Systems and methods of providing haptic feedback

A haptic communication system comprising:

• a coneless voice coil coupled to a steering assembly, wherein the coneless voice coil is coupled to the steering assembly between a spoke portion of a frame and an outer trim of the steering assembly and is spaced apart from the frame, and
• a processor in electrical communication with the coneless voice coil, a memory, and a vehicle communication system that is separate from the haptic communication system, the memory storing instructions for execution by the processor, wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
• receive a message from the vehicle communication system;
• in response to receiving the message, identify an audio output signal associated with the message;
• communicate the audio output signal to the coneless voice coil, the audio output signal causing the coneless voice coil to propagate an audible pressure wave,
• wherein the coneless voice coil is a first speaker, and the system comprises a second coneless voice call configured as a second speaker, the first and second speakers being spaced apart from each other on the steering assembly;
• wherein the processor is in electrical communication with the second speaker, the audio output signal is a first audio output signal communicated to the first speaker, and the audible pressure wave is a first audible pressure wave, and the instructions further cause the processor to:
• identify a second audio output signal associated with the message;
• and
• communicate the second audio output signal to the second speaker, the second audio output signal causing the second speaker to propagate a second audible pressure wave, wherein the first audible pressure wave and the second audible pressure wave provide a stereo sound effect.

A switch assembly coupled to a steering assembly, the steering assembly having a resonant frequency, comprising:

• a touch plate having a touch surface and an inner surface, the inner surface being opposite and spaced apart from the touch surface;
• at least one force sensor disposed adjacent the inner surface of the touch plate, the at least one force sensor for receiving a force applied to the touch surface;
• an actuator having an output surface from which pressure waves are propagated along an axis of propagation (A-A), the output surface of the actuator being vibrationally coupled to the inner surface of the touch plate;
• a processor electrically coupled to a memory, the at least one force sensor, the actuator, and a vehicle communication system, the vehicle communication system being separate from the switch assembly, the memory storing instructions for execution by the processor, wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
• receive a force signal from the at least one force sensor,
• identify whether a touch event occurred based on the force signal,
• in response to identifying the touch event, communicate a first output signal to the actuator, the first output signal causing the actuator to propagate a first inaudible pressure wave having a frequency (f1) within a switch feedback frequency range, the switch feedback frequency range being below the resonant frequency (fR) of the steering assembly, the first pressure wave causing a first tactilely-perceptible vibration of the touch plate along the axis of propagation (A-A), wherein the vibration caused by the first pressure wave of the first output signal is isolated to the switch assembly;
• wherein the actuator is a speaker, and the instructions further cause the processor to select an audible pressure wave from one or more stored audible pressure waves and communicate a second output signal to the actuator, the second output signal causing the actuator to propagate the selected audible pressure wave.