. Alternatively or additionally, the electro-mechanical transducer further comprises a plurality of spaced apart electro-mechanical devices coupled thereto in a serial fashion between a first end proximal to the base and a second end distal to the base.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a base coupled to the housing; and

a plurality of electro-mechanical transducers coupled to the base, each electro-mechanical transducer configured to operate in its respective resonant mode and output a respective haptic effect upon receiving a drive signal having a predetermined drive frequency,

wherein each electro-mechanical transducer further comprises an electro-mechanical device having a piezoelectric bar and a mass coupled to the piezoelectric bar, the mass of each electro-mechanical device located a predetermined distance from the base.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein at least one mass is located a different predetermined distance from the base than a mass of another electro-mechanical device in the plurality.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein at least one mass has a weight different than a mass of another electro-mechanical device in the plurality.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the drive frequency of the drive signal applied to two or more of the electro-mechanical transducers in the plurality has a substantially same value.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the drive frequency of the drive signal applied to at least one electro-mechanical transducer in the plurality is at a higher order of the resonant frequency of another electro-mechanical transducer in the plurality.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the electro-mechanical transducers includes a plurality of spaced apart electro-mechanical devices coupled thereto in a serial fashion between a first end proximal to the base and a second end distal to the base.

7. A method of outputting haptic effects from an electronic device, the method comprising:

applying a drive signal at a predetermined drive frequency to at least one electro-mechanical transducer of a plurality of electro-mechanical transducers coupled to a base in a housing, wherein each electro-mechanical transducer comprises an electro-mechanical device coupled to the base, and wherein each electro-mechanical transducer is configured to operate at a respective resonant mode; and

outputting a haptic effect from the at least one electro-mechanical transducer,

wherein each electro-mechanical device of the plurality further comprises a piezoelectric bar having a mass coupled thereto, the mass of each electro-mechanical device located a predetermined distance from the base.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein at least one mass is located a different distance from the base than a mass of another electro-mechanical device in the plurality.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein at least one mass has a weight different than a mass of another electro-mechanical device in the plurality.

10. The method of claim 7 the drive frequency of the drive signal applied to two or more of the electro-mechanical transducers in the plurality has a substantially same value.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the drive frequency applied to at least one electro-mechanical transducer of the plurality is at a higher order of the resonant frequency of another electro-mechanical transducer in the plurality.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein at least one of the electro-mechanical transducers includes a plurality of spaced apart electro-mechanical devices coupled thereto in a serial fashion between a first end proximal to the base and a second end distal to the base.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

selectively applying the drive signal to a first electro-mechanical transducer and a second electro-mechanical transducer to operate the first and second electro-mechanical transducers at their respective resonant mode frequencies in a first operational mode to collectively output a first haptic effect; and

selectively applying the drive signal to the first electro-mechanical transducer and a third electro-mechanical transducer to operate the first and third electro-mechanical transducers at their respective resonant mode frequencies in a second operational mode to collectively output a second haptic effect.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a base coupled to the housing; and

an electro-mechanical transducer coupled to the base, the electro-mechanical transducer configured to operate in a resonant mode and output a haptic effect upon receiving a drive signal at a predetermined drive frequency, wherein the electro-mechanical transducer comprises a piezoelectric bar and a mass coupled to the piezoelectric bar.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the housing is of a mobile telephone device.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the housing is of a video game controller.

17. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the base imparts the haptic effect to the housing such that a user grasping the housing feels the haptic effect.

18. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the electro-mechanical transducer further comprises a plurality of electro-mechanical devices arranged in a parallel fashion with respect to the base, each electro-mechanical device including a piezoelectric bar and a mass coupled to the piezoelectric bar, the mass of each electro-mechanical device located a respective predetermined distance from the base.

19. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a base coupled to the housing; and

an electro-mechanical transducer coupled to the base, the electro-mechanical transducer configured to operate in a resonant mode and output a haptic effect upon receiving a drive signal at a predetermined drive frequency,

wherein the electro-mechanical transducer further comprises a plurality of spaced apart electro-mechanical devices coupled thereto in a serial fashion between a first end proximal to the base and a second end distal to the base.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of spaced apart electro-mechanical devices is configured to operate in its respective resonant mode and output a respective haptic effect upon receiving a drive signal having a predetermined drive frequency.