Haptic actuator integrated with sensor electrode and wearable device comprising the same

• US 9,529,436 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2015
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imagis Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Imagis Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nam, Jung Young, Lee, Jae Sun, Lee, Hyun Joo, Kim, Ki Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T
• Application Number:
  US14/941,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20160139668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/573.1, 340/286.07, 340/582, 128903- 94, 600300-301
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/80 Arrangements in the sub-station, i.e. sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Disclosed is a haptic actuator integrated with a sensor electrode and a wearable device including the haptic actuator. The haptic actuator integrated with a sensor electrode comprises a case having a skin contact surface made of a conductive material; a vibration generation means installed in the case; a driving signal transmitting means of which the one end is connected electrically to the vibration generation means; and a sensor signal transmitting means of which the one end is connected electrically to the skin contact surface.

Claims

1. A haptic actuator integrated with a sensor electrode, the haptic actuator comprising:

a haptic actuator case comprising a skin contact surface made of a conductive material;

a vibration generator installed in the haptic actuator case for generating vibrations by using electric signals;

a driving signal transmitter of which one end is connected electrically to the vibration generator for sending driving signals to the vibration generator;

a sensor signal transmitter of which one end is connected electrically to the skin contact surface of the haptic actuator case for sending biosignals detected from the skin contact surface to the outside; and

a signal processor installed in the haptic actuator case for amplifying detected biosignals and removing noise therefrom.

2. The haptic actuator of claim 1, wherein the haptic actuator case comprises:

a cylindrical upper case of which the one end is open; and

the sensor electrode coupled to the one open end of the upper case and having the skin contact surface; and

the sensor signal transmitter is connected to the sensor electrode.

3. The haptic actuator of claim 1, wherein the haptic actuator case comprises:

the sensor electrode in a shape of a cylinder with one open end and having the skin contact surface; and

a lower case coupled to one open end of the sensor electrode; and

the sensor signal transmitter is connected to the sensor electrode.

6. The haptic actuator of claim 1, wherein the vibration generator comprises:

a diaphragm installed in the haptic actuator case and of which an edge contacts the haptic actuator case;

a permanent magnet coupled to the diaphragm; and

a coil connected electrically to the driving signal transmitter and for applying electromagnetic forces to the permanent magnet.

8. The haptic actuator of claim 1, wherein the vibration generator comprises:

a diaphragm installed in the haptic actuator case; and

a piezoelectric element coupled to one side of the diaphragm and connected electrically to the driving signal transmitter.

4. A haptic actuator integrated with a sensor electrode, the haptic actuator comprising:

a haptic actuator case;

the sensor electrode coupled to an outer side of the haptic actuator case for detecting biosignals;

a vibration generator installed in the haptic actuator case for generating vibrations by using electric signals;

a driving signal transmitter of which one end is connected electrically to the vibration generator for sending driving signals to the vibration generator;

a sensor signal transmitter of which one end is connected electrically to the sensor electrode for sending biosignals detected by the sensor electrode to an outside; and

a signal processor installed in the haptic actuator case for amplifying detected biosignals and removing noise therefrom.

5. The haptic actuator of claim 4, wherein the haptic actuator case has a through-hole, and the sensor electrode is inserted into and coupled to the through-hole.

7. The haptic actuator of claim 4, wherein the vibration generator comprises:

a diaphragm installed in the haptic actuator case and of which an edge contacts the haptic actuator case;

a permanent magnet coupled to the diaphragm; and

a coil connected electrically to the driving signal transmitter and for applying electromagnetic forces to the permanent magnet.

9. The haptic actuator of claim 4, wherein the vibration generator comprises:

a diaphragm installed in the haptic actuator case; and

a piezoelectric element coupled to one side of the diaphragm and connected electrically to the driving signal transmitter.

10. A wearable device, the device comprising:

a wearing object to be equipped on a user'"'"'s body;

a haptic actuator integrated with a sensor electrode, coupled to the wearing object and comprising;

a haptic actuator case comprising a skin contact surface made of a conductive material;

a vibration generator installed in the haptic actuator case for generating vibrations by using electric signals;

a driving signal transmitter of which the one end is connected electrically to the vibration generation means and for sending driving signals to the vibration generator; and

a sensor signal transmitter of which one end is connected electrically to the skin contact surface of the haptic actuator case for sending biosignals detected from the skin contact surface to an outside,

wherein the skin contact surface is installed to be exposed to an outer side of the wearing object;

a haptic driver for applying electric signals to the haptic actuator through the driving signal transmitter; and

a signal analyzer for extracting signal patterns from the biosignals delivered through the sensor signal transmitter.

12. The wearable device of claim 10, further comprising:

a control signal generator for creating and sending control signals to external electronic devices by comparing signal patterns extracted by the signal analyzer with registered control signal patterns.

14. The wearable device of claim 10, wherein the haptic driver comprises a signal processor for amplifying the biosignals received from the haptic actuator, removing noise from the biosignals and sending the biosignals to the signal analyzer.

16. The wearable device of claim 10, wherein a plurality of the haptic actuators are installed, and the biosignals detected by the haptic actuators are EMG (Electromyogram) signals, ECG (Electrocardiogram) signals, EEG (Electroencephalogram) signals, blood pressure signals, pulse signals, body temperature signals or vein recognition signals.

11. A wearable device, the device comprising:

a wearing object to be equipped on a user'"'"'s body;

a haptic actuator integrated with a sensor electrode, coupled to the wearing means and comprising;

a haptic actuator case;

the sensor electrode coupled to an outer side of the haptic actuator case for detecting biosignals;

a vibration generator installed in the haptic actuator case for generating vibrations by using electric signals;

a driving signal transmitter of which one end is connected electrically to the vibration generator for sending driving signals to the vibration generator; and

a sensor signal transmitter of which one end is connected electrically to the sensor electrode for sending biosignals detected by the sensor electrode to an outside,

wherein the sensor electrode is installed to be exposed to the outer side of the wearing object;

a haptic driver for applying electric signals to the haptic actuator through the driving signal transmitter; and

a signal analyzer for extracting signal patterns from the biosignals delivered through the sensor signal transmitter.

13. The wearable device of claim 11, further comprising:

a control signal generator for creating and sending control signals to external electronic devices by comparing signal patterns extracted by the signal analyzer with registered control signal patterns.

15. The wearable device of claim 11, wherein the haptic driver comprises a signal processor for amplifying the biosignals received from the haptic actuator, removing noise from the biosignals and sending the biosignals to the signal analyzer.

17. The wearable device of claim 11, wherein a plurality of the haptic actuators are installed, and the biosignals detected by the haptic actuators are EMG (Electromyogram) signals, ECG (Electrocardiogram) signals, EEG (Electroencephalogram) signals, blood pressure signals, pulse signals, body temperature signals or vein recognition signals.