Asymmetric and general vibration waveforms from multiple synchronized vibration actuators

• US 8,981,682 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Vibration Corporation
• Original Assignee: Coactive Drive Corporation
• Inventors: Delson, Nathan, Houston, John, Graham, Gabe
• Primary Examiner(s): Paul, Antony M
• Application Number:
  US13/422,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20120232780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 318/34, 318/37, 318/38, 318/114, 318/115, 318/119, 318/135, 318/255, 318/687, 318/807, 318/139, 318/611, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 463/36
• US Class Current: 318/114
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

The disclosure relates to General Synchronized Vibration devices that provide haptic feedback to a user and improve the performance of existing vibratory devices. Different actuator types may be employed to provide synchronized vibration, including linear rotary actuators, rotating eccentric mass actuators including interleaved rotating mass actuators, and rocking mass actuators. A controller sends signals to one or more driver circuits to provide adjustment of vibration magnitude, frequency, and direction of the actuators. The system may apply forces onto an object, and a sensor measures a feature(s) of the object. This information is provided to a vibration device controller, which can then modify the vibration waveform to improve overall system performance. Fourier synthesis can be used to approximate arbitrarily shaped waveforms by controlling the phase and frequency of vibration actuators. These waveforms can include asymmetry where the peak force in one direction is higher than the peak force in another direction.

Claims

1. A vibration device, comprising:

a mounting platform; and

a plurality of actuators, each of the plurality of actuators being configured to build up an amplitude of that actuator'"'"'s force output over successive cycles of operation;

wherein each of the plurality of actuators is attached to the mounting platform so the force outputs of the plurality of actuators are superimposed onto the mounting platform, and

the plurality of actuators is configured to simultaneously generate force waveforms, corresponding to the force outputs, for at least two different harmonics of a desired force output waveform such that each actuator generates a single harmonic of the desired output waveform, wherein each harmonic is a non-zero integer multiple of the fundamental frequency.

2. The vibration device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of actuators is selected from the group consisting of a linear resonant actuator, an eccentric rotating mass actuator, a pivoting actuator, and a rocking actuator.

3. The vibration device of claim 1, wherein the at least two different harmonics include a first harmonic of the desired output waveform.

4. The vibration device of claim 1, wherein the at least two different harmonics include a second harmonic of the desired output waveform.

5. The vibration device of claim 1, wherein the at least two different harmonics include a third harmonic of the desired output waveform.

6. The vibration device of claim 1, further comprising a controller coupled to the plurality of actuators to control an amplitude of the desired output waveform.

7. The vibration device of claim 1, wherein the vibration device is configured to generate haptic directional cues.

8. The vibration device of claim 1, wherein:

the vibration device is arranged in a handheld electronic device selected from the group consisting of a remote control, a game controller, and a watch, and

the vibration device is configured to generate one or more haptic effects for the handheld electronic device.

9. The vibration device of claim 8, wherein the game controller is selected from the group consisting of a driving game controller and a motion game controller.

10. The vibration device of claim 1, wherein the at least two different harmonics do not include a first harmonic of the desired output waveform.

11. A vibration device, comprising:

a mounting platform; and

a plurality of actuators, each of the plurality of actuators being configured to build up an amplitude of that actuator'"'"'s force output over successive cycles of operation;

wherein each of the plurality of actuators is attached to the mounting platform so the force outputs of the plurality of actuators are superimposed onto the mounting platform, and

the plurality of actuators is configured to simultaneously generate force waveforms, corresponding to the force outputs, for at least two different harmonics of a desired force output waveform such that each actuator generates a single harmonic of the desired output waveform;

wherein two of the plurality of actuators comprise interleaved eccentric rotating masses arranged so the two actuators are individually controllable by a controller to simultaneously generate non-zero force outputs such that the superimposed force outputs of the two actuators sum to substantially zero force and substantially zero torque.

12. A vibration device, comprising:

a mounting platform;

a plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators, each of the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators attached to the mounting platform; and

a controller coupled to the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators to independently control a frequency and a phase of each eccentric rotating mass actuator to simultaneously generate force waveforms for at least two different harmonics of a desired force output waveform such that each eccentric rotating mass actuator generates a single harmonic of the desired output waveform, wherein each harmonic is a non-zero integer multiple of a fundamental frequency.

13. The vibration device of claim 12, wherein a frequency, direction and relative phase between each of the eccentric rotating mass actuators are controlled by the controller to produce a combined vibration force along a predetermined axis.

14. The vibration device of claim 13, wherein the combined vibration force along the predetermined axis is asymmetric.

15. A vibration device, comprising:

a mounting platform;

a plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators, each of the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators attached to the mounting platform; and

a controller coupled to the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators to independently control a frequency and a phase of each eccentric rotating mass actuator;

wherein;

the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators includes two pairs of eccentric rotating mass actuators, each pair being aligned and attached to the mounting platform such that;

the first pair of eccentric rotating mass actuators is configured to counter-rotate at a first rotational frequency f1 to produce a first linear vibrating force, and

the second pair of eccentric rotating mass actuators is configured to counter-rotate at a second rotational frequency f2 to produce a second linear vibrating force, the second rotational frequency f2 being an integer multiple of the first rotational frequency f1,

so that a combined linear vibration force waveform on the mounting platform generated by operation of the two pairs of eccentric rotating mass actuators is asymmetric.

16. The vibration device of claim 15, wherein axes of revolution of each eccentric rotating mass actuator of the two pairs of eccentric rotating mass actuators are substantially parallel.

17. The vibration device of claim 15, where the two pairs of eccentric rotating mass actuators are controlled by the controller to generate centripetal forces such that the first linear vibrating force, when the first pair is operating at the first rotational frequency f1, is substantially twice the second linear vibrating force when the second pair is operating at the second rotational frequency f2.

18. The vibration device of claim 15, wherein axes of revolution of each eccentric rotating mass actuator of the two pairs of eccentric rotating mass actuators are collinear.

19. The vibration device of claim 15, wherein centripetal force vectors of each eccentric rotating mass actuator of the two pairs of eccentric rotating mass actuators are coplanar.

20. The vibration device of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to generate haptic directional cues using the two pairs of eccentric rotating mass actuators.

21. A vibration device, comprising:

a mounting platform;

a plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators, each of the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators attached to the mounting platform; and

a controller coupled to the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators to independently control a frequency and a phase of each eccentric rotating mass actuator;

wherein;

relative phases between the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators are controlled by the controller to cancel out centripetal forces generated by each of the eccentric rotating mass actuators;

and torques generated by the centripetal forces by each of the eccentric rotating mass actuators cancel each other out.

22. A vibration device, comprising:

a mounting platform;

a plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators, each of the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators attached to the mounting platform; and

a controller coupled to the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators to independently control a frequency and a phase of each eccentric rotating mass actuator each eccentric rotating mass actuator configured to generate a single harmonic of a desired output waveform, wherein each harmonic is a non-zero integer multiple of a fundamental frequency;

wherein;

the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators includes a first eccentric rotating mass actuator and a second eccentric rotating mass actuator, the first and second eccentric rotating mass actuators having the same eccentricity; and

the controller is configured to operate the first and second eccentric rotating mass actuators at the same frequency and the same phase relative to other eccentric rotating mass actuators in the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators.

25. The vibration device of claim 22, wherein the eccentricity of the first eccentric mass is equal to the second eccentricity plus the third eccentricity.

23. A vibration device, comprising:

a mounting platform;

a plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators, each of the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators attached to the mounting platform; and

a controller coupled to the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators to independently control a frequency and a phase of each eccentric rotating mass actuator;

wherein;

the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators comprises a first eccentric rotating mass actuator having a first axis of rotation, and a second eccentric rotating mass actuator having a second axis of rotation, the first and second axes being collinear;

the first eccentric rotating mass actuator has a first eccentric mass with a center of eccentricity at a first position projected onto the first axis of rotation;

the second eccentric rotating mass actuator has a second eccentric mass with a center of eccentricity at a second position projected onto the second axis of rotation; and

a distance between the first and second positions is substantially zero.

24. A vibration device, comprising:

a mounting platform;

a plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators, each of the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators attached to the mounting platform; and

a controller coupled to the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators to independently control a frequency and a phase of each eccentric rotating mass actuator;

wherein;

the plurality of eccentric rotating mass actuators comprises a first eccentric rotating mass actuator having a first axis of rotation, a second eccentric rotating mass actuator having a second axis of rotation, and third eccentric rotating mass actuator having a third axis of rotation, the first, second and third axes being collinear;

the first eccentric rotating mass actuator has a first eccentric mass with a center of eccentricity at a first position projected onto the first axis of rotation;

the second eccentric rotating mass actuator has a second eccentric mass with a center of eccentricity at a second position projected onto the second axis of rotation;

the third eccentric rotating mass actuator has a third eccentric mass with a center of eccentricity at a third position projected onto the third axis of rotation; and

a distance between the first position and the second positions times the second eccentricity is equal to a distance between the first position and the third position times the third eccentricity.

26. A vibration device, comprising:

a mounting platform;

a pair of linear resonant actuators arranged in parallel and attached to the mounting platform, each linear resonant actuator including a moveable mass; and

controller coupled to the pair of linear resonant actuators, the controller being configured to control a first one of the linear resonant actuators to impart a first sinusoidal vibration force of a first frequency f1 onto the mounting platform, and to control a second one of the linear resonant actuators to impart a second sinusoidal vibration force of a second vibration frequency f2 onto the mounting platform, the second frequency f2 being an integer multiple of the first frequency f1;

wherein the controller is further configured to control amplitudes and angular phases of the first and second sinusoidal vibration forces to generate a combined vibration waveform that is asymmetric, wherein the angular phases may range from 0 to 360 degrees.

27. The vibration device of claim 26, wherein the first and second linear resonant actuators are each operable over a range of frequencies including resonant frequencies of the second linear resonant actuators.

28. The vibration device of claim 27, wherein the resonant frequency of the second linear resonant actuator is tuned to be an integer multiple of the resonant frequency of the first linear resonant actuator.

29. The vibration device of claim 26, wherein the vibration device is configured to generate haptic directional cues using the first and second linear resonant actuators.

30. The vibration device of claim 26, wherein the vibration device is configured to produce haptic effects that correspond to one or more computer-generated visual events.

31. The vibration device of claim 26, wherein the vibration device is arranged in a handheld controller, and the vibration device is configured to generate effects for the handheld controller.

32. The vibration device of claim 26, wherein the vibration device is arranged in a device wearable by a user, and the vibration device is configured to generate haptic effects for the wearable device.

33. The vibration device of claim 26, wherein the vibration device is part of a navigation device for navigating a user from waypoint to waypoint.