Method and apparatus for providing tactile sensations
AssigneeUltrahaptics IP Ltd
InventorsSriram Subramanian, Thomas Andrew Carter, Benjamin John Oliver Long
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Abstract
The present disclosure concerns a method and apparatus for the creation of an acoustic field for providing tactile sensations. More particularly, but not exclusively, this disclosure concerns a method and apparatus for the creation of an acoustic field providing tactile sensations for use with an interactive device. The disclosure provides a method of generating a tactile sensation. The method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of acoustic transducers arranged to generate a predetermined distribution of pressure patterns, wherein the pressure patterns comprise a first region providing a first tactile sensation and a second region providing a second, different, tactile sensation.
Claims16
A method of generating a tactile sensation comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of ultrasonic transducers arranged to generate a predetermined distribution of non-surface pressure patterns in mid-air using an ultrasonic carrier frequency modulated at a lower frequency so as to be detectable by human skin,
- wherein the pressure patterns comprise a first non-surface region comprising a focal point for a plurality of acoustic waves modulated at a first frequency providing a first tactile mid-air sensation on human skin, and a second non-surface region comprising a focal point for a plurality of acoustic waves modulated at a second frequency providing a second tactile mid-air sensation on human skin;
- wherein the first frequency is different than the second frequency;
- and
- wherein the first tactile mid-air sensation is different than the second tactile mid-air sensation.
A system for providing tactile sensations comprising:
- a plurality of ultrasonic transducers arranged to generate a predetermined distribution of non-surface pressure patterns in mid-air using an ultrasonic carrier frequency modulated at a lower frequency so as to be detectable by human skin,
- wherein the pressure patterns comprise a first non-surface region comprising a focal point for a plurality of acoustic waves modulated at a first frequency providing a first tactile mid-air sensation on human skin, and a second non-surface region comprising a focal point for a plurality of acoustic waves modulated at a second frequency providing a second tactile mid-air sensation on human skin;
- wherein the first frequency is different than the second frequency;
- and
- wherein the first tactile mid-air sensation is different than the second tactile mid-air sensation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.