Systems and Methods for Providing Electrostatic Haptic Effects via a Wearable or Handheld Device

Abstract

One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a computing device with an electrostatic force (“ESF”) haptic output device coupled to a surface of the computing device. The ESF haptic output device comprises a signal electrode that includes an insulation layer and a conductive layer positioned proximate to the insulation layer and the conductive layer is electrically coupled to a voltage supply to receive an amount of voltage for generating an ESF haptic effect, which can include a dynamic ESF haptic effect or a static ESF haptic effect. The ESF haptic output device can output the ESF haptic effect to the surface of the computing device to which the ESF haptic output device is coupled.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A wearable device comprising:
 a band configured to be secured to a user;   a display device coupled to the band;   a first electrostatic force (“ESF”) haptic output device, mechanically coupled to a first portion of a surface of the band, configured to output at least one static ESF haptic effect, and comprising:
 a first conductive layer electrically coupled to a voltage source; and 
 a first insulation layer disposed on the first conductive layer to prevent contact between the user and the first conductive layer; and 
   a second ESF haptic output device mechanically coupled to a second portion of the surface of the band, configured to output at least one dynamic ESF haptic effect different from the at least one static ESF haptic effect, and comprising:
 a second conductive layer electrically coupled to the voltage source; and 
 a second insulation layer disposed on the second conductive layer to prevent contact between the user and the second conductive layer. 
   
     
     
         24 . The wearable device of  claim 23 , wherein the wearable device comprises a smartwatch. 
     
     
         25 . The wearable device of  claim 23 , wherein the first portion and the second portion of the surface of the band are different locations on the band. 
     
     
         26 . The wearable device of  claim 23 , wherein the first portion and the second portion of the surface of the band are both located on an outer surface of the band. 
     
     
         27 . The wearable device of  claim 23 , further comprising a processor coupled to the first ESF haptic output device and the second ESF haptic output device and configured to:
 determine a first ESF haptic effect and transmit a first ESF haptic signal to the first ESF haptic output device; and   determine a second ESF haptic effect and transmit a second ESF haptic signal to the second ESF haptic output device.   
     
     
         28 . The wearable device of  claim 27 , further comprising a touch sensor configured to detect at least one characteristic of at least one contact and wherein the processor is configured to determine the first ESF haptic effect based in part on the at least one characteristic. 
     
     
         29 . The wearable device of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the at least one contact comprises at least one of a location, a path, a pressure, a velocity, or an acceleration. 
     
     
         30 . The wearable device of  claim 29 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 determine the first ESF haptic effect based at least in part on the location and transmit the first ESF haptic signal to the first ESF haptic output device; and   determine the second ESF haptic effect based at least in part on the pressure and transmit the second ESF haptic signal to the second ESF haptic output device.   
     
     
         31 . The wearable device of  claim 23 , further comprising a ground electrode coupled to an outer surface of the band, the ground electrode comprising a ground electrode conductive layer. 
     
     
         32 . The wearable device of  claim 31 , wherein the ground electrode further comprises at least one of a ground electrode insulation layer or a conductive gel coupled to the ground electrode conductive layer. 
     
     
         33 . A method comprising:
 detecting at least one contact on a wearable device comprising a band configured to be secured to a user;   determining a first electrostatic force (“ESF”) haptic effect and a second ESF haptic effect based at least in part on the at least one contact;   transmitting a first ESF haptic signal associated with the first ESF haptic effect to a first ESF haptic output device, mechanically coupled to a first portion of a surface of the band and configured to output at least one static ESF haptic effect, and comprising:
 a first conductive layer electrically coupled to a voltage source; and 
 a first insulation layer disposed on the first conductive layer to prevent contact between the user and the first conductive layer; 
   transmitting a second ESF haptic signal associated with the second ESF haptic effect to a second ESF haptic output device, mechanically coupled to a second portion of the surface of the band and configured to output at least one dynamic ESF haptic effect, and comprising:
 a second conductive layer electrically coupled to the voltage source; and 
 a second insulation layer disposed on the second conductive layer to prevent contact between the user and the second conductive layer. 
   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the wearable device comprises a smartwatch. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the first portion and the second portion of the surface of the band are different locations on the band. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the first portion and the second portion of the surface of the band are both located on an outer surface of the band. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 outputting the first ESF haptic effect using the first ESF haptic output device; and   outputting the second ESF haptic effect using the second ESF haptic output device.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein detecting the at least one contact further comprises detecting at least one characteristic of the at least one contact. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the at least one contact comprises at least one of a location, a path, a pressure, a velocity, or an acceleration. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the wearable device further comprises a ground electrode coupled to an outer surface of the band, the ground electrode comprising a ground electrode conductive layer. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the ground electrode further comprises at least one of a ground electrode insulation layer or a conductive gel coupled to the ground electrode conductive layer. 
     
     
         42 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising program code, which when executed by a processor is configured to cause the processor to:
 detect at least one contact on a wearable device comprising a band configured to be secured to a user;   determine a first electrostatic force (“ESF”) haptic effect and a second ESF haptic effect based at least in part on the at least one contact;   transmit a first ESF haptic signal associated with the first ESF haptic effect to a first ESF haptic output device, mechanically coupled to a first portion of a surface of the band and configured to output at least one static ESF haptic effect, and comprising:
 a first conductive layer electrically coupled to a voltage source; and 
 a first insulation layer disposed on the first conductive layer to prevent contact between the user and the first conductive layer; 
   transmit a second ESF haptic signal associated with the second ESF haptic effect to a second ESF haptic output device, mechanically coupled to a second portion of the surface of the band configured to output at least one dynamic ESF haptic effect, and comprising:
 a second conductive layer electrically coupled to the voltage source; and 
 a second insulation layer disposed on the second conductive layer to prevent contact between the user and the second conductive layer.