Systems and methods for providing haptic effects with airflow and thermal stimulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020364994-A1
Application number	US-201916410676-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 13, 2019
Priority date	May 13, 2019
Publication date	Nov 19, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing haptic effects with airflow and thermal stimulation are disclosed. One illustrative system described herein includes a haptic output device comprising a thermal actuator and a processor communicatively coupled to the haptic output device and configured to: receive a sensor signal from at least one sensor, determine a heat flux property based in part on the display signal or a predefined parameter, determine a haptic effect based in part on the heat flux property and the sensor signal, the heat flux property being representative of a rate of change of temperature, and transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect to the haptic output device.

First claim

1 . A system comprising:
a haptic output device comprising a thermal actuator; and a processor communicatively coupled to the haptic output device and configured to:
receive a sensor signal from at least one sensor;
determine a heat flux property based in part on a display signal or a predefined parameter;
determine a haptic effect based in part on the heat flux property and the sensor signal, the heat flux property being representative of a rate of change of temperature; and
transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect to the haptic output device.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to access a database of heat flux properties to determine the heat flux property.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the haptic output device is mechanically coupled to a wearable device.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein a display is mechanically coupled to the wearable device and the wearable device comprises at least one of a virtual reality head-mounted display or an augmented reality head-mounted display.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal actuator comprises a Peltier device.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal actuator is configured to come into contact with a user.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a thermocouple, a temperature sensor, a heat flux sensor, or an airflow sensor.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the haptic output device further comprises an airflow actuator.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the haptic effect simulates the heat flux property by either adding or subtracting heat from an airflow generated by the airflow actuator.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive an input signal from an input capture device and determine the haptic effect based in part on data received from the input capture device.

11 . A method comprising:
receiving a sensor signal from at least one sensor; determining a heat flux property based in part on a display signal or a predefined parameter; determining a haptic effect based in part on the heat flux property and the sensor signal, the heat flux property being representative of a rate of change of temperature; and transmitting a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect to a haptic output device that comprises a thermal actuator.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the heat flux property based in part on the display signal comprises accessing a database of heat flux properties.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the haptic output device is mechanically coupled to a wearable device.

14 . The method of claim 13 Error! Reference source not found., wherein a display is mechanically coupled to the wearable device and the wearable device comprises at least one of a virtual reality head-mounted display or an augmented reality head-mounted display.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the thermal actuator comprises a Peltier device.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the thermal actuator is configured to come into contact with a user.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a thermocouple, a temperature sensor, a heat flux sensor, or an airflow sensor.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the haptic output device further comprises an airflow actuator.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the haptic effect simulates the heat flux property by either adding or subtracting heat from an airflow generated by the airflow actuator.

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 sensor signal from at least one sensor; determine a heat flux property based in part on a display signal or a predefined parameter; determine a haptic effect based in part on the heat flux property and the sensor signal, the heat flux property being representative of a rate of change of temperature; and transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect to a haptic output device that comprises a thermal actuator.

Assignees

• Immersion Corp

Inventors

• Birnbaum David M
• Attari Sanya
• Bahlool Hossam
• Billington Doug
• Garrido Bruno

Classifications

• G06F3/016 Primary

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

• G08B21/18

  Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G08B6/00 Primary

  Tactile signalling systems, e.g. tactile personal calling systems · CPC title