IP Library Granted Patent US 11,189,140
Granted Patent B2
US 11,189,140 · App. 15/396,851 · Granted Nov 30, 2021

Calibration and detection techniques in haptic systems

Inventors: Benjaimin John Oliver Long (Bristol, GB); Michele Iodice (Bristol, GB); Thomas Andrew Carter (Bristol, GB)
Assignee: ULTRAHAPTICS IP LTD
G08B6/00G01S15/06G06F3/011G06F3/016G06F3/017G06F3/0436G10K11/34H01H2215/00H01H2215/03
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,189,140
App. No.
15/396,851
Granted
Nov 30, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Described is a system for producing an acoustic field from a plurality of ultrasonic transducer arrays, each of which has known relative positions and orientations. The acoustic field comprises a carrier wave and a modulated wave. The carrier wave has a plurality of modulated focal areas. A plurality of control points having a known spatial relationship relative to at least one of the plurality of ultrasonic transducer arrays is used. The plurality of ultrasonic transducer arrays are calibrated by using the relative position of each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducer arrays.

Claims (17)

1. A method comprising:

i) producing an acoustic field from a plurality of ultrasonic transducer arrays, each of which has known relative positions and orientations, wherein the acoustic field comprises a carrier wave and a modulated wave, wherein the carrier wave has a plurality of modulated focal areas and wherein the carrier wave is used to locate an object within the acoustic field;

ii) defining a plurality of mid-air control points wherein each of the plurality of mid-air control points has a known spatial relationship relative to at least one of the plurality of ultrasonic transducer arrays;

iii) for at least one of the plurality of mid-air control points, replicating phases of frequencies produced in the carrier wave and creating a haptic effect by amplitude-modulating the mid-air control point with a signal comprised of at least one frequency less than 20 KHz.

2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein all frequencies are less than 20 KHz within the signal comprised of at least one frequency less than 20 KHz signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modulated wave uses amplitude modulation to produce parametric audio at a frequency audible to humans at the at least one of the plurality of mid-air control points.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object has object properties and the carrier wave is used to measure the object properties.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the measurement of the object properties uses phases of the frequency of the carrier wave.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the measurement of the object properties also uses a time-of-flight determination.

7. A method comprising:

i) producing an acoustic field from a plurality of ultrasonic transducer arrays, each of which has known relative positions and orientations, wherein the acoustic field comprises a carrier wave and a modulated wave, wherein the carrier wave has a plurality of modulated focal areas and the carrier wave is used to locate an object within the acoustic field;

ii) defining a plurality of mid-air control points wherein each of the plurality of mid-air control points has a known spatial relationship relative to at least one of the plurality of ultrasonic transducer arrays;

iii) for at least one of the plurality of mid-air control points, replicating phases of frequencies produced in the carrier wave and creating a haptic effect using amplitude-modulation the mid-air control point with a signal comprised of at least one frequency less than 20 KHz.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the modulation is spatio-temporal modulation.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the object has object properties and the carrier wave is used to measure the object properties.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the measurement of the object properties uses phases of the frequency of the carrier wave.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the measurement of the object properties also uses a time-of-flight determination.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2026
From: SIM IP HXR LLC
To: UNITY MASTER LLC SERIES XIX
Reel/Frame 075365/0907 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2026
From: ULTRAHAPTICS IP LIMITED
To: SIM IP HXR LLC
Reel/Frame 075127/0429 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2026
From: ULTRAHAPTICS LIMITED; ULTRAHAPTICS IP LIMITED; ULTRAHAPTICS IP TWO LIMITED; ULTRALEAP LIMITED
To: SIM IP HXR LLC
Reel/Frame 074403/0943 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2023
From: CORNES TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS LIMITED
To: ULTRAHAPTICS IP LTD
Reel/Frame 063392/0054 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2020
From: ULTRAHAPTICS IP LTD
To: CORNES TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 051488/0142 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2017
From: LONG, BENJAMIN JOHN OLIVER; CARTER, THOMAS ANDREW; IODICE, MICHELE
To: ULTRAHAPTICS IP LTD
Reel/Frame 040818/0720 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62275195 · Jan 5, 2016
Provisional Application 62438587 · Dec 23, 2016
Related Publication 20170193768A1 · Jul 6, 2017
Cited By (14)
US 12,191,875 US 12,204,691 US 12,271,528 US 12,345,838 US 12,347,304 US 12,370,577 US 12,373,033 US 12,393,277 US 12,517,585 US 12,568,341 US 12,659,636 US 12,688,761 US 12,688,846 US 12,694,071