Systems and methods for enhanced continuous awareness in vehicles using haptic feedback

• US 9,827,904 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2014
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Modarres, Ali, Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Grant, Danny A., Olien, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US14/518,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20160107570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 340435, 340901, 3404071, 340 412
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/981 Warning systems, e.g. the seat or seat parts vibrates to warn the passenger when facing a danger
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/00 Input parameters relating to overall vehicle dynamics
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/00 Input parameters relating to exterior conditions, not covered by groups B60W2552/00, B60W2554/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system

Abstract

A system for a vehicle includes a sensor configured to sense information associated with the vehicle'"'"'s surroundings, environment and/or condition and output a sensor signal based on the sensed information, a processor configured to receive the sensor signal, determine haptic feedback for the system to display based on the sensor signal, and output a haptic control signal, and a haptic output device configured to receive the haptic control signal from the processor and generate the haptic feedback to a driver of the vehicle based on the haptic control signal.

Claims

1. A system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a sensor configured to sense information associated with surroundings of the vehicle, an environment of the vehicle, and/or a condition of the vehicle, and to output a sensor signal based on the information, wherein the information includes a location relative to the vehicle of a marker on a road on which the vehicle is travelling;

a processor configured to receive the sensor signal, determine haptic feedback for the system based on the sensor signal, and output a haptic control signal; and

a haptic output device configured to receive the haptic control signal from the processor and generate the haptic feedback based on the haptic control signal, wherein the haptic feedback comprises a kinesthetic haptic effect whose output location moves to indicate movement of the location of the marker relative to the vehicle.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the haptic output device is disposed in a wearable device that is a watch, or is disposed in a seat of the vehicle.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information sensed by the sensor further comprises a location of a second vehicle relative to the vehicle.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the haptic feedback further comprises additional kinesthetic feedback whose output location moves to indicate the location of the second vehicle relative to the vehicle.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a seat in the vehicle, wherein the haptic output device is disposed in the seat, and the output location of the kinesthetic haptic effect is moved on the seat to indicate the movement of the location of the marker relative to the vehicle, wherein the marker comprises lane lines on the road.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the haptic output device is disposed in a wearable device selected from the group consisting of a hat, a headband, a bracelet, a necklace, and clothing.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an additional sensor configured to sense a condition associated with a user of the vehicle.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the additional sensor is a biometric sensor.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to receive an additional sensor signal from the additional sensor and is configured to monitor drowsiness, and wherein the processor is configured to send an additional haptic signal when the processor determines that the drowsiness exceeds a predetermined level.

10. The system according to claim 7, further comprising an image sensor configured to capture facial expressions.

11. A method comprising:

receiving information regarding a vehicle'"'"'s surroundings, environment, and/or condition;

detecting presence of a danger to the vehicle based on the information regarding the vehicle'"'"'s surroundings, environment, and/or condition;

causing a haptic output device of the vehicle to continuously output a deformation on a surface in the vehicle based on the information regarding the vehicle'"'"'s surroundings, environment, and/or condition, such that the deformation is output both when an imminence level of the danger is increasing and when an imminence level of the danger is decreasing, wherein the deformation is continuously modified based on the imminence level of the danger.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the haptic output device is disposed in a wearable device that is selected from a group consisting of:

a hat;

a headband;

a bracelet;

a necklace; and

/or clothing, or is disposed in a seat of the vehicle.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the haptic output device is disposed in a wearable device that is a watch.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the information is received from at least one sensor sensing a location of a second vehicle relative to the vehicle, and wherein causing the haptic output device to continuously output the deformation based on the information regarding the vehicle'"'"'s surroundings, environment, and/or condition comprises:

increasing an amount of deformation as the second vehicle gets closer to the vehicle, and decreasing the amount of deformation as the second vehicle gets farther from the vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the information is received from at least one sensor sensing a location of a marker on a road on which the vehicle is travelling relative to the vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of receiving information comprises receiving information regarding a condition associated with a user of the vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of receiving information regarding a condition associated with a user of the vehicle comprises using a biometric sensor.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of receiving information regarding a condition associated with a user of the vehicle comprises capturing facial expressions of the user.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of receiving information regarding a condition associated with a user of the vehicle comprises sensing drowsiness of the user, and the method further comprises generating additional haptic feedback when the drowsiness exceeds a predetermined level.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein the information regarding the vehicle'"'"'s surroundings, environment, and/or condition comprises at least one of a tire pressure, an engine condition, and a brake condition of the vehicle, the haptic feedback being further based on the at least one of a tire pressure, engine condition, and brake condition of the vehicle.

21. A method comprising:

receiving information regarding a location relative to a vehicle of a marker on a road on which the vehicle is travelling;

determining haptic feedback to generate based on the information received and generating a haptic control signal with a processor; and

generating the haptic feedback with a haptic output device based on the haptic control signal generated by the processor, wherein the haptic feedback comprises a kinesthetic haptic effect whose output location moves to indicate movement of the location of the marker relative to the vehicle.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising receiving information regarding a condition associated with a user of the vehicle via a biometric sensor.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the step of receiving information regarding a condition associated with a user of the vehicle further comprises capturing facial expressions of the user.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the step of receiving information regarding a condition associated with a user of the vehicle further comprises sensing drowsiness of the user, and the method further comprises generating additional haptic feedback when the drowsiness exceeds a predetermined level.