Haptics device for producing directional sound and haptic sensations

Abstract

One embodiment of the present disclosure sets forth a technique for delivering audio output and generates haptic sensations on or proximate to objects in an environment via which a user can perceive haptic sensations. The device includes transducer arrays that operate in various modalities, including generating audio output, generating haptic output, and sensing objects in the environment. When generating audio output, the transducer arrays produce ultrasonic waves that demodulate to produce audio output. When generating haptic output, the transducer arrays output directional haptic output tovarious locations to the environment using constructive and / or destructive interference. When sensing objects in the environment, the transducer arrays generate pings and detect ping echoes reflectedoff of objects in the environment.

Description

technical field [0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to audio systems, and more particularly, to a haptic device for producing directional sound and haptic sensations. Background technique [0002] Many consumer electronic devices, such as smartphones, media players, tablets, and personal computers, present various forms of media content to users. For example, a consumer electronics device may present visual content to a user through a display while relying on headphones, built-in speakers, and / or external speakers ( E.g , compact portable speaker) to generate audio content for the user. Specifically, earphones deliver audio directly to the user's ears, while speakers produce surround sound that delivers audio content over a large area. [0003] There are several disadvantages to using headphones or speakers to present audio content to the user. Specifically, while headphones are capable of providing a high-fidelity audio experience, the form fact...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, in addition to the aforementioned disadvantages of headphones and speakers, providing audio notifications through these types of devices may interrupt the audio content being simultaneously presented by the headphones and / or speakers

Accordingly, traditional methods for presenting visual and audio content to a user from a consumer electronics device can distract the user from effectively interacting with the surrounding environment

Images