Mobile device with motion controlling haptics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9645643-B2
Application number	US-201414306600-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2014
Priority date	Jun 17, 2014
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A haptically enabled device includes a haptic output device used to control motion. The haptically enabled device determines a desired motion, and then generates a haptic effect on the haptic output device to cause the desired motion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a motion of a haptically enabled device comprising at least one haptic output device, the method comprising:
determining a desired motion of the haptically enabled device on a surface;
generating a first haptic effect on the haptic output device to cause the desired motion;
determining a current motion of the haptically enabled device on the surface using a sensor; and
generating a second haptic effect to stop the current motion.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the haptically enabled device comprises a curved housing, and the desired motion is a rocking of the device about an axis parallel to the surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the haptic output device is an actuator.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the haptic output device is an actuator comprising an eccentric rotating mass mounted on at least one curved side of the haptically enabled device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the desired motion provides a notification on the haptically enabled device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the desired motion moves the haptically enabled device to a charger for charging the haptically enabled device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the desired motion includes:
a combination of translation in a direction parallel to the surface and rotation about an axis perpendicular to the surface, or
rotation about an axis parallel to the surface.

8. A haptically enabled device comprising:
a sensor;
at least one haptic output device; and
a controller, coupled to the sensor and the haptic output device, that:
determines a desired motion of the haptically enabled device on a surface,
generates a first haptic effect on the haptic output device to cause the desired motion,
determines a current motion of the haptically enabled device on the surface using a sensor, and
generates a second haptic effect to stop the current motion.

9. The haptically enabled device of claim 8 , further comprising a curved housing, wherein the desired motion is a rocking of the haptically enabled device about an axis parallel to the surface.

10. The haptically enabled device of claim 8 , wherein the haptic output device is an actuator.

11. The haptically enabled device of claim 9 , wherein the haptic output device is an actuator comprising an eccentric rotating mass mounted on at least one curved side of the haptically enabled device.

12. The haptically enabled device of claim 8 , wherein the desired motion provides a notification on the haptically enabled device.

13. The haptically enabled device of claim 8 , wherein the desired motion moves the haptically enabled device to a charger for charging the haptically enabled device.

14. The haptically enabled device of claim 8 , wherein the desired motion includes:
a combination of translation in a direction parallel to the surface and rotation about an axis perpendicular to the surface, or
rotation about an axis parallel to the surface.

15. A method of controlling a motion of a haptically enabled device comprising at least one haptic output device, the method comprising:
determining a current position of the haptically enabled device on a surface above a floor;
determining a distance to the floor;
receiving a request to generate a haptic effect on the haptically enabled device; and
preventing or suppressing the haptic effect from being generated based on the distance to the floor.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the haptic output device is an actuator and the haptic effect is a vibratory haptic effect.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining whether a fall of the haptically enabled device off of the surface would damage the haptically enabled device.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining a distance from the current position to a point of contact for the haptically enabled device.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the surface is a substantially flat surface having an edge, and the current position of the haptically enabled device is near the edge.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the surface is an uneven surface.

Assignees

• Immersion Corp

Inventors

• Rihn William
• Birnbaum David
• Wang Yiting
• Levesque Vincent
• Grant Danny

Classifications

• H04M1/185

  Improving the shock resistance of the housing, e.g. by increasing the rigidity · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

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

• H04M2250/12

  including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion · CPC title

• H04M1/72519

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04M1/724

  User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones · CPC title