Tactile feedback man-machine interface device

A system for providing a tactile sensation to a sensing body part, said system comprising:

• means for generating said variable state signal;
• a plurality of mass-moving actuators, each of said actuators comprising a shaft and an eccentric mass mounted on said shaft for transmitting vibrations to said sensing body part, each of said mass moving actuators rotating said associated shaft;
• and
• a signal processor for receiving and interpreting said state signal to produce multiple activating signals and transmitting said activating signals to said mass-moving actuators for individually activating each of said mass-moving actuators to produce a complex tactile sensation as a result of varying the frequency and amplitude of said vibration.

An apparatus for providing a tactile sensation to a sensing body part in relation to a variable state of a measured body part, said apparatus comprising at least one vibrotactile unit, wherein each unit comprises:

• a mass-moving actuator comprising a shaft and an eccentric mass mounted on said shaft for transmitting vibrations to said sensing body part, said mass moving actuator rotating said shaft;
• wherein said apparatus further comprises:
• a state sensor for measuring the variable state of said measured body part and generating a state signal in relation to said variable state;
• and
• a signal processor for receiving said state signal to produce an activating signal and transmitting said activating signal to said mass-moving actuator for activating said mass-moving actuator to produce a variable tactile sensation in relation to said variable state.

A method for providing a tactile sensation to a sensing body part in relation to a variable state signal, employing an apparatus comprising a vibrotactile unit, wherein said vibrotactile unit comprises:

• a mass-moving actuator comprising a shaft and an eccentric mass mounted on said shaft, said mass-moving actuator rotating said shaft;
• said method comprising:
• producing said variable state signal in relation to a condition;
• interpreting said state signal to produce an activating signal;
• and
• transmitting said activating signal to said mass-moving actuator for varying the rotation of said shaft to provide a tactile sensation to said sensing body part, said tactile sensation relating to said state signal as a result of varying the frequency or amplitude of vibration of said mass-moving actuator.

An eccentric mass vibrotactile unit for generating tactile vibration sensations and in communication with a host computer, the vibrotactile unit comprising:

• motor means for rotating a shaft;
• an eccentric mass coupled to said shaft;
• means for receiving a signal from said host computer, said signal used to correlate events within a graphical computer simulation running on said host computer with a desired tactile sensation to be imparted by rotation of said eccentric mass;
• and
• means for modulating the current to said motor means based upon said signal, wherein the magnitude of the desired tactile sensation is controlled by modulating pulses of current sent to said motor means and the frequency of the desired tactile sensation is controlled independently of the magnitude by repeating pulses of current sent to said motor means at a selected rate.

A method for creating complex tactile sensations through a computer interface device, said sensations generated by driving an inertial mass to produce a force upon a user, said method comprising:

• providing a sensor in said computer interface device, said sensor tracking the motion of said computer interface device or an element thereof, wherein data from said sensor is used to update a graphical computer simulation;
• providing an inertial mass within said computer interface device, said inertial mass movable under software control by an actuator, said actuator capable of accelerating and decelerating said mass to create an impulse or vibration to be felt by a user;
• receiving a signal from a host computer, said signal used to correlate events within a graphical computer simulation with a desired tactile sensation by causing the acceleration or deceleration of said inertial mass, the desired tactile sensation to be perceived by said user, and
• based on the signal, modulating power to said actuator to selectively accelerate and decelerate said inertial mass so as to produce said desired tactile sensation having a magnitude and frequency that are independently variable.

A method of decoupling control over the magnitude and frequency components of the tactile vibration sensations generated by an eccentric mass-based vibrotactile unit, said method comprising:

• providing a rotary motor with an eccentric mass coupled to a shaft of the rotary motor;
• receiving one or more signals from a host computer, said signals used to correlate events within a graphical computer with a desired tactile sensation to be imparted on a user by rotation of said eccentric mass;
• and
• based upon said signals controlling said rotary motor to produce said desired tactile sensation, the magnitude of tactile sensation being controlled by modulating the power sent to said motor, the frequency of the tactile sensation being controlled independently of said magnitude by repeating pulses of current sent to said motor at a selected rate.

A method of decoupling control over the magnitude and frequency components of the tactile vibration forces generated by an eccentric mass-based vibrotactile unit, said method comprising:

• providing a rotary motor with an eccentric mass coupled to a shaft of said rotary motor;
• receiving one or more signals from a host computer, said signals used to correlate events within a graphical computer simulation with said desired tactile vibration forces to be imparted by rotation of said eccentric mass;
• and
• based upon said signal, using a processor separate from said host computer to control said rotary motor to produce said desired tactile vibration forces, the magnitude of the desired tactile vibration forces being controlled by modulating the power of drive signals sent to said motor, the frequency of the desired tactile vibration forces being controlled independently of said magnitude by modulating the frequency of said drive signals.

A method of controlling the magnitude and frequency components of tactile vibration forces generated by an eccentric mass-based vibrotactile unit, said method comprising:

• providing a rotary motor with an eccentric mass coupled to a shaft of said rotary motor;
• receiving one or more signals from a host computer, said signals used to correlate events within a graphical computer simulation with desired tactile vibration forces to be imparted by said vibrotactile unit on a user;
• and
• based upon said signals, controlling said rotary motor to produce said desired tactile vibration forces, the magnitude of the desired tactile vibration forces being controlled by modulating pulses of current sent to said motor, the frequency of the desired tactile forces being controlled independently of the magnitude by repeating pulses of current sent to said motor at a selected rate.

A method of creating tactile sensations using a moving mass vibrotactile unit, said method allowing the independent control of magnitude and frequency of said tactile sensations, said method comprising:

• providing an actuator with a movable mass attached, said actuator capable of accelerating and decelerating said mass to create an impulse or vibration sensation to a user,
• receiving one or more signals from a host computer, said signals used to correlate events within a graphical computer simulation with a desired tactile force to be imparted by the vibrotactile unit;
• and
• based upon said signals, using a processor separate from said host computer to control said actuator in order to selectively accelerate and decelerate said moving mass, the magnitude of the desired tactile force being controlled by adjusting the amplitude of a current signal sent to said actuator, the frequency of the desired tactile force being independently controllable by the frequency of said current signal sent to said actuator.

A method of creating tactile sensations using a moving mass vibrotactile unit, said method allowing the independent control of magnitude and frequency of said tactile sensations, said method comprising:

• providing an actuator with a movable mass coupled thereto, said actuator capable of accelerating and decelerating said mass to create a desired tactile force upon a user;
• receiving one or more signals from a host computer, said signals used to correlate events within a graphical computer simulation with said desired tactile force to be imparted by the vibrotactile unit;
• and
• based upon said signals, modulating the current to said actuator in order to selectively accelerate and decelerate said moving mass, the magnitude of the desired tactile force being controlled by adjusting the power of a signal sent to said actuator, the frequency of the desired tactile force being independently controllable by the frequency of a signal sent to said actuator.