Method for converting acoustic signal into haptic signal, and haptic device using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10488929-B2
Application number	US-201715763210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2017
Priority date	May 17, 2016
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

A haptic device according to one embodiment can comprise: a database unit for storing acoustic information or receiving the acoustic information from an external device; a control unit for converting the acoustic information into an electrical signal according to a predetermined pattern; a driving unit for generating a motion signal on the basis of the electrical signal; and a transfer unit for transferring a patterned tactile signal to a user by means of the motion signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A haptic device, comprising:
a database configured to store acoustic information or receive the acoustic information from an external device;
a controller configured to convert the acoustic information into an electrical signal corresponding to a predetermined pattern; and
a tactile actuator configured to provide a user with a patterned tactile signal,
wherein the tactile actuator comprises:
a driver configured to generate a motion signal based on the electrical signal; and
a transmitter configured to transmit the patterned tactile signal to the user using the motion signal,
wherein the acoustic information includes at least one of a note having duration information, pitch information, and loudness information, and a rest having duration information,
wherein the electrical signal corresponding to the predetermined pattern includes:
a voltage magnitude that increases in proportion to the pitch information of the note;
a voltage apply time that increases in proportion to the duration information of the note; and
a waiting time arranged after the voltage apply time,
wherein the duration information of the note is equal to a sum of the voltage apply time and the waiting time.

2. The haptic device of claim 1 , wherein the voltage magnitude has a predetermined value corresponding to a note having a different pitch.

3. The haptic device of claim 2 , wherein the acoustic information further includes a dynamic marking that changes the loudness information of the note, and
the controller is configured to adjust the voltage magnitude or the voltage apply time based on an indication indicated by the dynamic marking.

4. The haptic device of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to increase the voltage magnitude and/or the voltage apply time compared to the waiting time at a predetermined rate when the dynamic marking is a forte-type marking, and
the controller is configured to decrease the voltage magnitude and/or the voltage apply time compared to the waiting time at the predetermined rate when the dynamic marking is a piano-type marking.

5. The haptic device of claim 2 , wherein the acoustic information further includes a slur that links notes of different pitches, and
the controller is configured to adjust a waiting time between the notes linked by the slur to “0” seconds.

6. The haptic device of claim 2 , wherein the acoustic information further includes a tie that links notes of the same pitch, and
the controller is configured to add a duration of a following note to a waiting time between the notes linked by the tie.

7. The haptic device of claim 2 , wherein the acoustic information further includes a bar indicating that a predetermined section is to be repeated, and
the controller is configured to adjust the voltage such that voltages corresponding to notes in a section indicated by the bar are repeated.

8. The haptic device of claim 1 , wherein the driver comprises:
a housing having an accommodation space therein;
a vibrator disposed in the accommodation space;
an elastic member configured to connect the housing and the vibrator such that the vibrator vibrates with respect to the housing; and
a coil configured to form a magnetic field to drive the vibrator,
wherein the transmitter is disposed to cover the accommodation space,
a mass of the vibrator is below 2 grams (g),
an elasticity coefficient of the elastic member is below 2.021 newtons per millimeter (N/mm), and
a resonant frequency of the tactile actuator is below 160 hertz (Hz).

9. The haptic device of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to determine one of a plurality of predetermined driving modes based on the acoustic information, and convert the acoustic information into the electrical signal having a frequency corresponding to the determined driving mode.

10. The haptic device of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of driving modes include a general vibration mode, a tapping mode, and a rolling mode,
wherein the controller is configured to apply, to the coil, a sine wave electrical signal of a frequency below 160 Hz when the determined driving mode is the general vibration mode,
the controller is configured to apply, to the coil, a square wave or pulse wave electrical signal of a frequency below 60 Hz, which is lower than the frequency of the electrical signal applied in the general vibration mode, when the determined driving mode is the tapping mode, and
the controller is configured to apply, to the coil, a sine wave or pulse wave electrical signal of a frequency lower than the frequency of the electrical signal applied in the general vibration mode and higher than the frequency of the electrical signal applied in the tapping mode when the determined driving mode is the rolling mode.

11. The haptic device of claim 10 , wherein the acoustic information includes information related to whether a dynamic marking changing the loudness information of the note is present and a type of the dynamic marking, and
the controller is configured to determine the driving mode based on whether the dynamic marking is present and the type of the dynamic marking.

12. The haptic device of claim 10 , wherein the acoustic information includes information related to a slur that links notes of different pitches, and
the controller is configured to determine the driving mode to be the rolling mode in a section in which notes are linked by the slur.

13. A method of converting an acoustic signal into a tactile signal using a haptic device, the method comprising:
inputting stored acoustic information or acoustic information received from an external device;
interpreting details of the acoustic information based on a five-line staff;
converting the acoustic information into an electrical signal corresponding to a predetermined pattern;
generating a motion signal based on the electrical signal; and
transmitting a patterned tactile signal to a user using the motion signal,
wherein the acoustic information includes at least one of a note having duration information, pitch information, and loudness information and a rest having duration information,
wherein the electrical signal corresponding to the predetermined pattern includes:
a voltage magnitude that increases in proportion to the pitch information of the note;
a voltage apply time that increases in proportion to the duration information of the note; and
a waiting time arranged after the voltage apply time,
wherein the duration information of the note is equal to a sum of the voltage apply time and the waiting time.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the interpreting comprises:
determining an arrangement of at least one note or rest;
verifying the duration information, the pitch information, and the loudness information of the note; and
verifying the duration information of the rest.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the converting comprises:
matching a predetermined corresponding voltage magnitude to each note; and
adjusting the voltage magnitude of the electrical signal based on the matched voltage magnitude.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the generating comprises generating the motion signal having an amplitude and a frequency corresponding to the pattern of the electrical signal.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the tactile signal to a fingertip of the user.

Assignees

• Ck Mat Lab Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Hyeong Jun
• Kang Ji Goo
• Lee Jong Hun
• Lee Jeong Beom
• Jung Jong Hyung

Classifications

• G10H2220/311

  with controlled tactile or haptic feedback effect; output interfaces therefor · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

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

• A63F13/285

  Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback · CPC title

• A63F13/24 Primary

  Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles · CPC title

• A63F13/424

  involving acoustic input signals, e.g. by using the results of pitch or rhythm extraction or voice recognition · CPC title