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US 12,208,720 B2Granted
Vibrotactile systems and methods for aircraft seats
AssigneeRockwell Collins, Inc.
InventorsJohn L. Hampton, Glen Shaw, Tyler Fahey, Donald Borchelt, John R. Skola, Robert Mishkin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vibrotactile system for an aircraft may comprise a plurality of tactors and a tactor driver operably coupled to the plurality of tactors. The tactor driver may be configured to determine a vibration sequence for the plurality of tactors in response to a signal received from an aircraft controller, and to send vibration commands corresponding to the vibration sequence to the plurality of tactors.
Claims15
A vibrotactile system for an aircraft, comprising:
- a seat cushion;
- a seatback cushion;
- a plurality of tactors including a plurality of left seat tactors located in the seat cushion, a plurality of right seat tactors located in the seat cushion, a plurality of left seatback tactors located in the seatback cushion, and a plurality of right seatback tactors located in the seatback cushion, the plurality of left seat tactors being located between a midplane of the seat cushion and a left side of the seat cushion, the plurality of right seat tactors being located between the midplane of the seat cushion and a right side of the seat cushion, the plurality of left seatback tactors being located between a midplane of the seatback cushion and a left side of the seatback cushion, and the plurality of right seatback tactors being located between the midplane of the seatback cushion and a right side of the seatback cushion;
- a tactor driver operably coupled to the plurality of tactors and configured to send vibrations commands to the plurality of tactors in response to a signal received from an aircraft controller;
- and
- a first tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the tactor driver, the first tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the tactor driver, cause the tactor driver to perform operations comprising:
- receiving, by the tactor driver, the signal from the aircraft controller;
- determining, by the tactor driver, a vibration sequence for the plurality of tactors based on the signal received from the aircraft controller;
- and
- outputting, by the tactor driver, vibrate commands corresponding to the vibration sequence to at least one of the plurality of left seat tactors, the plurality of right seat tactors, the plurality of left seatback tactors, and the plurality of right seatback tactors;
- wherein the vibration sequence and the vibrate commands are configured to cause at least one of the plurality of left seat tactors or the plurality of right seat tactors to vibrate sequentially such that a first tactor of the at least one of the plurality of left seat tactors or the plurality of right seat tactors vibrates first and a second tactor of the at least one of the plurality of left seat tactors or the plurality of right seat tactors vibrates last, the first tactor being located proximate a first end of the seat cushion and the second tactor being located proximate a second end of the seat cushion opposite the first end.
8 more elements
A method for operating a vibrotactile system for an aircraft, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a tactor driver, a signal from an aircraft controller;
- determining, by the tactor driver, a vibration sequence for a plurality of tactors based on the signal received from the aircraft controller;
- and
- outputting, by the tactor driver, vibrate commands corresponding to the vibration sequence to at least one of a plurality of left seat tactors, a plurality of right seat tactors, a plurality of left seatback tactors, and a plurality of right seatback tactors;
- wherein the vibration sequence and the vibrate commands are configured to cause at least one of the plurality of left seat tactors or the plurality of right seat tactors to vibrate sequentially such that a first tactor of the at least one of the plurality of left seat tactors or the plurality of right seat tactors vibrates first and a second tactor of the at least one of the plurality of left seat tactors or the plurality of right seat tactors vibrates last, the first tactor being located proximate a first end of a seat cushion and the second tactor being located proximate a second end of the seat cushion opposite the first end;
- wherein the plurality of tactors includes the plurality of left seat tactors located in the seat cushion, the plurality of right seat tactors located in the seat cushion, a plurality of left seatback tactors located in a seatback cushion, and a plurality of right seatback tactors located in the seatback cushion, the plurality of left seat tactors being located between a midplane of the seat cushion and a left side of the seat cushion, the plurality of right seat tactors being located between the midplane of the seat cushion and a right side of the seat cushion, the plurality of left seatback tactors being located between a midplane of the seatback cushion and a left side of the seatback cushion, and the plurality of right seatback tactors being located between the midplane of the seatback cushion and a right side of the seatback cushion.
3 more elements
An ejection seat, comprising:
- a seatback including a seatback cushion;
- a seat bucket coupled to the seatback and including a seat cushion;
- a plurality of seatback tactors located in the seatback cushion, the plurality of seatback tactors including a plurality of left seatback tactors and a plurality of right seatback tactors, the plurality of left seatback tactors being located between a midplane of the seatback cushion and a left side of the seatback cushion, and the plurality of right seatback tactors being located between the midplane of the seatback cushion and a right side of the seatback cushion;
- a plurality of seat tactors located in the seat cushion, the plurality of seat tactors including a plurality of left seat tactors and a plurality of right seat tactors, the plurality of left seat tactors being located between a midplane of the seat cushion and a left side of the seat cushion, the plurality of right seat tactors being located between the midplane of the seat cushion and a right side of the seat cushion;
- and
- a tactor driver operably coupled to the plurality of seatback tactors and the plurality of seat tactors, the tactor driver being configured to send vibrations commands to the plurality of seatback tactors and the plurality of seat tactors, wherein the tactor driver is configured to:
- receive a signal from an aircraft controller;
- determine a vibration sequence for the plurality of tactors based on the signal received from the aircraft controller;
- and
- output vibrate commands corresponding to the vibration sequence to at least one of the plurality of left seat tactors, the plurality of right seat tactors, the plurality of left seatback tactors, and the plurality of right seatback tactors;
- wherein the vibration sequence and the vibrate commands are configured to cause at least one of the plurality of left seat tactors or the plurality of right seat tactors to vibrate sequentially such that a first tactor of the at least one of the plurality of left seat tactors or the plurality of right seat tactors vibrates first and a second tactor of the at least one of the plurality of left seat tactors or the plurality of right seat tactors vibrates last, the first tactor being located proximate a first end of the seat cushion and the second tactor being located proximate a second end of the seat cushion opposite the first end.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.