Systems and methods for monitoring insulation integrity for electrostatic friction

• US 9,983,675 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Shah, Kaniyalal, Levesque, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, PREMAL R
• Application Number:
  US15/179,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20170357316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring insulation integrity for electrostatic friction are disclosed. One system may include a touch sensitive interface configured to detect user interaction; an electrostatic haptic output device configured to output one or more electrostatic haptic effects to the touch sensitive interface; a processor in communication with the touch sensitive interface and the electrostatic haptic output device, the processor configured to: determine an operating condition associated with the electrostatic haptic output device; determine a corrective action associated with the operating condition; and apply the corrective action.

Claims

1. A system for outputting haptic effects comprising:

a touch sensitive interface configured to detect user interaction, wherein the touch sensitive interface comprises a conductive grid;

an electrostatic haptic output device configured to output one or more electrostatic haptic effects to the touch sensitive interface;

a processor in communication with the touch sensitive interface and the electrostatic haptic output device, the processor configured to;

monitor the conductive grid to determine damage to the electrostatic haptic output device;

determine an operating condition associated with the electrostatic haptic output device;

determine a corrective action associated with the operating condition; and

apply the corrective action.

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

determine a haptic effect based in part on the user interaction; and

output a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect to the electrostatic haptic output device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the corrective action comprises disabling one or more cells of the electrostatic haptic output device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to determine that the operating condition is associated with one or more cells of the electrostatic haptic output device and the corrective action comprises disabling only the one or more cells.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the corrective action comprises reducing power to one or more cells of the electrostatic haptic output device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the corrective action comprises initiating a healing operation to the electrostatic haptic output device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the healing operation comprises applying additional current to an insulating layer of the electrostatic haptic output device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the touch sensitive interface comprises a touch screen display and the electrostatic haptic output device is coupled to the touch screen display.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein determining an operating condition comprises one or more of:

determining damage to the electrostatic haptic output device, determining moisture on a surface of the electrostatic haptic output device, determining a change in current drawn by the electrostatic haptic output device, detecting an impact to the electrostatic haptic output device, determining a level of moisture on a user'"'"'s skin, or detecting user input associated with damage to the electrostatic haptic output device.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code, which when executed by one or more processors is configured to cause the processors to:

receive an input signal from a touch sensitive interface configured to detect user interaction, wherein the touch sensitive interface comprises a conductive grid;

monitor the conductive grid to determine damage to an electrostatic haptic output device;

determine an operating condition associated with the electrostatic haptic output device configured to output an electrostatic haptic effect to the touch sensitive interface;

determine a corrective action associated with the operating condition; and

apply the corrective action.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, further comprising program code, which when executed by the one or more processors is configured to cause the one or more processors to:

determine a haptic effect based in part on the user interaction; and

output a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect to the electrostatic haptic output device.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the corrective action comprises disabling one or more cells of the electrostatic haptic output device.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising program code, which when executed by the one or more processors is configured to cause the one or more processors to determine that the operating condition is associated with one or more cells of the electrostatic haptic output device and the corrective action comprises disabling only the one or more cells.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the corrective action comprises reducing power to one or more cells of the electrostatic haptic output device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the corrective action comprises initiating a healing operation to the electrostatic haptic output device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the healing operation comprises applying additional current to an insulating layer of the electrostatic haptic output device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein determining a failure point comprises one or more of:

determining damage to the electrostatic haptic output device, determining moisture on a surface of the electrostatic haptic output device, determining a change in current drawn by the electrostatic haptic output device, detecting an impact to the electrostatic haptic output device, determining a level of moisture on a user'"'"'s skin, or detecting user input associated with damage to the electrostatic haptic output device.

18. A method for outputting haptic effects comprising:

receiving an input signal from a touch sensitive interface configured to detect user interaction, wherein the touch sensitive interface comprises a conductive grid;

monitoring the conductive grid to determine damage to an electrostatic haptic output device;

determining an operating condition associated with the electrostatic haptic output device configured to output an electrostatic haptic effect to the touch sensitive interface;

determining a corrective action associated with the operating condition; and

applying the corrective action.