Method and apparatus for producing an acoustic field
AssigneeUltrahaptics IP Ltd
InventorsThomas Andrew Carter, Benjamin John Oliver Long, Sriram Subramanian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention concerns a method and apparatus for the modulation of an acoustic field for providing tactile sensations. A method of creating haptic feedback using ultrasound is provided. The method comprises the steps of generating a plurality of ultrasound waves with a common focal point using a phased array of ultrasound transducers, the common focal point being a haptic feedback point, and modulating the generation of the ultrasound waves using a waveform selected to produce little or no audible sound at the haptic feedback point.
Claims33
A method comprising:
- a) producing an acoustic field using an array of real transducers having known relative positions and orientations;
- b) tracking an object within the acoustic field;
- c) using at least one point of focused ultrasound, defining a virtual shape that occupies a virtual volume within the acoustic field, wherein the at least one point of focused ultrasound is modeled as being produced by a virtual transducer;
- and d) positioning the at least one point of focused ultrasound in a region where the object intersects the virtual shape.
A system comprising:
- an acoustic field in air produced using a plurality of ultrasonic transducers having known relative positions and orientations to each other, wherein at least one of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers is a virtual transducer;
- a tracker of an object within the acoustic field;
- a virtual shape defined using at least one point of focused ultrasound produced from at least two of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers that occupies a virtual volume within the acoustic field, wherein the virtual shape is 3-dimensional;
- and one of the at least one point of focused ultrasound positioned in a region where the object intersects the virtual shape.
A system comprising:
- an acoustic field in air produced using a plurality of ultrasonic transducers having known relative positions and orientations to each other, wherein at least one of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers is a virtual transducer;
- a tracker of an object within the acoustic field;
- a virtual shape defined using at least two points of focused ultrasound produced from at least two of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers that occupies a virtual volume within the acoustic field;
- wherein two of the at least two points of focused ultrasound are positioned in a region where the object intersects the virtual shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.