Wearable haptic feedback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11126265-B2
Application number	US-201716621352-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2017
Priority date	Jun 14, 2017
Publication date	Sep 21, 2021
Grant date	Sep 21, 2021

Abstract

A computer includes a processor that is programmed to receive input specifying a component in a vehicle and data specifying a location of a wearable device in the vehicle. The processor is programmed to determine a distance of the wearable device from a location of the component and actuate the wearable device to provide haptic output based on the determined distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer, comprising a processor programmed to:
receive data specifying a shape and a location of a component in an interior of a vehicle according to a vehicle coordinate system;
determine a three-dimensional volume based on the shape and the location of the component, wherein the three-dimensional volume is larger than the component;
receive data specifying a location of a wearable device in the vehicle according to the vehicle coordinate system that provides coordinates for an interior of the vehicle;
determine whether the wearable device is within the determined three-dimensional volume; and
actuate the wearable device to provide haptic output based on whether the device is within the determined three-dimensional volume.

2. The computer of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to determine the location of the wearable device in the vehicle coordinate system based on a wireless signal received from a vehicle wireless transceiver.

3. The computer of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:
stop providing haptic output upon determining that the wearable device is within the determined three-dimensional volume;
actuate the wearable device to provide haptic output with a first frequency upon determining that the wearable device is outside the determined three-dimensional volume and within a second determined three-dimensional volume;
actuate the wearable device to provide haptic output with a second frequency upon determining that the wearable device is outside the second determined three-dimensional volume and within a third determined three-dimensional volume; and
stop providing haptic output upon determining that the wearable device is outside the third three-dimensional volume, wherein the second determined three-dimensional volume is within the third determined three-dimensional volume.

4. The computer of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:
determine whether the wearable device is within the determined three-dimensional volume, based on a wireless signal received from a vehicle wireless transceiver; and
actuate the wearable device to provide haptic output with a first frequency upon determining that the device is within the determined three-dimensional volume.

5. The computer of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further programmed to actuate the wearable device to provide haptic output with a second frequency upon determining that the device is outside the determined three-dimensional volume.

6. The computer of claim 4 , wherein the determined three-dimensional volume is cylindrically shaped and has a longitudinal axis perpendicular to an exterior surface of a vehicle instrument panel.

7. The computer of claim 4 , wherein the determined three-dimensional volume is bell-shaped and encompasses the component, and the bell-shaped determined three-dimensional volume has a flat bottom touching a vehicle instrument panel.

8. The computer of claim 4 , wherein the determined three-dimensional volume has a solid rectangle shape with a bottom surface touching a vehicle instrument panel.

9. The computer of claim 1 , further programmed to provide haptic output with an intensity that is at least in part based on a determined distance of the wearable device from the component in the vehicle.

10. The computer of claim 1 , further programmed to provide haptic output with an activation duty cycle that is at least in part based on a determined distance of the wearable device from the component in the vehicle, wherein the activation duty cycle is a ratio of an active time duration to an activation time period.

11. The computer of claim 1 , wherein a vehicle human machine interface includes the component.

12. A method, comprising:
receiving data specifying a shape and a location of a component in an interior of a vehicle according to a vehicle coordinate system;
determining a three-dimensional volume based on the shape and the location of the component, wherein the three-dimensional volume is larger than the component;
receiving data specifying a location of a wearable device in the vehicle according to the vehicle coordinate system that provides coordinates for an interior of the vehicle;
determining whether the wearable device is within the determined three-dimensional volume; and
actuating the wearable device to provide haptic output based on whether the device is within the predetermined three-dimensional volume.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining the location of the wearable device in the vehicle coordinate system based on a wireless signal received from a vehicle wireless transceiver.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
stopping providing haptic output upon determining that the wearable device is within the determined three-dimensional volume;
actuating the wearable device to provide haptic output with a first frequency upon determining that the wearable device is outside the determined three-dimensional volume and within a second determined three-dimensional volume;
actuating the wearable device to provide haptic output with a second frequency upon determining that wearable device is outside the second determined three-dimensional volume and within a third determined three-dimensional volume; and
stopping providing haptic output upon determining that the wearable device is outside the third three-dimensional volume, wherein the second determined three-dimensional volume is within the third determined three-dimensional volume.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining whether the wearable device is within the determined three-dimensional volume, based on a wireless signal received from a vehicle wireless transceiver; and
actuating the wearable device to provide haptic output with a first frequency upon determining that the device is within the determined three-dimensional volume.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising actuating the wearable device to provide haptic output with a second frequency upon determining that the device is outside the determined three-dimensional volume.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the determined three-dimensional volume has a solid rectangle shape with a bottom surface touching a vehicle instrument panel.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing haptic output with an intensity that is at least in part based on a determined distance of the wearable device from the component in the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing haptic output with an activation duty cycle that is at least in part based on a determined distance of the wearable device from the component in the vehicle, wherein the activation duty cycle is a ratio of an active time duration to an activation time period.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Chen Yifan
• Prakah-Asante Kwaku O
• Melcher David
• Greenberg Jeffrey Allen
• Hassani Ali
• Kochhar Devinder Singh
• Yeung Jeffrey Brian
• Mayer Kenneth Michael

Classifications

• B60K37/00

  Dashboards (as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14) · CPC title

• B60K35/25

  using haptic output · CPC title

• B60K35/80

  Arrangements for controlling instruments · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• G06F3/014 Primary

  Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves · CPC title