Method and apparatus for providing haptic feedback utilizing multi-actuated waveform phasing

• US 8,593,409 B1
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Heubel, Robert W., Steger, Ryan, Bakircioglu, Muge
• Primary Examiner(s): Bolotin, Dmitriy
• Application Number:
  US12/249,362
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 178 1803- 1811, 340/407.1, 340/407.2
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0629 Square array
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• 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 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/004 Details of particular tactile cells, e.g. electro-mechanical or mechanical layout

Abstract

A method and device for generating haptic feedback over a touch surface using multi-actuated waveform phasing are disclosed. A haptic device, in one embodiment, includes a touch surface and a group of haptic actuators. The touch surface is capable of sensing an event, wherein the event can be a contact on the touch surface or a movement nearby the surface. A portion of the haptic actuators, which are coupled to the touch surface, is configured to provide haptic feedback on the touch surface in response to the event. Another portion of the haptic actuators is used to minimize unwanted haptic effect on the touch surface.

Claims

1. A haptic device, comprising:

a touch surface configured to sense a first event;

a first plurality of haptic actuators coupled to the touch surface, each of the first plurality of haptic actuators configured to generate at least one haptic waveform pulse to provide haptic feedback to the touch surface in response to the first event; and

a second plurality of haptic actuators coupled to the touch surface, each of the second plurality of haptic actuators configured to generate at least one canceling haptic waveform pulse to minimize unwanted haptic effects on the touch surface in accordance with the first event.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a haptic sensor coupled to the touch surface and configured to sense the first event, wherein the haptic sensor calculates a distance between at least one of the haptic actuators and a location of the first event.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the touch surface is a flexible touch sensitive surface, wherein the flexible touch sensitive surface is made of gel materials.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the touch surface is a flexible wave transmittable touch pad.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first event includes a depression on the touch surface by a finger.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first event includes a depression on the touch surface by a stylus.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of haptic actuators are coupled to perimeter of the touch surface and configured to generate and send haptic waves to an interactive point.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of haptic actuators are configured to generate and send multiple haptic waveform pulses to an interactive point, wherein the haptic waveform pulses arrive at the interactive point at substantially same time.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of haptic actuators are configured to generate and send multiple canceling haptic waveform pulses to cancel various unwanted haptic waveform pulses on the touch surface.

10. The device of claim 1,

wherein the touch surface is further configured to sense a second event;

and

wherein the first plurality of haptic actuators are configured to generate haptic feedback to the touch surface in response to the second event.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second plurality of actuators include one or more types of haptic elements.

12. A method of providing haptic feedback, comprising:

detecting a first interaction on a flexible surface;

determining a first location on the flexible surface in response to the first interaction;

calculating a first distance from a first haptic actuator to the first location and a second distance from a second haptic actuator to the first location; and

activating the first haptic actuator to generate a first haptic waveform pulse in response to the first distance and the second haptic actuator to generate a second haptic waveform pulse in response to the second distance to generate haptic feedback at the first location.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

monitoring a flexible surface; and

calculating a third distance from a third haptic actuator to the first location and a fourth distance from a fourth haptic actuator to the first location.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising activating the third haptic actuator in response to the third distance and the fourth haptic actuator in response to the fourth distance to cancel unwanted haptic effect on the flexible surface.

15. The method claim 12, further comprising:

detecting a second interaction on the flexible surface;

determining a second location on the flexible surface in response to the second interaction;

calculating a fifth distance from a fifth haptic actuator to the second location and a sixth distance from a sixth haptic actuator to the second location; and

activating the fifth haptic actuator in response to the fifth distance and the sixth haptic actuator in response to the sixth distance to generate haptic feedback at the second location.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

calculating a seventh distance from a seventh haptic actuator to the second location; and

activating the seventh haptic actuator in response to the seventh distance to minimize unwanted haptic effect on the flexible surface.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein monitoring a flexible surface includes sensing one of a contact, a movement, a predefined temperature, a light, and a predefined audible sound.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting a first interaction on the flexible surface includes sensing a depression by a pointed object on the flexible surface.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein determining a first location on the flexible surface includes identifying physical coordinates of a contact point with respect to the flexible surface.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein activating the first haptic actuator in response to the first distance further includes generating a haptic wave traveling through medium of the flexible surface to generate haptic feedback at the first location.

21. A method of providing haptic feedback, comprising:

detecting a first interaction at a first location on a flexible surface;

generating a plurality of haptic waveform pulses with a first plurality of actuators to provide haptic feedback to the first location on the flexible surface in response to the detecting; and

generating a plurality of canceling haptic waveform pulses with a second plurality of actuators to minimize unwanted haptic effects on the flexible surface at locations other than the first location.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising

calculating a first distance from at least one of the first plurality of haptic actuators to the first location prior to said generating the plurality of haptic waveform pulses to determine which of the first plurality of actuators to actuate;

and

calculating a second distance from at least one of the second plurality of haptic actuators to the first location prior to said generating the plurality of canceling haptic waveform pulses to determine which of the second plurality of actuators to actuate.