Patent Description:
Haptics in general means the technology of using forces, vibrations, and/or motions to a user to generate an experience of touch. Haptics can be used in hand-held user devices as an effect that makes the user experience more versatile. For example, the hand-held controllers used as a part of the user interface of many video game devices may include means for producing haptic effects such as vibration. In particular, document <CIT> discloses modular peripheral device assemblies in which a handheld controller is magnetically attachable (e.g., via permanent magnets and/or electromagnets) to an assembly base (or to another handheld controller) and in which a haptic effect is created with two magnets on the attached objects as the user is moving the objects relative to each other.

Cleverly designed haptic effects may be used to deceive the human sensory system so that the user believes to feel e.g. a macroscopic movement of a button under their finger, even if in reality there is only a relatively stable structure that undergoes a short, intensive, elastic deformation or vibration in a much smaller scale.

In order to have optimal applicability in hand-held user devices, an arrangement for producing haptic effects should be small in size, have a low energy consumption, allow for versatile ways in attaching to the other structures of the device, and preferably be possible to manufacture at low cost.

It is an objective to provide a method and an arrangement for producing haptic effects in user devices in an optimal way. Another objective is to enable producing haptic effects in such parts of a user device that are movably attached.

According to a first aspect there is provided an arrangement as defined in the appended independent claim <NUM> for producing haptic effects in a user.

According to a second aspect there is provided a method as defined in the appended independent claim for producing haptic effects in a user device.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the appended dependent claims.

Certain features are common to the transducers that are meant here and described as haptic transducers. The transducer comprises two parts, which may be called the first half and the second half. The use of the term "half" does not mean that said parts of the transducer should have mutually equal size, mass, diameter, height, or any other dimension. The term is used here only as an illustrative name to make unambiguous reference to the two main parts of a transducer. Other names like "first transducer part" and "second transducer part" could be used quite as well.

The transducers of the kind meant here comprise an arrangement of permanent magnets, of which at least a first permanent magnet is located in the first half and at least a second permanent magnet is located in the second half. The purpose of the permanent magnets is to create - possibly together with other parts of the transducer, like one or more surrounding cover parts made of magnetic material - a static magnetic force. The static magnetic force may be for example such that there are one or more balance positions, in which the first and second halves of the transducer are at a local minimum of magnetic potential energy.

Typically, the physical structure of the transducer is such that there is a natural direction of movement in which at least one of the first and second halves may move in relation to the other during operation. If the general outline of the transducer is that of a box or case with an essentially flat bottom and - parallel to it - a relatively flat top, the bottom may be generally defined by the first half and the top may be generally defined by the second half. In such a case, the direction of a symmetry axis that goes essentially perpendicularly through the bottom and top may be said natural direction of movement. One or more points along the natural direction of movement are then the balance positions referred to above.

Yet another feature common to the haptic transducers meant here is the provision of one or more coils in the transducer. At least one such coil is configured to create, under influence of an electric current through said coil, dynamic magnetic forces in the haptic transducer. Various options exist for placing the coil (s) in relation to the first and second halves of the transducer, as well as in relation to the permanent magnets that make up the arrangement of permanent magnets. Each such option may have its own advantages and disadvantages, but for the purposes of this description the location of the coil(s) - like the exact configuration of the arrangement of permanent magnets - has little significance.

The haptic effect produced by the transducer is the result of feeding an electric current of desired waveform to the coil(s). Under the combined influence of the dynamic magnetic forces created this way and the static magnetic forces intrinsic to the arrangement of permanent magnets, a relative movement arises between the first and second halves of the transducer. Attachments of the first and second halves of the transducer to further parts of the device that houses the transducer convey this relative movement further, so that eventually the user will feel the consequences of said relative movement using their senses. The user may sense said consequences of the relative movement either directly, by touching at least one of those parts of the user device to which at least one of the first and second halves is attached, or indirectly so that there are one or more further parts in between.

<FIG> illustrates schematically an arrangement for producing haptic effects in a user device. The arrangement comprises a first part <NUM> and a second part <NUM> of the user device. Of these, the second part <NUM> constitutes a hand-held body of the user device. This means that the second part <NUM> is of a size and shape that enables a human user to grab and hold by one or two hands. Typically, but not necessarily, the first part <NUM> is smaller than the second part <NUM> of the user device.

The arrangement shown in <FIG> comprises a movable attachment <NUM>, here called the movable joint, between the first and second parts <NUM> and <NUM> of the user device. The purpose of the movable attachment <NUM> is to allow a user of the user device to hold the second part <NUM> by hand and move the first part <NUM> in relation to the second part <NUM> during use of the user device. As an illustrative, non-limiting example one may imagine that the user device is a game controller that the user utilizes to play a video game. In such a case the second part <NUM> may be the hand-held body of the game controller, while the first part <NUM> may be a trigger, a joystick, a knob, or similar user interface feature that the user may manipulate by using one or more fingers.

The arrangement comprises a haptic transducer <NUM> for producing haptic effects for the user during said use of the user device. The haptic transducer <NUM> comprises a first half <NUM> and a second half <NUM>. Also comprises in the haptic transducer, although not shown in <FIG>, is an arrangement of permanent magnets as already described above. At least a first permanent magnet is located in the first half <NUM> and at least a second permanent magnet is located in the second half <NUM>. Also comprised (and located) in the haptic transducer <NUM> is at least one coil, which is configured to create, under influence of an electric current flowing through said coil, dynamic magnetic forces in the haptic transducer <NUM>.

The first half <NUM> of the haptic transducer <NUM> is attached to the first part <NUM> of the user device, and the second half <NUM> is attached to the second half <NUM> of the user device. Thus, taken the movable attachment between the first and second parts <NUM> and <NUM> of the user device, the first half <NUM> of the haptic transducer <NUM> moves along with the first part <NUM> of the user device and the second half <NUM> of the haptic transducer <NUM> moves along with the second part <NUM> of the user device.

The attachments of the first half <NUM> to the first part <NUM> on one hand and the second half <NUM> to the second part <NUM> on the other hand means that the user may feel the haptic effects produced by the haptic transducer <NUM> in either one - or both - of the first and second parts <NUM> and <NUM>. In line with the illustrative example above, if the user device is a game controller and the first part <NUM> is a trigger, the user may feel e.g. a vibrating effect and/or a sensory-system-deceiving feeling of movement while pulling the trigger.

<FIG> is a schematic illustration of certain more detailed parts of the arrangement according to an embodiment. The first and second halves <NUM> and <NUM> of the haptic transducer are shown, as are parts of the first and second parts <NUM> and <NUM> of the user device. The first permanent magnet <NUM> and the second permanent magnet <NUM>, each located in their respective halves of the haptic transducer, both have the general outline of a relatively flat slab or pill. Polarities of the permanent magnets are schematically illustrated with hatching. In this embodiment the similarly named poles of the first and second permanent magnets face each other in the arrangement of permanent magnets. This has the natural consequence that one part of the resulting static magnetic forces is a repulsing force that tries to push the first half <NUM> of the haptic transducer away from the second half <NUM>.

Other structures like cover parts of the haptic transducer may direct the magnetic fields so as to create a balancing, attractive magnetic force. As the magnitudes of both said repulsing force and said attractive force depend on distance, together they may give rise to one or more balance positions at which the net magnetic force in the direction of movement is zero. However, the repulsing force mentioned above may also be utilized as an addition to or a replacement of a return spring. In such an embodiment the magnetic repulsion between the similarly named magnetic poles of the permanent magnets pushes, in the absence of any intentional counteracting force caused by the user, the first part into a released position away from the second part. Such a functionality may be particularly useful if the first part <NUM> of the user device is a spring, joystick, knob, or other feature that should always return to a released position when the user is not actively operating it.

In the embodiment of <FIG> the coil <NUM> has the shape of a relatively flat ring that encircles the second permanent magnet <NUM>. Many other shapes are possible for the coil, as are many other locations in relation to the permanent magnets. As non-limiting examples, the coil may be stacked on top or below one or more of the permanent magnets, or the coil may be located in an opening in the center of a ring-shaped permanent magnet or ring-shaped set of several permanent magnets.

Another feature shown in the embodiment of <FIG> is the provision of a current source <NUM> in the second part <NUM> of the user device. As the second part <NUM> constitutes a hand-held body of the user device, and is typically larger in size than the first part <NUM>, placing the current source <NUM> in the second part may give more freedom in the structural design in the user device than trying to squeeze it in the first part <NUM>. If the second part <NUM> is further connected to a larger apparatus, like if there is a power cord between the second part <NUM> and such a larger apparatus, the current source <NUM> may be considered conceptually as the route that the electric current takes through the second part <NUM> even if the actual, original source of the current would be further away. For simplicity of design, it is advantageous to have the coil <NUM> located in that half of the haptic transducer that is attached to the part of the user device housing the current source <NUM>. This is not a necessary requirement, however, because various connector means can be utilized to power a coil even from a different part of the arrangement.

The movable attachment <NUM> between the first and second parts <NUM> and <NUM> of the user device is a swivel joint, a slide joint, or an elastically deforming joint. As already mentioned above, one possible reason for providing such a movable attachment may be to allow the user to utilize the first part <NUM> as a trigger to be pulled by a finger of the same hand that holds the second part <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an example of connections between some possible further parts of the arrangement. In the embodiment of <FIG> the arrangement comprises a detector <NUM> that is configured to produce a detection signal in response to the user applying to the first part <NUM> a force for moving the first part <NUM> in relation to the second part <NUM>. Also comprised in the arrangement, here in the second part <NUM>, is a controllable driver circuit <NUM> for generating the electric current to the coil in response to a control signal. A controller <NUM> is coupled to said detector <NUM> and to said driver circuit <NUM>. The controller <NUM> is configured to produce said control signal in response to receiving said detection signal.

The embodiment of <FIG> involves the advantage that the controller <NUM>, which may be a microprocessor or microcontroller for example, may time the production of haptic feedback to the user in an exact manner with reference to how the user operates the user device. Again referring to the trigger example, the detector <NUM> may inform the controller <NUM> about when, how far, and/or how fast the user pulls the trigger. The controller <NUM> may then instruct the driver to generate such a current that makes the user feel just the appropriate haptic feedback that should result from such operating of the trigger.

The detector <NUM> and the haptic transducer may be different elements of the user device, as suggested by drawing them separate in <FIG> illustrates another alternative, in which the haptic transducer <NUM> is configured to also operate as the detector. Such an embodiment may utilize for example the fact that a relative movement of the first and second parts of the user device, like pulling a trigger for example, results in a corresponding relative movement of the first and second halves of the haptic transducer <NUM>. This, in turn, means a relative movement of at least one of the permanent magnets of the permanent magnet arrangement in relation to the coil, which may induce an electric current of detectable magnitude and direction in the coil. There may be an electric coupling between the coil and the controller for enabling the controller to detect a current induced into the coil. If the controller <NUM> has suitable means for detecting such a current, it may utilize it as the detection signal mentioned above.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a large class of possible embodiments in which the first part <NUM> is movable in relation to the second part <NUM> between a released position (shown on the left in <FIG>) and an operated position (shown on the right). In the released position the first and second halves <NUM> and <NUM> of the haptic transducer are located at a first distance from each other. In the operated position the first and second halves <NUM> and <NUM> of the haptic transducer are located at a second distance from each other. Of these, the second distance is smaller than the first distance. The idea here is that since it is more probable that the user should be given haptic feedback when operating the movable first part <NUM> than when not operating it, the actual operating position of the haptic transducer (i.e. the relative position of the first and second halves that facilitates effective production of a haptic effect) should come about in the operated position of the first part <NUM>.

In the embodiment of <FIG> the movement of the first part <NUM> in relation to the second part <NUM> is a swiveling movement around an axis <NUM>. The same principle could be easily applied, however, with for example a linear movement in which the first part would slide along a pair of guides or rails.

<FIG> illustrates another embodiment, in which the movable attachment is again a swivel joint. It is configured to allow the first part <NUM> to rotate around a swivel axis <NUM> with respect to the second part. The second part is not shown in <FIG>, but it is easy to understand how the swivel joint could be implemented by e.g. making a round shaft <NUM> in the first part <NUM> engage with a corresponding round hole or slot in the second part.

In the embodiment of <FIG> the first and second halves <NUM> and <NUM> of the haptic transducer are rotationally symmetric about a common axis of symmetry <NUM>. The term "rotationally symmetric" is used here in a wide sense, so that details that are not important to actual operation, like the location of the input and output wires that link the coil in the transducer to an external current source, are not taken into account. The first and second halves <NUM> and <NUM> of the haptic transducer are placed with their axis of symmetry <NUM> coincident with the swivel axis <NUM>. This involves the advantage that the geometric factors affecting the operation of the haptic transducer do not change at all during operation. Thus haptic effects of all kinds can be produced irrespective of whether the user has operated the first part <NUM> and if so, to what extent.

<FIG> illustrates an embodiment in which the first part of the user device comprises a first sub-part <NUM> and a second sub-part <NUM>. As described before, the haptic transducer <NUM> comprises a first half and a second half. As a difference to the other embodiments described above, the first half of the haptic transducer <NUM> is attached to the first sub-part <NUM> of the first part and the second half is attached to the second sub-part <NUM> of the first part.

The first and second sub-parts <NUM> and <NUM> are coupled to each other through suspension means <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the suspension means <NUM> constitute elastic suspension means for making the first sub-part <NUM> move in relation to the second sub-part <NUM> under influence of the haptic effects produced by the haptic transducer <NUM>. Another possibility is that the suspension means <NUM> constitute rigid suspension means for making the first sub-part <NUM> undergo elastic deformations under influence of the haptic effects produced by the haptic transducer <NUM>. Thus the terms "elastic" and "rigid" are used here as relative definitions. Their meaning is to be interpreted by examining, whether the produced haptic effects involve primarily moving the whole first sub-part <NUM> in relation to the second sub-part <NUM> or whether they involve primarily (at least) the first sub-part <NUM> deforming elastically.

The suspension means <NUM> may involve elements that are elastic by form and/or material, like springs and/or solid pieces of elastomer materials. Additionally or alternatively, they may involve rigid attachment means such as glue, screws, rivets, welded seams or the like. In some embodiments they may involve joint means, such as swivel joints or sliding joints for example. In one embodiment the suspension means involve a joint located in one direction from the haptic transducer and a spring or other elastic member in another direction, so that the movement of the first sub-part caused by the haptic transducer has the nature of moving about said joint while tending to return to a relaxed position defined by the elastic member.

In the embodiment of <FIG> it is possible to utilize a magnetic repulsion between the two halves of the haptic transducer <NUM> as a spring force. In other words, a first permanent magnet in the first half and a second permanent magnet in the second half of the haptic transducer <NUM> may have similarly named magnetic poles facing each other in the permanent magnet arrangement. A magnetic repulsion between said similarly named magnetic poles then pushes, in the absence of any intentional counteracting force caused by the user, the first sub-part <NUM> into a released position away from the second sub-part <NUM>.

As the first part <NUM> is assumed to be relatively small in relation to the second part <NUM> of the user device, also in the embodiment of <FIG> the current source <NUM> is part of the second part. A connection <NUM> exists for allowing the current generated in the current source <NUM> to flow into the coil in the haptic transducer <NUM>. The connection <NUM> is advantageously built so that it does not impede the movement of the first part in relation to the second part. <FIG> shows schematically how the connection <NUM> goes through the swivel joint of which the shaft <NUM> is a part. Sliding connector rings or other known means could be used in such a solution. Other ways are possible, for example by using a loosely attached section of conductor wire that goes between the first and second parts, preferably in a suitably concealed location.

A class of embodiments, an example of which is schematically shown in <FIG>, may be generally described so that the arrangement for producing haptic effects in a user device comprises a first part of the user device and a second part of the user device, which second part constitutes a hand-held body of the user device. A movable attachment is provided between said first and second parts of the user device, for allowing a user of the user device to hold the second part by hand and move the first part in relation to the second part during use of the user device. In conformity with the other embodiments described earlier, the purpose of the haptic transducer comprised in the arrangement is to produce haptic effects for said user during said use of the user device. In this particular class of embodiments, said first part comprises a first sub-part and a second sub-part, and said haptic transducer comprises a first half and a second half. Of these, said first half is attached to said first sub-part of the first part and said second half is attached to said second sub-part of the first part.

One sub-class of said class of embodiments may have said first sub-part and said second sub-part coupled to each other through elastic suspension means for making the first sub-part move in relation to said second sub-part under influence of the haptic effects produced by said haptic transducer.

Another sub-class of said class of embodiments may have said first sub-part and said second sub-part are coupled to each other through rigid suspension means for making the first sub-part undergo elastic deformations under influence of the haptic effects produced by said haptic transducer.

Claim 1:
Arrangement for producing haptic effects in a user device, comprising:
- a first part of the user device,
- a second part of the user device, which second part constitutes a hand-held body of the user device
- a movable attachment between said first and second parts of the user device, for allowing a user of the user device to hold the second part by hand and move the first part in relation to the second part during use of the user device, wherein said movable attachment is a swivel joint, slide joint, or elastically deforming joint, and
- a haptic transducer for producing haptic effects for said user during said use of the user device;
wherein said haptic transducer comprises:
- a first half and a second half,
- an arrangement of permanent magnets, of which at least a first permanent magnet is located in said first half and at least a second permanent magnet is located in said second half, and
- at least one coil located in said haptic transducer and configured to create, under influence of an electric current flowing through said coil, dynamic magnetic forces in said haptic transducer;
wherein said first half is attached to said first part of the user device and said second half is attached to said second part of the user device;
and the arrangement comprises:
- a detector configured to produce a detection signal in response to the user applying to said first part a force for moving the first part in relation to the second part,
- a controllable driver circuit for generating said electric current to said coil in response to a control signal, and
- a controller coupled to said detector and to said driver circuit, said controller configured to produce said control signal in response to receiving said detection signal; and
characterized in that said movable attachment is a swivel joint, slide joint, or elastically deforming joint.