System and method for providing directional tactile sensations

• US 8,441,444 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2006
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Moore, David F., Shahoian, Erik J., Schena, Bruce M.
• Primary Examiner(s): JOSEPH, DENNIS P
• Application Number:
  US11/408,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20060192760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,580 Days
• Field of Search: 345/161, 345/156, 715/701, 715/700
• US Class Current: 345/161
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

An interface device providing haptic feedback to a user is in communication with a host computer. The device includes a housing, at least one sensor for detecting user input, and an actuator assembly. The actuator assembly includes a grounded flexure suspension coupled to an inertial mass which moves when the actuator assembly is energized to cause inertial sensations. The inertial mass includes a pole piece surrounding a magnet, and a grounded coil between magnet and pole piece causes the motion of the inertial mass when current is flowed therethrough. Another embodiment provides directional haptic feedback to a user and includes at least two actuator assemblies oriented such that the inertial masses oscillate substantially orthogonally, and can be controlled to output the inertial sensations approximately along a single axis having a desired orientation.

Claims

1. A method for outputting haptic effects in a multi-directional actuator assembly, the method comprising:

sending a first haptic effect signal to a first actuator device, the first actuator device suspended from a support member, a first spring member coupled to the support member on one end of the first spring member and coupled to the first actuator device on an opposing end of the first spring member, the first spring member oriented along a first plane, the first actuator device having a first inertial mass configured to move upon the first actuator device receiving the first haptic effect signal and causes at least a portion of the first actuator device to move between a first position and a second position with respect to the support member in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the first plane to produce a first haptic effect, wherein the first spring member biases the at least a portion of the first actuator device toward the first position; and

sending a second haptic effect signal to a second actuator device, the second actuator device suspended from the support member, a second spring member coupled to the support member on one end of the second spring member and coupled to the second actuator device on an opposing end of the second spring member, the second spring member oriented along a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane, the second actuator device having a second inertial mass configured to move upon the second actuator device receiving the second haptic effect signal and causes at least a portion of the second actuator device itself to move between a third position and a fourth position with respect to the support member in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the second plane to produce a second haptic effect, wherein the second spring member biases the at least a portion of the second actuator device toward the third position,

wherein the first haptic effect signal applied to the first actuator device and the second haptic effect signal applied to the second actuator device are coordinated to cause the first actuator device and the second actuator device to collectively output a resultant haptic effect substantially along a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction, the resultant haptic effect being a combination of the first haptic effect and the second haptic effect.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first haptic effect signal is in phase with the second haptic effect signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first haptic effect signal is out of phase with the second haptic effect signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first haptic effect signal has a magnitude less than, or equal to, or greater than a magnitude of the second haptic effect signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first haptic effect signal and the second haptic effect signal is a sawtooth wave.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first haptic effect signal and the second haptic effect signal is at least one of a sine and a square wave.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first inertial mass is coupled to a first flexing member, wherein the flexing member biases the first inertial mass to the first position.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first haptic effect is amplified when the first inertial mass is biased to move from the second position to the first position.

9. A tangible machine readable medium having stored thereon instructions for sending haptic effect signals to a multi-directional actuator assembly, comprising machine executable code which when executed by at least one machine, causes the machine to:

send a first haptic effect signal to a first actuator device, wherein a first spring member is coupled to the first actuator device at a first end of the first spring member and coupled to a support member at a second opposed end of the first spring member, and wherein the first spring member is oriented along a first plane, the first actuator device having a first inertial mass configured to move and cause at least a portion of the first actuator device to move with respect to the support member between a first position and a second position along a first direction perpendicular to the first plane to produce a first haptic effect upon receiving the first haptic effect signal, wherein the first spring member biases the at least a portion of the first actuator device toward the first position; and

send a second haptic effect signal to a second actuator device, wherein a second spring member is coupled to the second actuator device at a first end of the second spring member and coupled to the support member at a second opposed end of the second spring member, and wherein the second spring member is oriented along a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, the second actuator device having a second inertial mass configured to move and cause at least a portion of the second actuator device to move between a third position and a fourth position with respect to the support member along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the second plane to produce a second haptic effect upon receiving the second haptic effect signal, wherein the second spring member biases the at least a portion of the second actuator device the third position,

wherein the first haptic effect signal applied to the first actuator device and the second haptic effect signal applied to the second actuator device are coordinated to cause the first actuator device and the second actuator device to collectively output a resultant haptic effect substantially along a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction, the resultant haptic effect being a combination of the first haptic effect and the second haptic effect.

10. The machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first haptic effect signal is in phase with the second haptic effect signal.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first haptic effect signal is out of phase with the second haptic effect signal.

12. The machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first haptic effect signal and the second haptic effect signal cause the first and second actuator devices to collectively output a resultant haptic effect in a desired direction.

13. The machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first haptic effect signal has a magnitude less than, or equal to, or greater than a magnitude of the second haptic effect signal.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first haptic effect signal and the second haptic effect signal is a sawtooth wave.

15. The machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first haptic effect signal and the second haptic effect signal is at least one of a sine and a square wave.

16. The machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first haptic effect signal and the second haptic effect signal are coordinated to cause the resultant haptic effect along the third axis.

17. A manipulandum comprising:

a housing configured to be manipulated by a user;

a support member coupled to the housing;

a first spring member having a first end and a second opposing end, the first end of the first spring member coupled to the support member, the first spring member oriented along a first plane;

a first actuator device coupled to the second opposing end of the first spring member and suspended with respect to the support member, wherein at least a portion of the first actuator device linearly moves in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the first plane between a first position and a second position with respect to the support member in response to receiving a first haptic effect signal, wherein the first spring member biases the at least a portion of the first actuator device toward the first position;

a second spring member having a first end and a second opposing end, the first end of the second spring member coupled to the support member, the second spring member oriented along a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane; and

a second actuator device coupled to the second opposing end of the second spring member and suspended with respect to the support member, wherein at least a portion of the second actuator device linearly moves in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the second plane between a third position and a fourth position with respect to the support member in response to receiving a second haptic effect signal, wherein the second spring member biases the at least a portion of the second actuator device toward the third position,

wherein the first actuator device and the second actuator device are collectively energized and coordinated with one another to output a resultant haptic effect substantially along a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction, the resultant haptic effect being a combination of the first and second haptic effects.