Source: https://patents.justia.com/patent/10279251
Timestamp: 2019-06-18 02:43:57
Document Index: 165513063

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 14', 'Application No. 2014100991273', 'Application No. 17', 'Application No. 2014', 'Application No. 17156662', 'Application No. 2014']

US Patent for Programmable haptic peripheral Patent (Patent # 10,279,251 issued May 7, 2019) - Justia Patents Search
Justia Patents Display Peripheral Interface Input DeviceUS Patent for Programmable haptic peripheral Patent (Patent # 10,279,251)
Nov 9, 2018 - IMMERSION CORPORATION
This application is a continuation application U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/419,953, filed Jan. 30, 2017, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,124,252 on Nov. 13, 2018, which is a continuation application of U.S. Patent Application No. 14/213,034, filed Mar. 14, 2014, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,557,830 on Jan. 31, 2017, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/789,566, filed Mar. 15, 2013. The contents of each of the foregoing application are hereby incorporated by reference.
Conventional video game devices or controllers use visual and auditory cues to provide feedback to a user. In some interface devices, kinesthetic feedback (such as active and resistive haptic feedback) and/or tactile feedback (such as vibration, texture, and heat) is also provided to the user, more generally known collectively as “haptic feedback” or “haptic effects.” Haptic feedback can provide cues that enhance and simplify the user interface. For example, vibration effects, or vibrotactile haptic effects, may be useful in providing cues to users of electronic devices to alert the user to specific events, or provide realistic feedback to create greater sensory immersion within a simulated or virtual environment. Conventional haptic feedback systems for gaming and other devices generally include an actuator for generating the haptic feedback attached to the housing of the controller/peripheral. More particularly, motors or other actuators of the interface device are housed within the controller and are connected to the controlling computer system. The computer system receives sensor signals from the interface device and sends appropriate haptic feedback control signals to the actuators. The actuators then provide haptic feedback to the controller. The computer system can thus convey physical sensations to the user in conjunction with other visual and auditory feedback.
Embodiments hereof also relate to a gaming system including a host computer, a processor, and a haptic peripheral. The haptic peripheral includes a manipulandum movable in at least one degree of freedom, an inertial haptic output device, and a haptic output device. The inertial haptic output device is coupled to the manipulandum, and is configured to receive a control signal from the processor and output a transient haptic effect to the manipulandum in response to the control signal from the processor. The haptic output device is configured to receive a control signal from the processor and modify a stiffness of the manipulandum in response to the control signal from the processor.
Embodiments hereof also relate to a method of providing haptic feedback. The method includes the steps of receiving a first control signal at a haptic peripheral, wherein the haptic peripheral includes a manipulandum movable in at least one degree of freedom and a haptic output device. The first control signal is transmitted to the haptic output device. A stiffness of the manipulandum is modified in response to the first control signal.
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for providing haptic effects or feedback to a haptic peripheral. More particularly, referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-2 illustrate an embodiment hereof of a haptic feedback system 100 for providing haptic feedback to a haptic peripheral 102 that includes a manipulandum or user input device 118 which can move in one or more degrees of freedom. In this embodiment, manipulandum 118 is a haptic analog joystick. Although FIGS. 1-2 illustrate a haptic joystick as the manipulandum of the haptic peripheral, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to a joystick manipulandum, but also includes any devices moveable in, either in whole or in part, one or more degrees of freedom. Those skilled in the art would recognize that the haptic joystick is merely an exemplary embodiment of a manipulandum of a controller, and that manipulandums with other configurations such as triggers, buttons, or other user input elements may be used. In addition, haptic peripheral 102 may have other controller configurations, shapes, and/or sizes such as but are not limited to devices in a form similar to traditional video game controllers, including but not limited to controllers such as a Wii™ remote or Wii™ U Controller, Sony® SixAxis' controller or Sony® Wand controller, as well as controllers shaped as real life objects (such as tennis rackets, golf clubs, baseball bats, and the like) and other shapes.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, host computer 104 is in communication with haptic peripheral 102 through a wired or USB connection 103. However, in other embodiments, haptic peripheral 102 may communicate with host computer 104 using other wired communication or wireless communication means known to those of skill in the art. This can include but is not limited to a serial or Bluetooth connection.
In addition to receiving sensor signals from sensor 117, local processor 116 also receives control signals from host computer 104 relating to haptic effects or actuator signals for inertial haptic output device 112 and haptic output device 114. If the control signal received by local processor 116 of haptic peripheral 102 relates to a vibration or detent, local processor 116 sends the control signal to inertial haptic output device 112 to provide the appropriate haptic effect. If the control signal received by local processor 116 of haptic peripheral 102 relates to a stiffness of the manipulandum, then local processor 116 sends the control signal to haptic output device 114 to modify a spring force acting on the manipulation. The spring force is a resistive force as the manipulandum is moved away from the rest or nominal position and is a restorative force as the manipulandum is moved back towards the rest or nominal position. In its original or unmodified state, each manipulandum or movable object of a controller has a predetermined resistive spring force acting thereon such that it takes a predetermined amount of force in order to move the manipulandum, either linearly or angularly, a predetermined amount away from a rest or nominal position. When the resistive spring force acting on the manipulation increases, the stiffness of the manipulandum increases such that the manipulandum has a “tighter” or “stiffer” feel. More particularly, when the stiffness of the manipulandum increases, an increased or greater amount of force is required to move the manipulandum the predetermined amount away from the rest or nominal position as compared to the amount of force required to move the manipulandum in the original or unmodified state. Conversely, when the resistive spring force acting on the manipulation decreases, the stiffness of the manipulandum decreases such that the manipulandum has a “looser” or “more flexible” feel. More particularly, when the stiffness of the manipulandum decreases, a decreased or lesser amount of force is required to move the manipulandum the predetermined amount away from the rest or nominal position as compared to the amount of force required to move the manipulandum in the original or unmodified state.
More particularly, depending on game actions and control signals received from host computer 104, local processor 116 may at times send a control signal to inertial haptic output device 112 to vibrate or cause some other transient haptic effect. Inertial haptic output device 112 may reside anywhere on or in haptic peripheral 102 to provide inertial haptic effects to the user. Haptic effects provided by inertial haptic output device 112 may include but are not limited to transient effects such as detents or vibrations. For example, when in operation, voltage magnitudes and durations are streamed from host computer 104 to haptic peripheral 102 where information is provided to inertial haptic output device 112 via local processor 116. Host computer 104 may provide high level commands to local processor 116 such as the type of haptic effect to be output (e.g. vibration, jolt, detent, pop, etc.) by inertial haptic output device 112, whereby local processor 116 instructs the inertial haptic output device 112 as to particular characteristics of the haptic effect which is to be output (e.g. magnitude, frequency, duration, etc.). Local processor 116 may retrieve the type, magnitude, frequency, duration, or other characteristics of the haptic effect from local memory 115 coupled thereto. Inertial haptic output device 112 may be a physical and/or a non-physical actuator. Possible physical actuators include but are not limited to eccentric rotating mass (“ERM”) actuators, linear resonant actuators (“LRAs”) in which a mass attached to a spring is driven back and forth, piezoelectric actuators, electromagnetic motors in which an eccentric mass is moved by a motor, vibrotactile actuators, inertial actuators, or other suitable types of actuating devices. Possible non-physical actuators include but are not limited to electrostatic friction (ESF), ultrasonic surface friction (USF), and other non-physical actuators.
In an embodiment hereof, as shown in FIG. 3, inertial haptic output device 112 may be mechanically fixed to the manipulandum 118 of haptic peripheral 102. Depending upon precise location of inertial haptic output device 112, haptic effects may be isolated to a target region of haptic peripheral 102, such as to a base end 130 of manipulandum 118 or a trigger end 122 of manipulandum. In FIG. 3, inertial haptic output device 112 is located within base end 130 of manipulandum 118 of haptic peripheral 102. A pivot point 132 of haptic peripheral 102 is found in the center of manipulandum 118. In this embodiment, a user would be able to move manipulandum 118 in any direction and with multiple degrees of freedom with respect to pivot point 132. A vibration isolation/dampening device (not shown) as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/078,478, filed Nov. 12, 2013 by the same inventor as the present invention, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, may be utilized to isolate the haptic effects to a target region of haptic peripheral 102. With such isolated haptic effects, a relatively smaller actuator may be used as inertial haptic output device 112 at the target region of the haptic peripheral to provide the transient haptic effect.
In addition to sending control signals to inertial haptic output device 112, depending on game actions and control signals received from host computer 104, local processor 116 may at times send a signal to haptic output device 114 to programmically change the spring force acting on manipulandum 118 of haptic peripheral 102, thereby increasing or decreasing the stiffness of the manipulandum such that the manipulandum has a “tight” or “stiff” feel as opposed to a “loose” or “flexible” feel depending on the current game actions or conditions. More particularly, with additional reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 which shows a schematic illustration of haptic peripheral 102, haptic peripheral 102 includes adjustable bumper 126 that can be moved relative to manipulandum 118 via haptic output device 114 in order to increase or decrease the manipulandum's stiffness. Adjustable bumper 126 is a pad element that may be moved into various degrees of contact with manipulandum 118 via haptic output device 114. As shown in FIG. 3, when adjustable bumper 126 is not positioned in proximity to manipulandum 118 and manipulandum 118 does not contact adjustable bumper 126 during user operation thereof, the user will feel only an original or unmodified spring force acting on manipulation 118. When adjustable bumper 126 is moved into contact with manipulandum 118 as shown in FIG. 3A (or when adjustable bumper 126 is positioned in proximity to manipulandum 118 such that at least a portion of the manipulandum contacts the adjustable bumper during user operation thereof), the spring force acting on manipulation 118 felt by the user includes a combination of the original spring force acting on manipulation 118 and the force required to deform adjustable bumper 126. The spring force acting on manipulation 118 continues to increase as the adjustable bumper 126 is moved to be more in contact with manipulandum 118 due to the stiffness or material properties of adjustable bumper 126. Adjustable bumper 126 may be made of any type of material that would provide a spring force to the user. These materials include, but are not limited to, foam, rubber, silicon, or similar substances. These materials may or may not be deformable. In another embodiment, the adjustable bumper may be made of a non-deformable material but yet still provide a spring force through other type of mechanisms, such as a spring connected to the adjustable bumper. Haptic output device 114 is located near the target or movable portions of manipulandum 118 of haptic peripheral 102. As used herein, target or moveable portions of manipulandum 118 include the portion of the manipulandum which may be moved relative to housing 120 of haptic peripheral 102 by the user. In this embodiment, haptic output device 114 is located below base end 130 of manipulandum 118, near pivot point 132 of haptic peripheral 102.
Embodiments hereof thus utilize at least two separate or decoupled actuators or haptic output devices in order to provide complete or full haptic feedback to the haptic peripheral. The first actuator or haptic output device of the haptic peripheral functions to programmically change the spring force acting on a manipulandum of the haptic peripheral, thereby increasing or decreasing the manipulandum's stiffness, while the second actuator or inertial haptic output device of the haptic peripheral functions to provide inertial haptic effects to the user, such as but not limited to transient effects such as detents or vibrations. Collectively, the two actuators or haptic output devices, i.e., haptic output device 114 and inertial haptic output device 112, provide the user with a full haptic experience. One benefit of a programmable haptic peripheral that utilizes the two separate actuators or haptic output devices as described in embodiments hereof is that the programmable haptic peripheral exhibits a feature set similar to a full kinesthetic joystick but at a much reduced cost, smaller volume, and reduced power consumption. Full kinesthetic joysticks continuously consume power in order to provide haptic effects to the manipulandum. However, a programmable haptic peripheral that utilizes the two separate actuators or haptic output devices as described above only consumes power when the spring force acting on a manipulandum needs to be changed or adjusted. Stated another way, with respect to a programmable haptic peripheral according to embodiments hereof energy is only required from the actuator when the spring force is being changed as opposed to a full kinesthetic joystick in which power or energy is directly or continuously supplied to render the haptic effects relating to the manipulandum. As such, a programmable haptic peripheral according to embodiments hereof has relatively lower power requirements, thereby reducing cost, volume, and power consumption. In addition, the size of the actuators utilized in embodiments hereof are relatively smaller and less expensive than those utilized in full kinesthetic joysticks as they require less peak power to be delivered.
FIG. 6 is a flow diagram for producing a haptic effect signal from the host computer system according to one embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment, the functionality of the flow diagram of FIG. 6 is implemented by software stored in memory 110 of host component 104 and executed by host processor 108, and/or memory 115 of haptic peripheral 102 and executed by local processor 116. In other embodiments, the functionality may be performed by hardware through the use of an application specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”), a programmable gate array (“PGA”), a field programmable gate array (“FPGA”), or any combination of hardware and software.
FIG. 7 is a flow diagram for receiving haptic information from a host computer system and applying a haptic effect to a haptic peripheral, according to one embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment, the functionality of the flow diagram of FIG. 7 is implemented by software stored in memory 110 of host component 104 and executed by host processor 108, and/or memory 115 of haptic peripheral 102 and executed by local processor 116. In other embodiments, the functionality may be performed by hardware through the use of an application specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”), a programmable gate array (“PGA”), a field programmable gate array (“FPGA”), or any combination of hardware and software.
Several embodiments are specifically illustrated and/or described herein. However, it will be appreciated that modifications and variations of the disclosed embodiments are covered by the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention. For example, FIGS. 1-2 illustrate a haptic joystick as the single or only manipulandum of the haptic peripheral. However, those skilled in the art would recognize that the haptic joystick is merely an exemplary embodiment of a manipulandum and that manipulandums with other configurations, shapes, and sizes may be used. For example, FIGS. 8-9 illustrate a haptic peripheral 802 according to another embodiment hereof in which haptic peripheral 802 is a handheld gaming controller of similar shape and size to many “gamepads” currently available for video game console systems. A housing of haptic peripheral 802 is shaped to easily accommodate two hands gripping the device, either by a left-handed user or a right-handed user.
a haptic output device coupled to the adjustable bumper,
wherein the haptic output device is configured to receive a control signal from a processor and is configured to move the adjustable bumper relative to the manipulandum to modify a stiffness of the manipulandum and to maintain the stiffness as a constant stiffness throughout a range of motion of the manipulandum.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stiffness of the manipulandum is modified by changing the amount of contact between the adjustable bumper and the manipulandum.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the adjustable bumper is deformable.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a position of the adjustable bumper determines the stiffness of the manipulandum and a different constant stiffness is provided for each position of the adjustable bumper.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the haptic output device is configured to move the adjustable bumper in a linear direction to change the stiffness of the manipulandum.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the manipulandum is selected from the group consisting of a trigger and a joystick.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an inertial haptic output device coupled to the manipulandum, wherein the inertial haptic output device is configured to receive a control signal from the processor and output a haptic effect to the manipulandum in response to the control signal from the processor.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adjustable bumper is curved to maintain a constant amount of contact between the adjustable bumper and the manipulandum throughout the range of motion of the manipulandum.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the manipulandum is movable in two degrees of freedom, and
wherein the stiffness is modified in the two degrees of freedom.
a haptic peripheral including a manipulandum movable in at least one degree of freedom, an adjustable bumper, and a haptic output device,
wherein the haptic output device is configured to receive a control signal from the processor and is configured to move the adjustable bumper relative to the manipulandum to modify a stiffness of the manipulandum and to maintain the stiffness as a constant stiffness throughout a range of motion of the manipulandum.
11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein a position of the adjustable bumper determines the stiffness of the manipulandum and a different constant stiffness is provided for each position of the adjustable bumper.
12. The gaming system of claim 10, further comprising an inertial haptic output device, wherein the inertial haptic output device is coupled to the manipulandum and is configured to receive a control signal from the processor and output a transient haptic effect to the manipulandum in response to the control signal from the processor.
13. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the adjustable bumper is curved to maintain a constant amount of contact between the adjustable bumper and the manipulandum throughout the range of motion of the manipulandum.
14. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the manipulandum is movable in two degrees of freedom, and
15. A method of providing haptic feedback, comprising the steps of:
receiving a first control signal at a haptic peripheral, wherein the haptic peripheral includes a manipulandum movable in at least one degree of freedom and a haptic output device;
modifying a stiffness of the manipulandum in response to the first control signal by moving an adjustable bumper relative to the manipulandum, and
maintaining a constant stiffness throughout a range of motion of the manipulandum.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein a position of the adjustable bumper determines the stiffness of the manipulandum and a different constant stiffness is provided for each position of the adjustable bumper.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the haptic signal further comprises determining an amount of force to apply to the manipulandum by the adjustable bumper.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein modifying the stiffness of the manipulandum includes moving the adjustable bumper in a linear direction relative to the manipulandum.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein the adjustable bumper is curved to maintain a constant amount of contact between the adjustable bumper and the manipulandum throughout the range of motion of the manipulandum.
20. The method of claim 15, wherein the manipulandum is movable in two degrees of freedom, and
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Patent Publication Number: 20190076732
Inventor: Danny A. Grant (Laval)
Application Number: 16/186,366
International Classification: A63F 9/24 (20060101); A63F 13/285 (20140101); G06F 3/01 (20060101); G06F 1/16 (20060101); A63F 13/00 (20140101); A63F 13/24 (20140101); G06F 3/0338 (20130101); G05G 9/047 (20060101);