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US 7,336,266 B2Granted
Haptic pads for use with user-interface devices
AssigneeImmersion Corporation
InventorsVincent Hayward, Ramon Alarcon, Louis B. Rosenberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention relate to haptic devices for use with a variety of computer/video interface devices. Such haptic devices can work in conjunction with and thereby provide “haptic augmentations” to otherwise conventional user-interface devices, including a variety of computer mice known in the art, irrespective of their types and manufactures. Such haptic devices can also be used to convey information to a user by way of haptic sensations.
Claims13
An apparatus, comprising:
- a contact surface;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the contact surface, the actuator configured to receive a control signal and output a haptic effect to the contact surface, the control signal being associated with an input signal from a user-interface device and being generated in response to a processor receiving the input signal from the user-interface device, the user interface device being physically distinct from and removably coupled to the contact surface, the user interface device being configured to communicate with the processor, including sending the input signal thereto.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a contact surface;
- and
- an actuator means for providing a haptic effect to said contact surface, said actuator means configured to receive a control signal and output a haptic effect to the contact surface, the control signal being responsive to an input signal generated by a user-interface device physically distinct from and removably coupled to the contact surface and being generated in response to a processor receiving the input signal from the user-interface device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.