System and method for a haptically-enabled deformable surface

• US 9,939,900 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2014
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Grant, Danny, Levesque, Vincent, Modarres, Ali
• Primary Examiner(s): Tzeng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US14/222,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 345173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a first haptic output device configured to receive a first haptic signal and output a first haptic effect to a deformable surface and a second haptic output device configured to receive a second haptic signal and output a second haptic effect to the deformable surface. The illustrative system further includes a processor coupled to the first haptic output device and the second haptic output device, the processor configured to: determine an event, determine a first haptic effect and a second haptic effect based at least in part on the event, transmit a first haptic signal associated with the first haptic effect to the first haptic output device, and transmit a second haptic signal associated with the second haptic effect to the second haptic output device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first haptic output device configured to receive a first haptic signal and output a first haptic effect comprising an electrostatic friction haptic effect to a deformable surface by generating an electrostatic force between the first haptic output device and an object contacting the deformable surface;

a second haptic output device configured to receive a second haptic signal and output a second haptic effect configured to deform the deformable surface; and

a processor coupled to the first haptic output device and the second haptic output device, the processor configured to;

determine an event;

determine a composite haptic effect based at least in part on the event, the composite haptic effect comprising a change in a coefficient of friction and a change in a stiffness of the deformable surface; and

transmit the first haptic signal to the first haptic output device and the second haptic signal to the second haptic output device, the first and second haptic signals configured to cause the first and second haptic output devices to generate the composite haptic effect.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the deformable surface comprises a display.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the display comprises a rollable display, a foldable display, or a bendable electronic paper.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first haptic output device comprises an electrostatic device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first haptic effect comprises a vibration, a perceptible change in a coefficient of friction of the deformable surface, or a simulated texture.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the electrostatic device is embedded within the deformable surface.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second haptic output device comprises a smart gel, a deformation actuator, a rotating/linear actuator, a solenoid, an electroactive polymer actuator, a surface reconfigurable haptic substrate, a magnetorheological or electrorheological fluid, a macro fiber composite, an air or fluid pocket, a resonant mechanical element, a piezoelectric material, a micro-electromechanical element or pump, a thermal fluid pocket, or a variable porosity membrane.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a degree of flexing of the deformable surface.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to change the composite haptic effect based on at least one of the degree of flexing in the deformable surface, the size of a surface contact area, or the position of the detected user interaction.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a sensor signal from a sensor configured to detect an environmental characteristic or biological information and transmit the sensor signal associated with the environmental characteristic or biological information, wherein the environmental characteristic comprises one or more of humidity, temperature, or the amount of ambient light, and the biological information comprises one or more of a heart rate, respiration rate, body temperature, or biorhythm; and

generate the first haptic effect or the second haptic effect based on the sensor signal.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the composite haptic effect is configured to produce a wave in the surface of the deformable surface.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the composite haptic effect is configured to cause a material of the deformable surface to accumulate in response to a movement of a body part along the deformable surface.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the composite haptic effect comprises an increase in the coefficient of friction and a decrease in the stiffness of the deformable surface.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the composite haptic effect comprises an decrease in the coefficient of friction and an increase in the stiffness of the deformable surface.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

transmit a third haptic signal to the second haptic output device, the third haptic signal configured to cause the deformable surface to bend around and couple to a body part for use as a wearable device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the composite haptic effect is configured to simulate tension associated with a virtual object.

17. A method comprising:

determining an event;

determining a composite haptic effect based at least in part on the event, the composite haptic effect comprising a change in a coefficient of friction and a change in a stiffness of a deformable surface;

transmitting a first haptic signal configured to cause a first haptic output device to generate the change in the coefficient of friction by generating an electrostatic force between the first haptic output device and an object contacting the deformable surface; and

transmitting a second haptic signal configured to cause a second haptic output device to output a second haptic effect comprising the change in the stiffness of the deformable surface;

wherein the first and second haptic signals are configured to cause the first and second haptic output devices to generate the composite haptic effect.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second haptic effect comprises deforming the shape of the deformable surface.

19. A non-transient computer readable medium comprising program code, which when executed by a processor is configured to cause the processor to:

determine an event;

determine a composite haptic effect based at least in part on the event, the composite haptic effect comprising a change in a coefficient of friction and a change in a stiffness of the deformable surface;

transmit a first haptic signal configured to cause a first haptic output device to generate the change in the coefficient of friction by generating an electrostatic force between the first haptic output device and an object contacting the deformable surface; and

transmit a second haptic signal configured to cause a second haptic output device to output a second haptic effect comprising the change in the stiffness of the deformable surface;

wherein the first and second haptic signals are configured to cause the first and second haptic output devices to generate the composite haptic effect.

20. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising program code, which when executed by a processor is configured cause the processor to determine a degree of flexing of the deformable surface.