Electronic device including spaced apart hall effect sensor based haptic actuator driving and related methods
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsRichard L. Baer, Arman Hajati
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic device may include a haptic actuator that includes an actuator housing, coils carried within the actuator housing, and a field member movable within the actuator housing responsive to the coils. The haptic actuator may also include spaced apart Hall Effect sensors carried within the actuator housing between the coils and for sensing a temperature of the field member. The electronic device may also include a controller coupled to the haptic actuator and configured to determine a temperature of the field member based upon the spaced apart Hall Effect sensors and drive the haptic actuator based upon the temperature.
Claims22
An electronic device comprising:
- a haptic actuator comprising
- an actuator housing,
- a plurality of coils carried within the actuator housing,
- a field member movable within the actuator housing responsive to the plurality of coils, and
- a plurality of spaced apart Hall Effect sensors carried within the actuator housing between the plurality of coils and configured to sense a temperature of the field member;
- and
- a controller coupled to the haptic actuator and configured to
- determine a temperature of the field member based upon the plurality of spaced apart Hall Effect sensors, and
- drive the haptic actuator based upon the temperature.
An electronic device comprising:
- a haptic actuator comprising
- an actuator housing,
- at least one first coil carried within the actuator housing,
- at least one second coil carried within the actuator housing,
- a field member movable within the actuator housing between the at least one first and second coils and responsive thereto, and
- a plurality of spaced apart Hall Effect sensors carried within the actuator housing between the at least one first and second coils and configured to sense motion of the field member;
- and
- a controller coupled to the haptic actuator and configured to drive the haptic actuator based upon the sensed motion of the field member from the plurality of spaced apart Hall Effect sensors.
A method of controlling a haptic actuator comprising an actuator housing, a plurality of coils carried within the actuator housing, a field member movable within the actuator housing responsive to the at least one coil, the method comprising:
- using a controller coupled to the haptic actuator for
- determining a temperature of the field member based upon a plurality of spaced apart Hall Effect sensors carried within the actuator housing between the plurality of coils and configured to sense a temperature of the field member, and
- driving the haptic actuator based upon the temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.