Controlling a user's tactile perception in a dynamic physical environment
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- generating an electrical signal in a first electrical path, the electrical signal causing a user to perceive a tactile sensation as a contact surface of the first electrical path is urged by the user along a surface of an object;
measuring a current of the electrical signal;
comparing the measured current to a reference current associated with a predetermined tactile sensation; and
adjusting at least one characteristic of the electrical signal so that the current of the electrical signal substantially matches the reference current and generates the predetermined tactile sensation at the user.
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Abstract
To maintain consistency in different environments with different impedances, a high voltage current driver may be used as a signal generator to output a tactile signal with a constant current. The constant current ensures that the voltage between the user'"'"'s finger and the object'"'"'s surface or electrode remains the same even if impedances in the electrical path change. Specifically, the current driver includes a current sensing circuit that determines the average current being generated. Using a feedback loop, the measured current is compared to a reference current to determine if the correct tactile sensation is perceived by the user. As the impedance changes, the current driver detects the resulting change in the signal'"'"'s current and adjusts the voltage amplitude of the generated tactile signal in order to match the measured current to the reference current.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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generating an electrical signal in a first electrical path, the electrical signal causing a user to perceive a tactile sensation as a contact surface of the first electrical path is urged by the user along a surface of an object; measuring a current of the electrical signal; comparing the measured current to a reference current associated with a predetermined tactile sensation; and adjusting at least one characteristic of the electrical signal so that the current of the electrical signal substantially matches the reference current and generates the predetermined tactile sensation at the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method, comprising:
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generating an electrical signal in a first electrical path, the electrical signal causing a user to perceive a tactile sensation as a contact surface of the first electrical path is urged by the user along a surface of an object; measuring a current of the electrical signal; adjusting at least one characteristic of the electrical signal based on the measured current to generate a predetermined tactile sensation at the user; and after adjusting the at least one characteristic of the electrical signal; generating the electrical signal when an appendage of the user or a conductive element held by the user touches a different object, thereby creating a second electrical path comprising a different net impedance relative to a net impedance of the first electrical path, measuring the current of the electrical signal in the second electrical path, and adjusting one or more characteristics of the electrical signal based on the measured current in the second electrical path to produce a same tactile sensation at the appendage that was produced using the first electrical path.
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7. A signal generator, comprising:
a tactile signal module configured to generate an electrical signal in an electrical path, the electrical signal causing a user to perceive a tactile sensation as a contact surface of the electrical path is urged by the user along a surface of an object;
a current sensing circuit configured to measure a current of the electrical signal; and
a feedback loop configured to transmit the measured current to the tactile signal module, wherein the tactile signal module is configured to compare the measured current to a reference current associated with a predetermined tactile sensation, and adjust at least one characteristic of the electrical signal so that the current of the electrical signal substantially matches the reference current and generates the predetermined tactile sensation at the user.- View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system, comprising:
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a first object; a first signal generator configured to generate a first electrical signal in a first electrical path, the first electrical signal causing a first user to perceive a tactile sensation as a first contact surface of the first electrical path is urged by the first user along a surface of the first object, wherein the first signal generator is configured to measure a current of the first electrical signal, wherein the first signal generator is configured to transmit the measured current to a tactile signal module, and wherein the tactile signal module is configured to adjust at least one characteristic of the first electrical signal based on the measured current to generate a predetermined tactile sensation at the user; and a second signal generator configured to generate a second, different electrical signal in a second electrical path, the second electrical signal causing a second user to perceive a different tactile sensation relative to the tactile sensation perceived by the first user as a second contact surface of the second electrical path is urged by the second user along the surface of the first object, wherein the first and second contact surfaces of the first and second electrical paths contact the surface of the first object simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A system, comprising:
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a first object; a first signal generator configured to generate a first electrical signal in a first electrical path, the first electrical signal causing a first user to perceive a tactile sensation as a first contact surface of the first electrical path is urged by the first user along a surface of the first object, wherein the first signal generator is configured to measure a current of the first electrical signal, wherein the first signal generator is configured to transmit the measured current to a tactile signal module, and wherein the tactile signal module is configured to adjust at least one characteristic of the first electrical signal based on the measured current to generate a predetermined tactile sensation at the user; and a second object, wherein the first signal generator is configured to generate the first electrical signal when the first user contacts the second object, thereby creating a second electrical path comprising a different net impedance relative to a net impedance of the first electrical path, wherein the first signal generator is configured to measure the current of the first electrical signal in the second electrical path, and adjust one or more characteristics of the first electrical signal based on the measured current in the second electrical path to produce a same tactile sensation at the first user that was produced using the first electrical path.
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Specification