Tactile presentation apparatus, tactile cell, and method for controlling tactile presentation apparatus

• US 9,075,437 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Kim, Young Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bousono, Orlando
• Application Number:
  US13/335,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20120161948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: 3404071-4072, 345173-178, 341 20- 27, 341/34, 116/205
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays

Abstract

Disclosed is a tactile presentation apparatus including a plurality of tactile cells. Each of the plurality of tactile cells includes a supporter for shielding magnetic force, a tactile feeder moving up according to the magnetic force in the supporter, and an electromagnet generating magnetic force depending on depth information of a pixel. The tactile presentation apparatus includes a permanent magnet, a vibration device that vibrates according to texture information, and a pressure sensor measuring pressure applied to the tactile feeder.

Claims

1. A tactile presentation apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of tactile cells,

wherein the number of the plurality of tactile cells is equal to the number of pixels of a depth image, and

each of the plurality of tactile cells implements depth information and texture information of the depth image and measures applied pressure information by using an embedded pressure sensor,

wherein,

each of the plurality of tactile cells includes;

a tactile reactor generating a magnetic force of an electromagnet according to a magnetic force control voltage depending on the depth information of the depth image,

a tactile feeder that moves up or down according to the magnetic force, and

an ultrasound vibration device that vibrates according to a vibration control voltage,

wherein,

the magnetic force control voltage is obtained based on a compensation voltage value corresponding to the depth information of the depth image, and

the vibration control voltage is obtained based on a compensation voltage value corresponding to the texture information of the depth image.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller providing the magnetic force control voltage depending on the depth information of the depth image to the plurality of tactile cells.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the tactile feeder includes a permanent magnet on the bottom thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the tactile feeder includes the embedded pressure sensor measuring the applied pressure information.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

each of the plurality of tactile cells further includes a supporter shielding the magnetic force, guiding movement of the tactile feeder, and surrounding the tactile feeder and the tactile reactor.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the controller provides the vibration control voltage according to the texture information of the depth image to the plurality of tactile cells.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the supporter includes an interface line that provides the vibration control voltage corresponding to the texture information to the ultrasound vibration device through a touch point with the tactile feeder, and receives a pressure measurement signal from the embedded pressure sensor to feed back the received pressure measurement signal to a picture system.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the controller includes a memory including a magnetic force control voltage table and a vibration control voltage table,

the controller verifies the compensation voltage value corresponding to the depth information of the depth image in the magnetic force control voltage table to provide the magnetic force control voltage to the plurality of tactile cells, and

the controller verifies the compensation voltage value corresponding to the texture information of the depth image in the vibration control voltage table to provide the vibration control voltage to the plurality of tactile cells.

9. A method for controlling a tactile presentation apparatus that comprises a plurality of tactile cells, wherein each of the plurality of tactile cells includes a tactile reactor, a tactile feeder, and an ultrasound vibration device, the method comprising:

receiving information on the position, depth, and texture of each pixel of a depth image, wherein the number of pixels of the depth image is equal to the number of the plurality of tactile cells;

measuring applied pressure information by using an embedded pressure sensor;

generating a magnetic force control voltage according to the depth information of the depth image;

generating a vibration control voltage according to the texture information of the depth image;

generating, by the textile reactor, a magnetic force of an electromagnet of a tactile cell of the plurality of tactile cells according to a magnetic force control voltage;

providing current to the electromagnet of the tactile cell of the plurality of tactile cells corresponding to the position information of the depth image through the magnetic force control voltage;

actuating the tactile feeder to move up or down according to the magnetic force; and

actuating the ultrasound vibration device to vibrate according to the vibration control voltage;

wherein the magnetic force control voltage is obtained based on a compensation voltage value corresponding to the depth information of the depth image, and

wherein the vibration control voltage is obtained based on a compensation voltage value corresponding to the texture information of the depth image.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the generating of the magnetic force control voltage includes:

verifying the compensation voltage value corresponding to the depth information of the depth image in a magnetic force control voltage table, and

generating the magnetic force control voltage corresponding to the verified compensation voltage value corresponding to the depth information of the depth image.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the tactile feeder includes the embedded pressure sensor measuring the applied pressure information, and the tactile presentation control method further includes providing a pressure measurement signal from the embedded pressure sensor to a picture system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the generating of the vibration control voltage includes:

verifying the compensation voltage value corresponding to the texture information of the depth image in a vibration control voltage table, and

generating the vibration control voltage corresponding to the verified compensation voltage value corresponding to the texture information of the depth image.