IP Library Granted Patent US 11,307,664
Granted Patent B2
US 11,307,664 · App. 17/170,841 · Granted Apr 19, 2022

Three-dimensional perceptions in haptic systems

Inventor: Benjamin John Oliver Long (Bristol, GB)
Assignee: ULTRAHAPTICS IP LTD
G06F3/016G06F3/011G06F3/017G06F3/0416G06F3/0488G06F3/04815G06F3/16G06F2203/04108G06F2203/04809
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,307,664
App. No.
17/170,841
Granted
Apr 19, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An acoustic field may be produced from a transducer array having known relative positions and orientations. In this acoustic field, one or more control points may be defined. An amplitude may be assigned to the control point. Mid-air haptic effect for a virtual object on a human body part may be generated by moving the control point in a single closed curve comprising a plurality of curve segments. The single closed curve traverses at least one location where the human body part intersects with the virtual object. Additionally, a user may interact with virtual three-dimensional content using the user's hands while a tracking system monitoring the user's hands, a physics engine updates the properties of the virtual three-dimensional content and a haptic feedback system provides haptic information to the user.

Claims (12)

1. A method comprising:

producing an acoustic field from a transducer array having known relative positions and orientations;

defining a control point wherein the control point has a known spatial relationship relative to the transducer array;

assigning an amplitude to the control point;

generating a mid-air haptic effect for a user by traversing the control point in a closed curve using smooth movement without interruption to minimize unwanted audible noise, wherein the single closed curve comprises a plurality of curve segments.

2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the closed curve is traversed relative to a normal vector defined relative to the user.

3. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the closed curve comprises multiple curves to provide feedback to multiple users.

4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the closed curve is defocused at a user's location.

5. The method as in claim 1 , wherein traversing the control point in a single closed curve comprises:

computing a length of the closed curve required to complete a closed path;

for each of the plurality of curve segments, creating additional haptic effects at each intersection with a user;

for the plurality of curve segments that do not contribute to the haptic effects, traversing the control point at a faster speed.

Assignments (4)
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 074404/0012 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2021
From: CARTER, THOMAS ANDREW; LONG, BENJAMIN JOHN OLIVER
To: ULTRAHAPTICS IP LTD
Reel/Frame 055251/0815 →
Continuity (8)
Continuation 16699629 · Nov 30, 2019
Continuation 16296127 · Mar 7, 2019
Continuation 15665629 · Aug 1, 2017
Provisional Application 62397419 · Sep 21, 2016
Provisional Application 62370865 · Aug 4, 2016
Provisional Application 62370786 · Aug 4, 2016
Provisional Application 62370522 · Aug 3, 2016
Related Publication 20210303072A1 · Sep 30, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,198,536