US 11,152,882 B2 · Oscillating-resonant-module controller

Abstract

The current document is directed to various types of oscillating resonant modules (“ORMs”), including linear-resonant vibration modules, that can be incorporated in a wide variety of appliances, devices, and systems to provide vibrational forces. The vibrational forces are produced by back-and-forth oscillation of a weight or member along a path, generally a segment of a space curve. A controller controls each of one or more ORMs to produce driving oscillations according to a control curve or control pattern for the ORM that specifies the frequency of the driving oscillations with respect to time. The driving oscillations, in turn, elicit a desired vibration response in the device, appliance, or system in which the one or more ORMs are included. The desired vibration response is achieved by selecting and scaling control patterns in view of known resonance frequencies of the device, appliance, or system.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An oscillating resonant module comprising:

an oscillation path, which represents a segment of a space curve, along which a point within a mass moves;
a mass that is driven by energy supplied to the oscillating resonant module to oscillate back and forth along the oscillation path that represents a segment of a space curve;
one or more sensors that output indications of the positions of the mass within the oscillation path at specific points in time;
and
a control component that
receives control signals input to the oscillating resonant module,
receives outputs from the one or more sensors, and
controls oscillation of the mass to produce a vibration response according to the received control signals by generating, using one or more of the received sensor outputs, control outputs to an actuator that drives the mass to oscillate.

5 more elements

A physical device that exhibits a vibration response when mechanical driven by one or more oscillating resonant modules included in the physical device, the physical device comprising:

a controller;
and
the one or more oscillating resonant modules, each oscillating resonant including
an oscillation path, which represents a segment of a space curve, along which a point within a mass moves;
a mass that is driven by energy supplied to the oscillating resonant module to oscillate back and forth along the oscillation path that represents a segment of a space curve;
one or more sensors that output indications of the positions of the mass within the oscillation path at specific points in time, and
a control component that
receives control signals input to the oscillating resonant module by the controller,
receives outputs from the one or more sensors, and
controls oscillation of the mass to produce a vibration response according to the received control signals by generating, using one or more of the received sensor outputs, control outputs to an actuator that drives the mass to oscillate.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Oscillating-resonant-module controller

Life of this patent

Oscillating-resonant-module controller

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20