Tactile feedback interface device

• US 9,690,379 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2014
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Yim, Mark H., Tremblay, Mark R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Toan
• Application Number:
  US14/340,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20140337724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/321 Garment sensors, i.e. musical control means with trigger surfaces or joint angle sensors, worn as a garment by the player, e.g. bracelet, intelligent clothing vital parameter sensing G10H2220/371; wearable interfaces in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/225 Feedback of the input speech

Abstract

A system includes a host computer configured to generate a graphical interface that includes a graphical object, obtain at least one spoken utterance, control an interaction of the graphical object within the graphical interface based on the spoken utterance, and generate an activating signal based on the spoken utterance. An interface device is configured to receive the spoken utterance, provide the spoken utterance to the host computer, and control the graphical object within the graphical interface based on the provided spoken utterance. The graphical object includes a graphical representation within the graphical interface. An actuator is disposed within a housing of the interface device, thereby protecting the actuator from contact by the user, and is configured to receive the activating signal from the host computer. The activating signal causes the actuator to impart a force via the housing.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a computing device comprising a memory and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to;

generate a graphical interface that includes a graphical object;

obtain at least one spoken utterance;

control an interaction of the graphical object within the graphical interface based on the at least one spoken utterance; and

generate an activating signal based on the at least one spoken utterance;

a user interface device configured to receive the at least one spoken utterance, provide the at least one spoken utterance to the computing device, and control the graphical object within the graphical interface based on the provided at least one spoken utterance, wherein the graphical object comprises a graphical representation within the graphical interface; and

a vibrotactile device comprising an actuator disposed within a housing of the user interface device, thereby protecting the actuator from contact by the user, the actuator configured to receive the activating signal, wherein the activating signal causes the actuator to impart a force via the housing, the actuator comprising a rotating mass actuator having a shaft and an eccentric mass coupled to the shaft, wherein the rotating mass actuator produces the force by the mass rotating about the shaft around an axis of rotation and wherein a center of mass of the eccentric mass is offset from the axis of rotation thereby causing the force when the eccentric mass rotates about the shaft.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second user interface device configured to be operated by a second user; and

a second actuator disposed within a housing of the second interface device, thereby protecting the second actuator from contact by the second user, the second actuator configured to receive the activating signal, wherein the activating signal causes the second actuator to impart a force to the second user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a moving portion that causes the force, wherein the moving portion is protected from contact by the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface device further comprises:

a fastener configured to fasten the user interface device to the user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface device comprises a handheld interface device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the activating signal causes the actuator to impart the force that varies by frequency.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface includes a second graphical object and wherein the interaction is between the graphical object and the second graphical object.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the imparted force varies based on a virtual pressure applied to the second graphical object.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a linear actuator.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the force comprises a varying amplitude over a duration of the force.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the activating signal causes the actuator to output the force as a series of pulses.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the force produces a tactile sensation.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to generate the activating signal based further on one or more states of the graphical object, the one or more states comprising a position, a velocity, or an acceleration of the graphical object within the graphical interface.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the activating signal causes the actuator to impart one or more of visual, auditory, taste, smell, or temperature cues to the user.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the housing is mounted onto a sensing instrument, the sensing instrument comprising one or more sensors that measure one or more physical conditions of the user.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions, the instructions when executed configuring the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

displaying a graphical interface, the graphical interface including a graphical object;

receiving a signal representative of at least one spoken utterance from a user interface device configured to control the graphical object in the graphical interface, wherein the graphical object comprises a graphical representation of at least a portion of a body of a user;

controlling an interaction of the graphical object within the graphical interface based on the signal representative of the at least one spoken utterance;

generating an activating signal based on the signal representative of the at least one spoken utterance; and

transmitting the activating signal to the user interface device based on an interaction related to the graphical object in the graphical interface,

wherein the activating signal causes an actuator disposed within a housing of the user interface device to output a force via the housing, the actuator disposed within the housing to protect the actuator from contact by the user and wherein the actuator comprises a rotating mass actuator having a shaft and an eccentric mass coupled to the shaft, wherein the mass is rotated about the shaft around an axis of rotation to produce the force, wherein a center of mass of the eccentric mass is offset from the axis of rotation thereby causing the force when the eccentric mass rotates about the shaft.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the graphical interface includes a second graphical object and wherein the interaction comprises a collision between the graphical object and the second graphical object in the graphical interface.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the force produces a tactile sensation.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the force varies by amplitude over a duration of the force.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the activating signal causes the actuator to output the force as a series of pulses.

21. An apparatus comprising:

an input configured to receive at least one spoken utterance to control a graphical object within a graphical interface, wherein the graphical object comprises a graphical representation of at least a portion of a body of a user;

at least one processor configured to;

generate a signal based on the at least one spoken utterance;

cause the signal to be transmitted to a host computer; and

receive from the host computer an activating signal based on the generated signal; and

a vibrotactile device comprising an actuator configured to output a force based on the activating signal in coordination with the graphical interface, wherein the actuator is disposed within the housing, thereby protecting the actuator from contact by the user, and wherein the actuator comprises a rotating mass actuator having a shaft and an eccentric mass coupled to the shaft, wherein the mass is rotated about the shaft around an axis of rotation to produce the force, wherein a center of mass of the eccentric mass is offset from the axis of rotation thereby causing the force when the eccentric mass rotates about the shaft.

22. A computing device, comprising:

one or more processors configured to;

generate a graphical interface, wherein the graphical interface comprises at least one graphical object;

obtain at least one spoken utterance from an interface device;

control the at least one graphical object based on the at least one spoken utterance from the interface device;

generate an activating signal based on the at least one spoken utterance from the interface device, wherein the activating signal is configured to cause an actuator to impart a force; and

provide the activating signal such that the actuator is caused to impart the force, the actuator comprising a rotating mass actuator having a shaft and an eccentric mass coupled to the shaft, wherein the mass is rotated about the shaft around an axis of rotation to produce the force and wherein a center of mass of the eccentric mass is offset from the axis of rotation thereby causing the force when the eccentric mass rotates about the shaft.

23. The computing device of claim 22, wherein the at least one spoken utterance comprises at least one spoken word.