US 12,271,526 B1
Haptic communication devices for tracing tactile patterns on skin using compact actuator arrays
Paul Langley Bloore, Torono (CA); Chrisula Bloore, Mountain View, CA (US); and Stephen Ru, Toronto (CA)
Assigned to 0102.IO INC., Toronto (CA)
Filed by Paul Langley Bloore, Torono (CA); Chrisula Bloore, Mountain View, CA (US); and Stephen Ru, Toronto (CA)
Filed on Jan. 5, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/405,853.
Int. Cl. G06F 3/01 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/016 (2013.01) [G06F 3/011 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A haptic communication system comprising:
a haptic device that is adapted to contact the skin of a user, said haptic device having a plurality of actuators that are electrically connected in an array, wherein each of said plurality of actuators includes an electromagnetic coil and a permanent magnet, said electromagnetic coil having a bottom side that is mounted to a substrate and a top side that defines an open end with a stretchable material disposed over said open end to contain said permanent magnet, said permanent magnet being freely disposed within an interior space defined by an interior surface of said electromagnetic coil, wherein said permanent magnet is adapted to move at least partially above the open end of said electromagnetic coil and deform said stretchable material sufficiently to provide a haptic communication to a user when said actuator with said electromagnetic coil is in a powered state; and
a controller in communication with said haptic device, wherein said controller is adapted to control the delivery of electrical power from a power source to a desired one or more of said plurality of actuators within said array to provide a haptic communication to a user when said haptic device is in contact with the skin of the user.