Compensated Haptic Rendering for Flexible Electronic Devices

Abstract

The present invention advantageously provides a device including a housing, a sensor, a controller and an actuator. The sensor is configured to detect a deformation force created by a deformation of the housing. The controller is configured to determine a change in a haptic effect delivered at the housing caused by the deformation force, determine a compensation for the haptic effect to correct the change in the haptic effect delivered at the housing caused by the deformation force, apply the compensation to the haptic effect to create a compensated haptic effect, and generate a haptic signal based on the compensated haptic effect. The actuator is configured to receive the haptic signal and deliver the compensated haptic effect at the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device, comprising:
 a housing;   a sensor configured to detect a deformation force created by a deformation of the housing;   a controller, coupled to the sensor, configured to:
 determine a change in a haptic effect delivered at the housing caused by the deformation force, 
 determine a compensation for the haptic effect to correct the change in the haptic effect delivered at the housing caused by the deformation force, 
 apply the compensation to the haptic effect to create a compensated haptic effect, and 
 generate a haptic signal based on the compensated haptic effect; and 
   an actuator, coupled to the controller, configured to receive the haptic signal and deliver the compensated haptic effect at the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic effect includes vibration. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the compensation is based on a vibration transmission model that is operable to evaluate changes in vibration transmission between the actuator and the sensor caused by the deformation force. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the vibration transmission model includes a transfer function that indicates attenuation or amplification of actuator vibration frequencies caused by the deformation force. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the vibration transmission model includes a lookup table that indicates attenuation or amplification of actuator vibration frequencies caused by the deformation force. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of additional actuators delivering haptic effects at different locations, each additional actuator being associated with a different vibration transmission model. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the deformation force indicates an amount of deformation of the housing, an angle of deformation of the housing, a pressure created by the deformation, or a change in temperature within the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the compensated haptic effect is operable to correct the change in the haptic effect caused by a natural haptic feedback of the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a strain gauge, a force-sensitive resistor, or a piezoelectric sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the deformation of the housing includes flexing, bending, or twisting. 
     
     
         11 . A method for correcting haptic effects, comprising:
 detecting a deformation force created by a deformation of a housing;   determining a change in a haptic effect to be delivered at the housing caused by the deformation force;   determining a compensation for the haptic effect to correct the change in the haptic effect delivered at the housing caused by the deformation force;   applying the compensation to the haptic effect to create a compensated haptic effect; and   delivering the compensated haptic effect at the housing.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the haptic effect includes vibration. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the compensation is based on a vibration transmission model that is operable to evaluate changes in vibration transmission between the actuator and the sensor caused by the deformation force. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the vibration transmission model includes a transfer function that indicates attenuation or amplification of actuator vibration frequencies caused by the deformation force. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the vibration transmission model includes a lookup table that indicates attenuation or amplification of actuator vibration frequencies caused by the deformation force. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising delivering haptic effects at a plurality of different locations using a plurality of additional actuators, each additional actuator being associated with a different vibration transmission model. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the deformation force indicates an amount of deformation of the housing, an angle of deformation of the housing, a pressure created by the deformation, or a change in temperature within the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the compensated haptic effect is operable to correct the change in the haptic effect caused by a natural haptic feedback of the housing. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the sensor is a strain gauge, a force-sensitive resistor, or a piezoelectric sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the deformation of the housing includes flexing, bending, or twisting.