Method and apparatus for providing Haptic feedback from Haptic textile

• US 8,362,882 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2008
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Heubel, Robert W., Steger, Ryan, Bakircioglu, Muge
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US12/331,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20100141407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/517, 340/521, 340/539.1, 340/407.1
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/005 with embedded cable or connector
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/0088 Fabrics having an electronic function
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/18 including electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0031 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0037 for power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating haptic feedback over a surface of a haptic textile are disclosed. The flexible haptic structure includes a group of sensing circuits and a haptic textile. The sensing circuits, such as touch sensitive detector or motion detector, provide at least one activating signal in accordance with a sensed event. The haptic textile is structured with interlaced woven threads and/or yarns and capable of generating haptic feedback in response to the activating signal.

Claims

1. A flexible apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of sensing circuits capable of providing at least one activating signal in accordance with one or more sensed events;

a haptic textile comprising a plurality of haptic threads configured to provide haptic feedback; and

an actuation surface coupled to the plurality of sensing circuits and configured to generate the haptic feedback via activation of the haptic threads in response to the activating signal, wherein the haptic feedback includes at least a portion of a surface texture of the haptic textile changing from a first surface characterization to a second surface characterization.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a clear flexible surface coupled to the haptic textile for providing protection for the haptic textile; and

an ancillary electronic device coupled to the haptic textile and configured to provide wireless power transfer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a plurality of haptic feedback mechanisms coupled to the haptic textile and configured to provide the haptic feedback; and

a power source coupled to the plurality of haptic feedback mechanisms and configured to provide power.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensing circuits includes sensors configured to detect a contact to the haptic textile.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the plurality of sensing circuits includes sensors configured to detect one of surrounding conditions.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensed events are configured to compare with a set of predefined parameters, wherein the set of predefined parameters are capable of being selectively calibrated for detecting one of a touch motion and a physical condition.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the haptic textile is configured to be a tactile feedback cloth, wherein a plurality of haptic yarns is interlaced to provide haptic feedback.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of haptic yarns includes a plurality of threads and the plurality of haptic threads, wherein the plurality of threads and the haptic threads are interwoven for reconfiguring patterns over the surface of haptic textile.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of haptic threads includes one of piezoelectric materials, Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (“

MEMS”

) elements, thermal fluid pockets, MEMS pumps, resonant devices, variable porosity membranes, laminar flow modulation.

10. A smart clothing configured to generate haptic feedback comprising the apparatus of claim 1.

11. A piece of furniture configured to generate haptic feedback comprising the apparatus of claim 1.

12. A method of providing textile haptic feedback, comprising:

receiving a first activating signal;

identifying one or more first haptic threads of a plurality of haptic threads woven in a haptic textile in accordance with the first activating signal; and

generating first haptic feedback on a first portion of a surface of the haptic textile via activation of the one or more first haptic threads in response to the first activating signal, wherein generating first haptic feedback on the first portion of the surface of the haptic textile includes reconfiguring at least a portion of surface texture of the haptic textile to change from a first surface characterization to a second surface characterization in accordance with the first activating signal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

calibrating a plurality of sensors in accordance with a predefined parameter;

monitoring surrounding environment in accordance with the predefined parameter;

sensing an event associating to the haptic textile in accordance with the predefined parameter; and

generating the first activating signal in response to the event.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a second activating signal;

identifying one or more second haptic threads of a plurality of haptic threads woven in a haptic textile in accordance with the second activating signal; and

generating second haptic feedback on a second portion of the surface of the haptic textile via activation of the one or more second haptic threads in response to the second activating signal.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving a first activating signal further includes issuing a contact haptic signal in response to detecting a touch on the haptic textile.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving a first activating signal further includes issuing an alert haptic signal in response to detecting a motion nearby the haptic textile.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein identifying one or more first haptic threads of the plurality of haptic threads woven in the haptic textile further includes determining a haptic texture pattern on the surface of the haptic textile in accordance with the first activating signal.

18. A process capable of providing haptic feedback from smart clothing includes the method of claim 12.

19. An apparatus for providing textile haptic feedback, comprising:

means for receiving a first activating signal;

means for identifying one or more first haptic threads of a plurality of haptic threads woven in a haptic textile in accordance with the first activating signal; and

means for generating first haptic feedback on a first portion of a surface of the haptic textile via activation of the one or more first haptic threads in response to the first activating signal, wherein generating first haptic feedback on the first portion of the surface of the haptic textile includes reconfiguring at least a portion of surface texture of the haptic textile to change from a first surface characterization to a second surface characterization in accordance with the first activating signal.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for calibrating a plurality of sensors in accordance with a predefined parameter;

means for monitoring surrounding environment in accordance with the predefined parameter;

means for sensing an event associating to the haptic textile in accordance with the predefined parameter; and

means for generating the first activating signal in response to the event.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for receiving a second activating signal;

means for identifying one or more second haptic threads of the plurality of haptic threads woven in the haptic textile in accordance with the second activating signal; and

means for generating second haptic feedback on a second portion of the surface of the haptic textile via activation of the one or more second haptic threads in response to the second activating signal.