Handheld devices configured to output haptic effects based on fingerprints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10198079-B2
Application number	US-201815986862-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2018
Priority date	Oct 23, 2001
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

Handheld weapons using tactile feedback to deliver silent status information are described. One embodiment comprises a handheld weapon comprising: a housing comprising a user contactable region, a tactile element coupled to the user contactable region, and an actuator coupled to the tactile element and capable of outputting a haptic sensation localized to the tactile element.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a user graspable housing comprising a user contactable region;
a substantial planar tactile element coupled to the user contactable region;
a fingerprint sensor configured to detect a fingerprint and transmit a fingerprint signal associated with the fingerprint, wherein the fingerprint sensor is coupled within the tactile element;
a processor coupled to the fingerprint sensor, the processor configured to:
determine whether a user is an authorized user based in part on the fingerprint signal; and
determine a haptic signal based in part on whether the user is an authorized user; and

an actuator assembly positioned within the user graspable housing and coupled to the tactile element, the actuator assembly configured to receive the haptic signal and output a haptic effect.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user contactable region comprises one or more of: a handle, a grip, a stylus, or a trigger.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the substantial planar tactile element is coupled to a contact surface that is one or more of: substantially planar, curved, or textured.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user graspable housing comprises a handheld device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the handheld device comprises one or more of: a keyless remote, a bar code scanner, a metal detector, a controller, or a cellular telephone.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the haptic effect is configured to provide status information associated with the handheld device.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fingerprint sensor comprises a user input device.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator assembly comprises one or more of: a piezoelectric ceramic actuator, a voice coil, a moving magnet actuator, a solenoid, an electro-active polymer, or a solid state element.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the haptic effect comprises one or more of: a vibration, a controlled pulse, or a periodic force sensation.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the haptic effect comprises a haptic effect localized to the tactile element.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the haptic effect comprises one of: an indication that a user is not an authorized user or an indication that a user is an authorized user.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to output a sensor signal, and wherein the processor is configured to determine the haptic effect based in part on the sensor signal.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the sensor comprises a sensor configured to detect one or more of: a radio signal, an infrared signal, a bar code, an electromagnetic signal, or an object.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a detector coupled to the tactile element, the detector configured to detect when a user is contacting the tactile element and transmit a second signal to the processor.

15. A method comprising:
receiving a fingerprint signal from a fingerprint sensor, wherein the fingerprint sensor is coupled within a substantial planar tactile element;
determining whether a user is an authorized user based in part on the fingerprint signal;
determining a haptic signal based in part on whether the user is an authorized user; and
outputting the haptic signal to an actuator assembly positioned within a user graspable housing comprising a user contactable region, the actuator assembly configured to receive the haptic signal and output a haptic effect.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the user contactable region comprises one or more of: a handle, a grip, a stylus, or a trigger.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the substantial planar tactile element is coupled to a contact surface that is one or more of: substantially planar, curved, or textured.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the user graspable housing comprises a handheld device.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the handheld device comprises one or more of: a keyless remote, a bar code scanner, a metal detector, a controller, or a cellular telephone.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code, which when executed by a processor is configured to cause the processor to:
receive a fingerprint signal from a fingerprint sensor, wherein the fingerprint sensor is coupled within a substantial planar tactile element;
determine whether a user is an authorized user based in part on the fingerprint signal;
determine a haptic signal based in part on whether the user is an authorized user; and
output the haptic signal to an actuator assembly positioned within a user graspable housing comprising a user contactable region, the actuator assembly configured to receive the haptic signal and output a haptic effect.

Assignees

• Immersion Corp

Inventors

• Rosenberg Louis B

Classifications

• H04M19/04

  the ringing-current being generated at the substations · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• F41B15/04

  with electric stunning-means {(ejecting electrically charged liquid jets F41B9/00; electric shock creating harpoons F42B30/14; electric circuits or apparatus for killing or stunning H05C)} · CPC title

• H04M19/047

  Vibrating means for incoming calls · CPC title

• G06F2203/014

  Force feedback applied to GUI · CPC title