Haptic output device and method of generating a haptic effect in a haptic output device

• US 9,983,674 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2016
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Grant, Danny A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US15/078,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20160202763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes

Abstract

A haptic output device includes a touch surface, a sensor configured to sense an input at the touch surface, and a controller configured to read the sensor, identify a location of the input, switch from a read mode to a write mode, and write a voltage based on the location of the input to generate an electrostatic output.

Claims

1. A haptic output device comprising:

an insulating layer including a surface;

a conductive layer proximate the insulating layer and including a sensor and one or more electrodes, the sensor configured to sense a touch input at the surface of the insulating layer of the haptic output device; and

a controller configured to read the sensor, to identify a location of the touch input relative to at least one electrode of the one or more electrodes based on a reading of the sensor, and to write a voltage to the at least one electrode of the one or more electrodes based on the location of the touch input relative to the at least one electrode to generate an electrostatic output.

2. The haptic output device of claim 1, wherein the touch input is from an object that is in contact with the haptic output device, and wherein the electrostatic output simulates a friction force or texture as the touch input moves on the surface, wherein the electrostatic output simulates the friction force or texture by sending an electric signal to the object.

3. The haptic output device according to claim 1, wherein the surface comprises a touch screen.

4. The haptic output device according to claim 3, wherein the touch screen is a capacitive touch screen.

5. The haptic output device according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to write the voltage to the one or more electrodes in an area proximate an entire surface of the capacitive touch screen.

6. The haptic output device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to write the voltage to the one or more electrodes in an area proximate the location of the touch input.

7. The haptic output device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to sense a plurality of touch inputs, wherein the controller is configured to identify locations of the plurality of touch inputs on the surface.

8. The haptic output device according to claim 7, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes, and wherein the controller is configured to write the voltage to the plurality of electrodes in areas proximate the locations of the plurality of touch inputs to generate a plurality of localized electrostatic outputs.

9. The haptic output device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes, and wherein the controller is configured to drive an electrode of the plurality of electrodes that is closest to the location of the touch input to generate the electrostatic output.

10. The haptic output device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes, and wherein the controller is configured to drive different electrodes of the plurality of electrodes to generate multi-touch localized electrostatic outputs.

11. The haptic output device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a first electrode and a second electrode, and wherein the controller is configured to write the voltage to the first electrode proximate a first location, then write the voltage to the second electrode proximate a second location to transition the electrostatic output from the first location to the second location as the touch input is moved from the first location to the second location.

12. The haptic output device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to modulate an overall power delivered by the at least one electrode according to a current location of the touch input relative to the at least one electrode.

13. The haptic output device according to claim 12, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes, and wherein the overall power delivered by each electrode of the plurality of electrodes is a function of the location of the touch input relative to the electrode.

14. The haptic output device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor includes an electrode of the one or more electrodes.

15. The haptic output device according to claim 14, wherein the electrostatic output is generated by the electrode.

16. A method for generating a haptic effect at a surface of an insulating layer of a haptic output device, the method comprising:

sensing a touch input on the surface of the insulating layer of the haptic output device, wherein the sensing is performed with a sensor included in a conductive layer proximate the insulating layer, wherein the conductive layer further includes one or more electrodes;

reading a first voltage from the sensor sensing the touch input on the surface with a controller;

determining a location of the touch input relative to at least one electrode of the one or more electrodes with the controller based on the reading; and

writing a second voltage to the at least one electrode of the one or more electrodes based on the sensed location of the touch input relative to the at least one electrode, with the controller, to generate an electrostatic output.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the touch input is from an object that is in contact with the haptic output device, and wherein the electrostatic output simulates a friction force or texture as the touch input moves on the surface, wherein the electrostatic output simulates the friction force or texture by sending an electric signal to the object.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the surface comprises a capacitive touch screen.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the writing comprises writing the second voltage to the one or more electrodes in an area proximate an entire surface of the capacitive touch screen.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the writing comprises writing the second voltage to the one or more electrodes in an area proximate the sensed location.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein the sensing comprises sensing a plurality of touch inputs, wherein the determining comprises determining locations of the plurality of touch inputs on the surface.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes, wherein the writing comprises writing the second voltage to the plurality of electrodes in areas proximate to the locations of the plurality of touch inputs to generate a plurality of localized electrostatic outputs.

23. The method according to claim 16, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes, the method further comprising driving an electrode of the plurality of electrodes that is closest to the location of the touch input to generate the electrostatic output.

24. The method according to claim 16, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes, the method further comprising driving different electrodes of plurality of electrodes, with the controller, to generate multi-touch localized electrostatic outputs.

25. The method according to claim 16, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a first electrode and a second electrode, the method further comprising:

writing the second voltage to the first electrode proximate a first location, with the controller;

sensing a second touch input at a second location;

determining the second location with the controller;

and writing the second voltage to the second electrode proximate the second location to transition the electrostatic output from the first location to the second location as the touch input is moved from the first location to the second location.

26. The method according to claim 16, further comprising modulating, with the controller, an overall power delivered by the at least one electrode according to a current location of the touch input relative to the at least one electrode.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes, and wherein the overall power delivered by each electrode of the plurality of electrodes is a function of the location of the touch input relative to the electrode.

28. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

measuring an impedance at the surface at the location of the touch input; and

adjusting the writing of the second voltage based on the impedance to adjust the electrostatic output.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the impedance is measured by the sensor.

30. The method according to claim 16, wherein the sensor includes an electrode of the one or more electrodes.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the electrostatic output is generated by the electrode.

32. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second voltage has the same value as the first voltage.

33. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second voltage comprises a dynamic voltage value.

34. A method for generating a haptic effect at a surface of an insulating layer of a haptic output device, the method comprising:

sensing an input on the surface from an object that is in contact with the haptic output device, wherein the sensing is performed with a sensor included in a conductive layer proximate the insulating layer, wherein the conductive layer further includes one or more electrodes;

reading a first voltage from the sensor sensing the input on the surface with a controller;

determining a location of the input with the controller;

switching from a read mode to a write mode; and

writing a second voltage to at least one of the one or more electrodes based on the sensed location of the input, with the controller, to generate an electrostatic output that simulates a friction force or texture as the input moves on the surface, wherein the electrostatic output simulates the friction force or texture by sending an electric signal to the object.