US 11,132,062 B2Granted

Coherent phase switching and modulation of a linear actuator array

AssigneeGeneral Vibration Corporation

InventorsNikhil Bajaj, George T.-C. Chiu, John Houston, Rob Morris

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Abstract

Aspects of the technology employ synchronized arrays of low-cost, readily available vibration actuators to emulate and outperform single actuator systems, bringing together sets of actuators to create desired control effects. This approach involves coherent phase switching and modulation of a linear actuator array. A pair of linear resonant actuators (LRAs) may be employed for improved haptic waveform synthesis performance. According to one feature, energy may stored in the mechanical inertia of the LRA via velocity and stiffness of the LRA via displacement and released through modulation of the relative phase of the LRAs. Phase switching and modulation techniques may be used to control more than two LRAs, and in other arrangements than a dual LRA, including, but not limited to architectures that have LRAs arranged in multiple directions in a array spanning, for example, the two dimensions of a plane, or three dimensions of physical space.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A multi-actuator vibration device, comprising:

a mounting platform;
a plurality of linear resonant actuators (LRAs) attached to the mounting platform, each of the plurality of linear resonant actuators having a moveable mass and an axis of vibration in accordance with a direction of movement of the moveable mass, the axes of vibration of the plurality of actuators being arranged in a same direction;
and
a controller coupled to each of the plurality of linear resonant actuators, the controller being configured to:
convert a representation of an input waveform to a combined output waveform on the mounting platform, by:
(a) determining a common forcing frequency, f0;
(b) controlling each actuator in the plurality to impart a periodic vibration force of frequency, f0, onto the mounting platform;
(c) varying a relative phase angle between at least one pair of the plurality of linear resonant actuators to control, in whole or in part, the combined output waveform;
and
(d) when seeking to produce an optimized transient performance outcome, switching from a first relative phase angle to a second relative phase angle between at least one pair of the plurality of linear resonant actuators with a specific timing;
wherein the multi-actuator vibration device has one or more properties including:
a faster amplitude response than any one of the plurality of linear resonant actuators, a larger amplitude response than any one of the plurality of linear resonant actuators, or a capability to temporarily conserve energy in the plurality of linear resonant actuators while a sum of the vibration waveforms of the plurality of linear resonant actuators is zero.

9 more elements

A multi-actuator coherent vibration device, comprising:

a mounting platform;
a plurality of linear resonant actuators (LRAs) attached to the mounting platform, each of the plurality of linear resonant actuators having a moveable mass and an axis of vibration in accordance with a direction of movement of the moveable mass, the axes of vibration of the plurality of actuators being arranged in a same direction;
and
a controller coupled to each of the plurality of actuators, the controller being configured to:
convert a representation of an input waveform to a combined output waveform on the mounting platform, by:
(a) decomposing the representation of the input waveform into a set of similar component waveforms;
(b) controlling the plurality of linear resonant actuators to output the set of component waveforms as a coherent group;
(c) varying a relative phase angle between at least one pair of the plurality of linear resonant actuators to control, in whole or in part, the combined output waveform;
and
(d) when seeking to produce an optimized transient performance outcome, switching from a first relative phase angle to a second relative phase angle between at least one pair of the plurality of linear resonant actuators with a specific timing;
wherein the multi-actuator vibration device has one or more properties including:
a faster amplitude response than any one of the plurality of linear resonant actuators, a larger amplitude response than any one of the plurality of linear resonant actuators, or a capability to temporarily conserve energy in the plurality of linear resonant actuators while a sum of the vibration waveforms of the plurality of linear resonant actuators is zero.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/762,181Filed 7 Nov 2018 · us provisional application
Priority: 8 Nov 2017
Published: US 2020/0356173 A112 Nov 2020
Granted: 28 Sep 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G06F 3/016
Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer: input arrangements with force or tactile…
G08B 6/00
Tactile signalling systems
H02P 5/00
Arrangements specially adapted for regulating or controlling the speed or torque of
H02P 7/025
The DC motors being of the linear type: the DC motors being of the moving coil type, e.g. voice coil motors