# US 2019/0317535 A1 · Control apparatus for thermal sensation providing device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0317535 A1 - Document ID: US20190317535A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/380,022 - Filed: 2019-04-10 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-16 - Assignees: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kunio SATO; Toshihiko SAITO; Hajime SHIKATA; Katsunari SATO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190317535A1 ## CPC - G05D 23/1902: {characterised by the use of a variable reference value} - G05D 23/1927: {using a plurality of sensors (G05D23/1902, G05D23/1917, and G05D23/1919 take precedence)} - G06F 1/206: {comprising thermal management} - G06F 9/30003: {Arrangements for executing specific machine instructions} - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A control apparatus for controlling a thermal sensation providing device that provides a thermal sensation to an object coming in contact with a virtual material includes a database configured to store first information indicative of a relationship between a type of virtual material and a speed of a temperature change during a first period that starts at a commencement of providing the thermal sensation and that ends at a lapse of a first time length from the commencement, and a temperature control unit configured to control a temperature provided by the thermal sensation providing device during the first period based on the first information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control apparatus for controlling a thermal sensation providing device that provides a thermal sensation to an object coming in contact with a virtual material, comprising: a database configured to store first information indicative of a relationship between a type of virtual material and a speed of a temperature change during a first period that starts at a commencement of providing the thermal sensation and that ends at a lapse of a first time length from the commencement, and a temperature control unit configured to control a temperature provided by the thermal sensation providing device during the first period based on the first information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first information includes information indicative of a relationship between the type of virtual material and a magnitude of a drive current for driving the thermal sensation providing device during the first period. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a database is further configured to store second information indicative of a relationship between the type of virtual material and a controlled temperature during a second period immediately following the first period, and the temperature control unit is configured to control a temperature provided by the thermal sensation providing device during the second period based on the second information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The control apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second information includes information indicative of a relationship between the type of virtual material and a magnitude of a drive current for driving the thermal sensation providing device during the second period. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control of the temperature by the temperature control unit is further based on an ambient temperature of the thermal sensation providing device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control of the temperature by the temperature control unit is further based on a temperature of the object coming in contact with the thermal sensation providing device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit is configured to start controlling the temperature upon a contact sensor detecting that the object comes in contact with the thermal sensation providing device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The control apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the contact sensor includes an electrostatic sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The control apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the contact sensor includes a temperature sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A thermal sensation providing apparatus, comprising: the control apparatus of claim 1; and the thermal sensation providing device controlled by the control apparatus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A thermal sensation providing system, comprising: the control apparatus of claim 1; and a thermal sensation providing apparatus that includes the thermal sensation providing device controlled by the control apparatus. ### Claim 12 A method of controlling a thermal sensation providing device that provides a thermal sensation to an object coming in contact with a virtual material, comprising: referring to a database that stores first information indicative of a relationship between a type of virtual material and a speed of a temperature change during a first period that starts at a commencement of providing the thermal sensation and that ends at a lapse of a first time length from the commencement, and controlling a temperature provided by the thermal sensation providing device during the first period based on the first information. ### Claim 13 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a program embedded therein for causing a computer to control a thermal sensation providing device that provides a thermal sensation to an object coming in contact with a virtual material, the program causing the computer to perform: referring to a database that stores first information indicative of a relationship between a type of virtual material and a speed of a temperature change during a first period that starts at a commencement of providing the thermal sensation and that ends at a lapse of a first time length from the commencement, and controlling a temperature provided by the thermal sensation providing device during the first period based on the first information.