Broadband haptic system

Abstract

Described herein is a broadband haptic system for a controller of a controller system for providing enhanced haptic functionality. The control unit of the controller, such as a trackpad, may include a cover, a circuit board located behind the cover and coupled to the cover, a haptic actuator mounted on the circuit board, and a spring located behind the cover and coupled to the cover and mounted in the housing of the controller. The haptic actuator is configured to vibrate, and the spring is configured to flex bidirectionally in response to the vibration of the haptic actuator. Furthermore, the haptic actuator has a first resonant frequency, and the control unit has a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency in order to provide the controller with a broadband haptic system.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Cross-Reference to Related Applications This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 450,262, filed on August 15, 2023. The content of Application No. 18 / 450,262 is hereby fully incorporated herein by reference. [Background Art]

[0002] Handheld controllers are used, for example, in an array of architectures for providing input to local or remote computing devices. For example, handheld controllers are utilized in the gaming industry to enable players to interact with gaming applications running on computing devices such as game consoles, game servers, the handheld controllers themselves, and the like. Furthermore, to simulate the sensation of touch and movement, some handheld controllers are configured to provide haptic feedback to users. Many haptic systems utilize a single resonant haptic actuator, such as a linear resonant actuator (LRA) having a single resonant frequency. These haptic systems are only capable of providing a limited type of haptic feedback.

[0003] The disclosure presented herein is provided in view of these and other considerations. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0004] The mode for carrying out the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the leftmost digit of a reference numeral identifies the drawing in which the reference numeral first appears. The same or similar reference numerals in different drawings indicate similar or identical items.

[0005] [Figure 1A] A perspective view of an exemplary control unit in the form of a trackpad is illustrated, wherein the control unit is shown in an upright orientation in FIG. 1A. [Figure 1B] Figure 1A shows an exemplary perspective view of the control unit, while Figure 1B shows the control unit in an inverted orientation. [Figure 1C] Figure 1A illustrates another perspective view of the exemplary control unit, which is shown in an inverted orientation in Figure 1C. [Figure 1D] Figure 1C shows an example of an exploded perspective view of the control unit. [Figure 1E] Figure 1A shows an example front view of the control unit. [Figure 1F] Figure 1A shows an illustrative rear view of the control unit. [Figure 1G] Figure 1A shows an illustrative side view of the control unit. [Figure 1H] Another side view of the exemplary control unit shown in Figure 1A is provided. [Figure 2] Figure 1A illustrates a Bode plot of the impedance magnitude of an exemplary control unit, where the impedance magnitude is a proxy for the vibration acceleration of the control unit during the operation of the control unit's tactile actuator. [Figure 3] Figure 1A illustrates an exemplary board plot of control unit deviation, where deviation is another proxy for vibration acceleration of the control unit during the operation of the control unit's tactile actuator. [Figure 4A] Figure 1A shows an example rear view of the spring in the control unit. [Figure 4B] Figure 4A shows an example of a spring, specifically a front view. [Figure 4C] Figure 4A shows an example side view of a spring. [Figure 5A] To illustrate the exemplary control unit mounted in the housing, an exemplary rear view of the controller is shown with the rear panel of the controller housing removed. [Figure 5B] Figure 5A illustrates a zoomed-in view of one of the control units shown. [Figure 6] An exemplary front view of an exemplary controller having an exemplary control unit for operation by the user's fingers is provided. [Figure 7]This illustrates exemplary functional components of an exemplary controller system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0006] As mentioned above, handheld controllers are used in a variety of environments and include a variety of functions, and some controllers include haptic feedback functionality. However, conventional handheld controllers only offer a limited type of haptic feedback, which may be partly due to the relatively narrow operating frequency band of the haptic systems implemented in those controllers.

[0007] Described herein, in particular, is a broadband haptic system for a controller of a controller system for providing enhanced tactile functionality. The controller has various control units, at least one of which includes a haptic actuator for providing tactile feedback to the user of the controller. The control unit having the haptic actuator may further include a spring mounted in the housing of the controller, the spring configured to flex bidirectionally in response to vibrations of the haptic actuator. As will be described in more detail below, this spring-mounted control unit has a resonant frequency different from the resonant frequency of the haptic actuator itself. By separating the aforementioned resonant frequencies, the operating frequency band of the haptic system is broadened (or expanded), thereby creating a broadband haptic system with improved performance compared to conventional narrowband haptic systems. For example, a controller system having the broadband haptic system disclosed herein can provide the user of the controller with richer tactile signals. For example, the disclosed broadband haptic system can provide the user of the controller with a variety of high-fidelity waveforms, thereby improving the user experience. Therefore, the broadband tactile systems described herein can provide a wider variety of tactile feedback types than their narrowband counterparts. In some examples, the types of tactile feedback that can be provided by the disclosed broadband tactile systems range from sharp "ticks" to long, rising vibrations and intermediate types of tactile responses in between.

[0008] In some cases, the controller control units disclosed herein may be operated by one or more fingers to engage in video game play through a running video game application, and / or to control other types of applications and / or programs. In some cases, a handheld controller may include a control unit for controlling a game or application running on the handheld controller itself (e.g., a handheld gaming system substantially built into the controller). In some cases, a handheld controller may include a control unit for controlling a remote device (e.g., a television, audio system, personal computing device, game console, vehicle, etc.).

[0009] In some examples, the controller's spring-loaded control unit may be or may include a trackpad. In some examples, the trackpad is located on the front surface of the controller's housing and is configured to be operated by the user's thumb while the user holds the controller (e.g., with both hands). In some examples, the controller includes multiple spring-loaded control units (e.g., multiple spring-loaded trackpads) located on the front surface of the housing, each control unit being operable by the user's thumb and configured to provide haptic feedback to the user holding the controller.

[0010] In some examples, the tactile actuators of the disclosed spring-mounted control unit may provide haptic feedback in response to the fulfillment of one or more criteria and / or the occurrence of one or more events. For example, during gameplay of a video game, when a player-controlled character is shot by a non-player character (NPC) in the video game, haptic feedback may be provided via the tactile actuators of the disclosed spring-mounted control unit. In another example, the spring-mounted control unit disclosed herein may include various sensors such as touch sensors, pressure sensors, and so on. In these examples, the processor of the controller system may be configured to detect when a force applied to the control unit meets a threshold, and may provide haptic feedback in response to the force of the press on the control unit that meets the threshold. These are just examples of when haptic feedback may be provided to the user as a tactile stimulus (e.g., during gameplay), and other criteria may be used to provide haptic feedback depending on the implementation.

[0011] The disclosed broadband haptic system is more advanced than conventional narrowband haptic systems in that it is configured to provide controller users with richer haptic signals. Specifically, the disclosed broadband haptic system has a wider (or expanded) operating frequency bandwidth than its narrowband counterpart, thereby providing haptic engineers with greater creative freedom and flexibility to program the disclosed controller system with a wide variety of haptic feedback responses.

[0012] The disclosed broadband tactile system also offers cost savings to manufacturers of control units and / or controllers that include the broadband tactile system. This is because the tactile actuator used in the disclosed spring-mounted control unit can be implemented as a single-resonance tactile actuator, such as an LRA with a single resonant frequency, which is far less expensive than a dual-resonance tactile actuator (e.g., an LRA with multiple different resonant frequencies). Nevertheless, the disclosed broadband tactile system can be used with such dual-resonance tactile actuators as needed. Thus, the disclosed broadband tactile system can be implemented with a wider variety of tactile actuator types, which provides controller manufacturers with more flexibility in designing their tactile systems.

[0013] This disclosure provides an overall understanding of the structure, function, manufacture, and principles of use of the systems and methods disclosed herein. One or more examples of the disclosure are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that the systems and methods described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting embodiments. Features illustrated or described in relation to one embodiment, including those between systems and methods, may be combined with features of other embodiments. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the accompanying claims.

[0014] Figures 1A to 1H illustrate various diagrams of an exemplary control unit 100 in the form of a trackpad. The control unit 100 may be implemented within a controller. An example of a controller 600 is shown in Figure 6. The controller 600 may be considered “handheld” if it is operated by one or more of the user’s hands, regardless of whether the entire controller 600 is supported by the user’s hands or held in the user’s hands.

[0015] The control unit 100 is configured to be operated by a finger, such as a finger of a user of the controller 600. In this sense, the control unit 100 is configured to receive an input from the user of the controller 600. The exemplary control unit 100 illustrated in FIGS. 1A to 1H is in the form of a trackpad, which is configured to sense at least a touch of a finger (e.g., a thumb) on the control unit 100 and / or the proximity of the finger to the control unit 100, and the movement of the finger across the control unit 100 while the finger is touching the control unit 100 and / or is in proximity to the control unit 100 (e.g., hovering over the control unit 100). However, it should be appreciated that the control unit 100 disclosed herein can be implemented as other types of control units other than a trackpad, such as a directional pad (D-pad), a button, a trackball, a joystick, a trigger, a bumper, a knob, a wheel, a paddle, a panel, a wing, or any other suitable type of control unit configured to be operated by a finger.

[0016] Figure 1A illustrates a perspective view of the upright-oriented control unit 100. The control unit 100 includes a cover 102. As its name suggests, the cover 102 may cover components of the control unit 100 that are located behind it. Thus, since the cover 102 is an externally facing component of the control unit 100, at least the remaining components of the control unit 100 may be hidden by the cover 102 when the control unit 100 is mounted in a controller, such as the controller 600 in Figure 6. In some examples, the control unit 100, and therefore the cover 102, may be configured to be located within an opening defined in the housing of the controller, such as the controller 600. An example of a housing 500 for the controller 600 is shown in Figures 5A and 5B. This housing 500 may accommodate the internal components of the controller 600. For example, the cover 102 may represent the visible portion of the control units 100(1) and 100(2) (e.g., the trackpad) as depicted in Figure 6, although the internal components within the housing 500 are not visible in Figure 6. Generally, the cover 102 is configured to be interacted with (e.g., hover over, touch, press, etc.) to operate the control units 100. For example, a user may touch the cover 102 with a finger (e.g., a thumb) and / or drag their finger across the cover 102 to move a cursor on the controller 600's display 610 or control some other aspect of a running application (e.g., in a running video game, to control the movement of a player-controlled character and / or aim a weapon). In some examples, a user may operate the control units 100 by pressing on the cover 102 (e.g., applying force on the cover 102 in the negative Z direction). Since the examples herein envision a control unit 100 mounted on the front surface 602 of the controller 600, the Z directions shown in the figures mean that they represent the forward (positive Z direction) and backward (negative Z direction) reference frames.In this sense, components positioned in the negative Z direction relative to the cover 102 are referred to as being "behind" the cover 102. However, in other orientations, these components may be referred to as being "below" the cover 102, or even "in front" the cover 102, for example, if the control unit 100 is positioned on the rear surface of the controller 600.

[0017] The control unit 100 may further include a circuit board 104 (which may also be referred to herein as the “control board” or “trackpad board”), as shown in Figure 1D in the exploded perspective view of the control unit 100. The circuit board 104 may be located behind the cover 102. Generally, the control unit 100 may include a stack or layer of components stacked in the stacking direction (e.g., the Z direction). Note that the stacking direction of the control unit 100 shown in Figures 1B to 1D is reversed. For this reason, the positive Z direction is downward in Figures 1B to 1D. Therefore, the cover 102 may be located in front of the circuit board 104, regardless of the different orientations of the control unit 100 depicted in Figures 1A to 1H.

[0018] The circuit board 104 may be coupled to the cover 102 by an adhesive, by a fastener, or by a combination thereof. As used herein, the term "coupled" may refer to an indirect coupling or a direct coupling between elements. The term "coupled", as used herein, may also refer to a removable coupling or a permanent coupling between elements. Elements are removably coupled when a user or another entity is able to uncouple the elements. Elements are permanently coupled when a user or another entity cannot uncouple the elements without destroying or significantly damaging the elements, or without exerting excessive effort to disassemble the elements using a tool or a machine. As used herein, the term "coupled" may be interpreted as connection, attachment, pasting, joining, engaging, connecting, linking, fastening, or restraining. Unless otherwise specified herein, the term "coupled" should be interpreted as coupling between elements in a mechanical sense, rather than, for example, an electrical sense. Nevertheless, it should be appreciated that mechanical coupling of elements may result in electrical coupling between multiple elements of a system.

[0019] Various components (e.g., electronic components) can be mounted on the circuit board 104. At least one of the components mounted on the circuit board 104 is a tactile actuator 106. Therefore, the tactile actuator 106 may be positioned behind the cover 102. In other words, the cover 102 may be positioned in front of the circuit board 104 and in front of the tactile actuator 106. The tactile actuator 106 can be mounted on either side of the circuit board 104, but the exemplary mounting configuration shown in Figure 1D depicts the tactile actuator 106 as being mounted on the back of the circuit board 104. The tactile actuator 106 is configured to provide tactile feedback (e.g., vibration, pulse, etc.). In some examples, the tactile actuator 106 is configured to vibrate in response to a control signal received from a processor in a controller system, which is described in more detail below with reference to Figure 7. In some examples, a control signal for driving the tactile actuator 106 is provided by the processor in response to the fulfillment of one or more criteria and / or the occurrence of one or more events. For example, the processor may be configured to process data (e.g., game state data, user input data, etc.) to determine whether one or more criteria are met, and if so, to send a control signal to the tactile actuator 106 to drive the tactile actuator 106 to provide tactile feedback. The control signal may specify the gain and / or frequency for driving the tactile actuator 106, and the tactile actuator 106 may be configured to vibrate in response to the control signal from the processor so that the user can feel tactile vibrations of the cover 102. The tactile actuator 106 may be any preferred type of tactile actuator, including but not limited to LRA, eccentric rotating mass (ERM), etc. The tactile actuator 106 may be controlled to vibrate or resonate in any preferred direction. In the example in Figure 1D, the direction of vibration is shown as the X direction.For example, as shown in Figure 6, when the control unit 100 is mounted on the front surface 602 of the controller 600, the tactile actuator 106 may vibrate bidirectionally in the X direction (e.g., left and right from the perspective of a user holding the controller 600). In some examples, as depicted in the figure, the tactile actuator 106 is configured to vibrate in multiple different directions, such as the X, Y, and / or Z directions.

[0020] The control unit 100 may further include a spring 108 (which may also be referred to herein as a “biasing member” or “suspension mechanism”). The spring 108 is located behind the cover 102 and is coupled to the cover 102. Refer to Figures 4A to 4C for details of the exemplary spring 108 shown in the figures. As depicted in Figures 4A and 4B, the spring 108 may include one or more (e.g., a pair) side flanges 400, such as a first side flange 400(1) and a second side flange 400(2), which are used to couple the spring 108 to the cover 102. For example, the first side flange 400(1) may include one or more (e.g., three) holes 402, and the second side flange 400(2) may include one or more (e.g., three) holes 402. These holes 402 may be configured to receive one or more corresponding projections 110 (see Figure 1D) extending from the back surface of the cover 102. In the examples of Figures 1A to 1H, these projections 110 extend from the back surface of the cover 102 at opposing sides 112 of the cover 102. (For example, Figures 1B to 1D, 1F, and 1G depict three projections 110 located on one side 112(1) of the cover 102 and three other projections 110 located on the opposing side 112(2) of the cover 102). Therefore, the first side flange 400(1) of the spring 108 may be coupled to the back surface of the cover 102 at the first side 112(1) of the cover 102, and the second side flange 400(2) of the spring 108 may be coupled to the back surface of the cover 102 at the second side 112(2) of the cover 102 opposite to the first side 112(1). In some examples, adhesive is used to permanently bond the spring 108 to the cover 102 and / or to ensure that the spring 108 does not unexpectedly detach from the cover 102 during use of the controller 600 in which the control unit 100 is disposed.

[0021] The spring 108 is also mounted to the housing 500 of the controller 600 (which may also be referred to herein as the “frame” or “controller body”), as illustrated in Figures 5A and 5B. In some examples, the spring 108 is mounted to the housing 500 via one or more (e.g., multiple) flanges 404. The exemplary spring 108 depicted in Figures 4A to 4C includes four flanges 404(1), 404(2), 404(3), and 404(4) at the corners of the spring 108, which is depicted as having a substantially rectangular shape. These flanges 404 may therefore be referred to herein as “corner flanges”. As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, each corner flange 404 may include a hole 406 configured to receive a corresponding projection extending from the inner surface of the housing 500. In some examples, adhesive is used to permanently attach the spring 108 to the housing 500 of the controller 600 and / or to ensure that the spring 108 does not come off unexpectedly from the housing 500 during use of the controller 600 in which the control unit 100 is installed.

[0022] Spring 108 is made from a flexible material, such as metal (e.g., spring steel). In some examples, spring 108 is manufactured from a single piece of material (e.g., a single piece of spring steel), which can be cut (e.g., machined) and shaped into the form shown in the figure. In other words, spring 108 can be implemented as a monolithic spring made of metal (e.g., spring steel).

[0023] The spring 108 further includes one or more (e.g., a pair) elongated spring arms 408 (sometimes referred to herein as “spring bars” or “spring blades”), such as a first elongated spring arm 408(1) and a second elongated spring arm 408(2). The spring 108 may further include a body 410 which may have various features (e.g., openings, holes, fins, protrusions, etc.). In some examples, the features of the body 410 of the spring 108 are such that air can flow through the space between the spring 108 and the circuit board 104, which can help cool the electronic components mounted on the circuit board 104 through convection. In some examples, the body 410 of the spring 108 is rectangular in shape, but other shapes are possible for the body 410, and the shape of the body 410 may depend on the type of control unit 100 on which the spring 108 is mounted. For example, if the spring 108 is included in the D-pad, the body 410 of the spring 108 may have a cross shape similar to the cross shape of the four-way D-pad.

[0024] As shown in Figures 4A and 4C, the first elongated spring arm 408(1) contacts the body 410 of the spring 108 at its first neck region 412(1). Similarly, the second elongated spring arm 408(2) contacts the body 410 of the spring 108 at its second neck region 412(2), as shown in Figures 4A and 4B. In some examples, as shown in Figure 4C, the elongated spring arm 408 protrudes downward from the body 410 of the spring 108 (for example, in the negative Z direction). In some examples, the side flange 400 extends along the opposing side of the body 410, and the elongated spring arm 408 extends alongside the other opposing side of the body 410. Therefore, when the spring 108 is coupled to the cover 102, the elongated spring arm 408 is adjacent (and possibly parallel) to the opposing side 112 of the cover 102. For example, when the spring 108 is coupled to the cover 102, the second elongated spring arm 408(2) may be adjacent (and parallel) to the third side 112(3) of the cover 102, and the first elongated spring arm 408(1) may be adjacent (and parallel) to the fourth side 112(4) of the cover 102. In this context, "adjacent" can mean "closer". Therefore, when the spring 108 is coupled to the cover 102, the second elongated spring arm 408(2) may be closer to the third side 112(3) of the cover 102 than to the fourth side 112(4) of the cover 102 on the opposite side of the third side 112(3), and the first elongated spring arm 408(1) may be closer to the fourth side 112(4) of the cover 102 than to the third side 112(3) of the cover 102 on the opposite side of the fourth side 112(4).

[0025] As illustrated in Figure 4C, the elongated spring arm 408 is longer than the length of the neck region 412 (for example, in the Y direction). In some examples, the first neck region 412(1) and the second neck region 412(2) are substantially equal in length, and the length (of each neck region 412) is in the range of approximately 5 millimeters (mm) to 20 mm. Because the elongated spring arm 408 is longer than the length of the neck region 412, each elongated spring arm 408 includes a pair of cantilevers 414. One end of each cantilever 414 is fixed to the body 410 in the neck region 412, and the cantilever 414 extends away from the neck region 412. The pair of cantilevers 414 of a given elongated spring arm 408 extend in opposite directions. For example, the first elongated spring arm 408(1) may include a first cantilever 414(1) extending from the first neck region 412(1) in a first direction (e.g., the positive Y direction) and a second cantilever 414(2) extending from the first neck region 412(1) in a second direction opposite to the first direction (e.g., the negative Y direction). Similarly, the second elongated spring arm 408(2) may include a third cantilever 414(3) extending from the second neck region 412(2) in a first direction (e.g., the positive Y direction) and a fourth cantilever 414(4) extending from the second neck region 412(2) in a second direction (e.g., the negative Y direction). These cantilevers 414 are configured to bend or curve at least bidirectionally and move relative to the body 410 of the spring 108. This ability of the cantilevers 414 to bend or curve allows the spring 108 to deflect at least bidirectionally in response to vibrations of the tactile actuator 106 when the spring 108 is mounted in the housing 500 of the controller 600. In some examples, when the tactile actuator 106 vibrates, the vibration is transmitted to the circuit board 104 on which the tactile actuator 106 is mounted, thereby causing the cover 102 to vibrate (because the circuit board 104 is coupled to the cover 102), and this vibration of the cover 102 causes the spring 108 to deflect back and forth (for example, in the X direction, as depicted in Figures 1A to 1C), since the spring 108 is coupled to the cover 102.This deflection of spring 108 is made possible by the bending of the cantilever 414 of the elongated spring arm 408. In some examples, the length of the neck region 412 (e.g., in the Y direction) and / or the length of the cantilever 414 partly determine the spring constant K of spring 108. For example, the longer the neck region 412 and / or the shorter the cantilever 414 (e.g., in the Y direction), the stiffer spring 108 becomes, and the shorter the neck region 412 and / or the longer the cantilever 414, the more flexible spring 108 becomes. The material of spring 108 and at least the thickness of the cantilever 414 also play a role in the spring constant K of spring 108. In any case, the spring constant K, along with the total mass of the control unit 100 (for example, the mass of the cover 102, the mass of the circuit board 104, and the mass of one or more components including the tactile actuator 106 mounted on the circuit board 104), defines the resonant frequency of the control unit 100.

[0026] The tactile actuator 106 itself may have a first resonant frequency (also known as the "natural resonant frequency"). For example, if the tactile actuator 106 is implemented as a single-resonant LRA including a magnet attached to a spring, the resonant frequency of the LRA is defined by the spring constant K (or stiffness) of the spring inside the LRA and the mass of the magnet inside the LRA. A typical resonant frequency for a single-resonant LRA is in the range of approximately 175 hertz (Hz) to 235 Hz. The resonant frequency of the tactile actuator 106 is the frequency at which the tactile actuator 106 is most efficient in its operation, meaning that the acceleration output is maximized for a particular amount of input energy to drive the tactile actuator 106.

[0027] As illustrated in Figures 5A and 5B, when the control unit 100 is mounted in the housing 500 of the controller 600 via a spring 108, the control unit 100 is suspended within the housing 500 by the spring 108, and since the spring 108 is configured to flex bidirectionally in response to vibrations of the tactile actuator 106, the control unit 100 has its own resonant frequency (a second resonant frequency). In particular, an exemplary control unit 100 has a second resonant frequency that is different from the first resonant frequency of the tactile actuator 106. This second resonant frequency of the control unit 100 can be tuned by manufacturing the components of the control unit 100 to have a specific mass and / or by manufacturing the spring 108 to have a specific spring constant K (or stiffness). In other words, the second resonant frequency of the control unit 100 is determined by the mass of one or more components, including the spring constant K (or stiffness) of the spring 108, the mass of the cover 102, the mass of the circuit board 104, and the tactile actuator 106 mounted on the circuit board 104. If other components, such as sensors (e.g., a touch sensor layer, such as a capacitive touch sensing layer), are included in the control unit 100, the masses of those components also affect the second resonant frequency of the control unit 100. For example, a touch sensor layer (e.g., a capacitive sensor array) may be disposed between the cover 102 and the circuit board 104, and the touch sensor has its own mass that affects the second resonant frequency of the control unit 100. Similarly, if a pressure sensor is included in the control unit 100, the mass of the pressure sensor contributes to the second resonant frequency. Therefore, by tuning the mass of any of these components and / or the spring constant K of the spring 108, a desired second resonant frequency of the control unit 100 that is different from the first resonant frequency of the tactile actuator 106 itself can be achieved. By tuning these resonant frequencies differently, a broadband haptic system can be created, which combines the single resonance of a potentially inexpensive single-resonant haptic actuator 106 (e.g., an LRA with a single resonant frequency) with different resonances (e.g., self-resonance) of a spring-mounted control unit 100 (e.g., a trackpad) to broaden the operating frequency band of the haptic system.

[0028] In some examples, the difference between the first resonant frequency of the tactile actuator 106 and the second resonant frequency of the spring-mounted control unit 100 is in the range of approximately 70 Hz to 160 Hz. The difference between the first and second resonant frequencies may be such that the second resonant frequency of the control unit 100 couples and combines with the first resonant frequency of the tactile actuator 106, and the separation between these resonant frequencies expands the entire spectrum (or operating frequency band) of the tactile system. In contrast, if these resonant frequencies are tuned to be the same, the operating frequency band of the tactile system does not expand (i.e., the operating frequency band becomes narrower than it could be), and the equal resonant frequencies may reinforce each other, causing an undesirable "rattling" sound from the control unit 100 within the housing 500 each time the tactile actuator 106 is driven. To eliminate such undesirable rattling, the second resonant frequency of the control unit 100 can be detuned relative to the first resonant frequency of the tactile actuator 106. Furthermore, by tuning the spring constant K of spring 108, and / or the masses of the components of the control unit 100 (e.g., the mass of cover 102, the mass of circuit board 104, the mass of tactile actuator 106, and / or the masses of one or more other components of the control unit 100, etc.), these resonant frequencies can be made to differ from each other to such an extent that the operating frequency band of the tactile system is expanded, thereby creating a broadband tactile system capable of providing a wider variety of tactile feedback types. In some examples, when the first and second frequencies differ by at least about 70 Hz, the second resonant frequency of the control unit 100 is "well different" from the first resonant frequency of the tactile actuator 106. Thus, the overall resonance of the tactile systems disclosed herein has a significantly wider bandwidth compared to the bandwidth created if the resonant frequencies were the same.

[0029] Figure 2 illustrates a board plot 200 of the impedance magnitude of the exemplary control unit 100 in Figure 1A. The impedance magnitude is a suitable proxy for the vibration acceleration (tactile response) of the control unit 100 during the operation of the tactile actuator 106 of the control unit 100. As shown in the board plot 200, a first peak 202 of the impedance magnitude occurs at a first frequency of approximately 180 Hz, and a second peak 204 of the impedance magnitude occurs at a second frequency of approximately 300 Hz. In the exemplary board plot 200, the second peak 204 is approximately 9% lower than the first peak 202, which is considered a slight decrease in the impedance magnitude. These peaks 202, 204 represent different resonant frequencies of the broadband tactile system disclosed herein. That is, the first peak 202 may represent a first resonant frequency of the tactile actuator 106, and the second peak 204 may represent a second resonant frequency of the control unit 100. The combination of two different resonant frequencies results in the overall haptic system having an expanded bandwidth compared to its narrowband counterpart.

[0030] Figure 3 illustrates a similar broadband effect of the disclosed tactile system. Figure 3 illustrates a board plot 300 of the deviation of the exemplary control unit 100 in Figure 1A. The “deviation” plotted in Figure 3 represents the measured displacement of the control unit 100 (e.g., in the X direction) during the operation of the tactile actuator 106 of the control unit 100, and the deviation is another preferred proxy for the vibration acceleration (tactile response) of the control unit 100 during the operation of the tactile actuator 106 of the control unit 100. As shown in board plot 300, the first peak 302 of the deviation occurs at a first frequency of approximately 160 Hz, and the second peak 304 of the deviation occurs at a second frequency of approximately 230 Hz. These peaks 302, 304 represent different resonant frequencies of the broadband tactile system disclosed herein. That is, the first peak 302 may represent the first resonant frequency of the tactile actuator 106, and the second peak 304 may represent the second resonant frequency of the control unit 100. In board plot 300, the second peak 304 is more pronounced than the second peak 204 in board plot 200 in Figure 2, and the intermediate deviation value between peaks 302 and 304 in board plot 300 is more pronounced compared to the magnitude value of the intermediate impedance between peaks 202 and 204 in board plot 200. Nevertheless, both board plots 200 and 300 show the broadband response produced by the disclosed tactile system, although the effect is perhaps more pronounced in board plot 300. In Figure 3, the combination of two different resonant frequencies results in the overall tactile system having an expanded bandwidth 306 compared to its narrowband counterpart.

[0031] Figure 5A illustrates a rear view of an exemplary controller (e.g., controller 600 shown in Figure 6) with the rear panel of the controller housing 500 removed to show exemplary control units 100(1) and 100(2) mounted in the housing 500. Figure 5B illustrates a zoomed-in view of control unit 100(1) shown in Figure 5A. Each of the control units 100(1) and 100(2) may represent the control unit 100 introduced in Figures 1A to 1H. As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the springs 108 of each control unit 100(1) and 100(2) are mounted in the housing 500 at their respective positions (e.g., opposite the display 610 located in the center of the controller 600). As discussed above, the springs 108 of each control unit 100(1) and 100(2) are coupled to the cover 102 of each control unit 100(1) and 100(2). Therefore, these control units 100(1) and 100(2) are spring-mounted and are suspended within the housing 500 by their respective springs 108. The springs 108 of each control unit 100(1) and 100(2) are mounted to the housing 500 via the corner flanges 404 of the springs 108, which are positioned at the distal end of an elongated spring arm 408. That is, as shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the first elongated spring arm 408(1) may include a first corner flange 404(1) at the first end of the first elongated spring arm 408(1) and a second corner flange 404(3) at the second end of the first elongated spring arm 408(1), and the second elongated spring arm 408(2) may include a third corner flange 404(2) at the first end of the second elongated spring arm 408(2) and a fourth corner flange 404(4) at the second end of the second elongated spring arm 408(2). In some examples, the corner flanges 404 may be mounted on projections extending from the inner surface of the housing 500. In this way, the spring 108 is fixed to the housing 500, and when the user properly holds the controller 600, the spring 108 biases the cover 102 (and therefore the control unit 100) forward toward the user (for example, in the positive Z direction).In some examples, a portion of the cover 102 (e.g., the lip around the cover 102) may be biased by a spring 108 against the inner surface of the housing 500 and into the opening of the housing 500, thereby allowing the user to access the control unit 100 from the outside (e.g., by touching, pressing, etc.) without the control unit 100 being "pushed out" of the housing 500. In other words, the lip around the cover 102 may hold the control unit 100 within the housing 500 because the corresponding opening in the housing 500 is slightly smaller than the area of ​​the cover 102 including the lip around the cover 102.

[0032] The spring 108 may be configured to flex and / or deform in response to an object (e.g., a finger) pressing against the cover 102, and to return to its original shape and / or position when the pressure on the cover 102 ceases (e.g., when the finger is removed from the cover 102 or when the pressure is stopped). In other words, the spring 108 may be configured to apply a biasing force to the cover 102 in the opposite direction to the direction of the force applied to the cover 102 by the user of the control unit 100 and / or controller 600. In some examples, the spring 108 applies a forward biasing force (e.g., a biasing force in the positive Z direction) to the cover 102 (and therefore the control unit 100) from opposing sides 112(1), 112(2) of the cover 102, providing a balanced forward biasing force to the cover 102 (and thus the control unit 100). In some examples, the spring 108 may have an anisotropic property that optimizes the force of the spring 108 on the cover 102 in the orthogonal direction. For example, the biasing force in the positive Z direction can be optimized for pressing against the cover 102, and the biasing force in the X direction (and / or Y direction) can be optimized for vibration of the tactile actuator 106. Again, the vibration of the tactile actuator 106 causes the circuit board 104 to vibrate, which in turn causes the cover 102 to vibrate, which in turn causes bidirectional deflection of the spring 108 to provide tactile feedback. Thus, the cover 102 is biased forward (e.g., positive Z) relative to the inner surface of the housing 500 so that the user can press the control unit 100 (e.g., trackpad), and the spring 108 allows for some deflection in the rearward (e.g., negative Z) direction, but the spring 108 (in particular, the spring arm 408) further allows the control unit 100 to vibrate transversely across the surface of the controller housing 500 (e.g., the front surface 602) or coplane with the surface (e.g., in the X direction).

[0033] In the examples described herein, the tactile actuator 106 is configured to vibrate transversely (for example, in the X direction). Once the spring 108 of each control unit 100 is mounted in the housing 500, the elongated spring arm 408, in particular its cantilever 414, allows the spring 108 to flex in both directions as the suspended control unit 100 moves transversely (for example, in the X direction) back and forth along the same vibration axis of the tactile actuator 106 (see Figure 1D). As described above, the mass of the cover 102, the mass of the circuit board 104, and the mass of the components mounted on the circuit board 104 (for example, the mass of the tactile actuator 106) constitute the total mass of the control unit 100. This total mass, combined with the flexibility (or stiffness) of the spring 108 (for example, the combined flexibility of the elongated spring arm 408), forms a resonant system, which is referred to herein as the resonant frequency of the control unit 100. By tuning the flexibility of the spring 108 and the total mass of the control unit 100 assembly, the resonant frequency of the control unit 100 can be tuned to be different from the resonant frequency of the tactile actuator 106 itself, as shown in board plots 200 and 300 in Figures 2 and 3, respectively. This creates a broadband tactile system (sometimes referred to herein as a “broadband coupled resonant system”).

[0034] The disclosed broadband haptic system is more powerful than its narrowband counterpart and can provide broadband haptic responses at a fraction of the cost compared to other systems that promise similar versatility in haptic responses, despite the more complex and expensive haptic actuators. The broadband haptic response of the disclosed haptic system is influenced by the wide operating frequency band of the haptic system (e.g., bandwidths 206 and 306 shown in Figures 2 and 3, respectively). In other words, the haptic actuator 106 (having its own resonant frequency) is coupled and combined with the suspended control unit 100 (having its own, but different, resonant frequency). In some examples, this relatively wide bandwidth can enable the generation of more complex haptic signals (e.g., square waves) in the haptic response. Thus, haptic feedback can be provided as very tight "ticks" instead of being limited to one type of haptic response (e.g., longer, resonant vibrations). Thus, the disclosed broadband haptic system can provide haptic engineers with greater creative freedom to create various types of haptic feedback responses.

[0035] Figure 6 illustrates a front view of an exemplary controller 600 having exemplary control units 100(1) and 100(2) for operation by the user's fingers. As mentioned above with respect to Figures 5A and 5B, each of the control units 100(1) and 100(2) may represent the control 100 introduced in Figures 1A to 1H. According to the various embodiments described herein, the terms “device,” “handheld device,” “handheld game device,” “handheld console,” “handheld game console,” “controller,” and “handheld controller” may be used interchangeably herein to describe any device such as the controller 600 in which the control unit 100 can be implemented.

[0036] The housing 500 of the controller 600 may have various surfaces, including a front surface 602 (or front), a rear surface (or rear), an upper surface (or upper edge or top), a bottom surface (or bottom edge or bottom), a left surface (or left edge or left side), and a right surface (or right edge or right side). Therefore, the housing 500 may be cubic. The front surface 602 and the rear surface (not shown in Figure 6) may be relatively larger surfaces compared to the upper surface, bottom surface, left surface, and right surface of the housing 500.

[0037] As illustrated in Figure 6, the front surface 602 of the housing 500 may include a plurality of control units configured to receive user input. Touch data generated by the control units may be used to detect the presence, location, and / or gestures of the user's fingers operating the controller 600. In some cases, the front surface 602 of the housing 500 may include one or more front surface control units that are controllable by one or more thumbs of the user operating the controller 600. The handheld controller 600 may further include one or more upper surface control units located on the upper surface (or upper edge) of the housing 500. Additionally or alternatively, the handheld controller 600 may include one or more rear surface control units located on the rear surface of the housing 500 and controllable by the fingers of the user's left and / or right hand. Additionally or alternatively, the handheld controller 600 may include one or more left surface control units and / or right surface control units located on the respective left and right surfaces of the housing 500.

[0038] Control units 100(1) and 100(2) are shown as exemplary front surface control units in the form of a trackpad. The front surface control units may further include one or more trackballs, joysticks, buttons, D-pads, etc. For example, in addition to the left control unit 100(1) (e.g., left trackpad), the front surface 602 may include a left joystick 604(1) and / or a left D-pad 606 controllable by the user's left thumb. In some embodiments, the front surface 602 may include an additional left button controllable by the left thumb. The front surface 602 may also include, in addition to the right control unit 100(2) (e.g., right trackpad), a right joystick 604(1) and / or one or more right buttons 608 (e.g., X, Y, A, and B buttons) controllable by the user's right thumb. In some embodiments, the front surface 602 may include an additional right button controllable by the right thumb. In some examples, the front surface 602 may include other control units such as tilt buttons, triggers, knobs, wheels, paddles, panels, and / or wings, and multiple control units may be configured to receive input from any combination of the user's thumb and / or fingers.

[0039] In some embodiments, the control units 100(1) and 100(2) are each implemented as quadrilateral trackpads. For example, the control units 100(1) and 100(2) may be implemented as substantially square trackpads. Furthermore, the quadrilateral control units 100(1) and 100(2) may have rounded corners. Additionally, as shown in Figure 6, the straight side edges of each control unit 100(1) and 100(2) are aligned (e.g., parallel) with the side edges (e.g., left and right) of the display 610 located in the center of the housing 500 on the front surface 602 of the housing 500. Compared to a circular trackpad, the quadrilateral control units 100(1) and 100(2) (e.g., trackpads) provide extra space at the corners that can be accessed by the user's fingers (e.g., thumbs). Therefore, quadrilateral-shaped control units 100(1), 100(2) (e.g., trackpads) may be more ergonomic than circular trackpads due to the extra area provided by the control units 100(1), 100(2) (e.g., trackpads). For example, the quadrilateral shape of the control units 100(1), 100(2) (e.g., trackpads) may give the user the ability to reorient their hand over the controller 600 and still access the control units 100(1), 100(2) (e.g., trackpads) using their thumbs. Additionally or alternatively, the user may choose to grip the controller 600 in a slightly different manner so that the corners of the control unit 100 (e.g., trackpads) are used like the north, south, east, and west portions of a trackpad (e.g., a rhomboid-shaped trackpad).

[0040] The housing 500 may further include a left-side handle 612(1) and a right-side handle 612(2), respectively, which allow the user to hold the controller 600 via the user's right and left hands. Holding the left-side handle 612(1) with the left hand may provide access to the left-side control unit (e.g., left-side control unit 100(1)), and holding the right-side handle 612(2) with the right hand may provide access to the right-side control unit (e.g., right-side control unit 100(2)).

[0041] The upper part of the housing 500 may include one or more control units, such as a left trigger, bumper, button, etc., and / or a right trigger, bumper, button, etc. These upper surface control units may be controlled by the user's index finger during normal operation while the controller 600 is held by the user. In some examples, the upper part of the housing 500 may include a wired communication interface (e.g., a port, plug, jack, etc.) and / or a power port for connecting the controller 600 to an external device (e.g., a charger, game console, display, computing device, etc.). The rear part of the housing 500 may include control units that are conveniently operated by the user's index or middle finger. In some examples, the rear part of the housing 500 may include a pressable portion for controlling one or more lower buttons within the controller 600.

[0042] The handheld controller 600 can be configured to allow for different arrangements or functions to meet the requirements of different applications (e.g., game titles), users, etc. For example, a user may choose which control unit to use depending on the gaming application currently running. Thus, a user may configure the handheld controller 600 to be operated by a particular control unit according to certain requirements and / or preferences. In some cases, the handheld controller 600 may be dynamically configured depending on which user is currently operating the handheld controller. Furthermore, in some cases, the handheld controller 600 or a remote system may determine the configuration of the handheld controller 600 and which control unit is currently being operated or is operable. This information may be provided to the system running the current application, which may then make changes based on the configuration of the handheld controller.

[0043] Figure 7 illustrates exemplary functional components of an exemplary controller system 700. As shown in Figure 7, the controller system 700 may include one or more remote systems and / or devices 701 communicably coupled to the handheld controller 600 of Figure 6, the handheld controller itself including one or more control units 100 as described in detail above. As illustrated in Figure 7, the controller 600 includes one or more input / output (I / O) devices 702, such as the control units 100, 604, 606, 608 and potentially any other type of input or output device described above. For example, the I / O device 702 may include one or more microphones for receiving audio input, such as user voice input. In some implementations, one or more cameras or other types of sensors (e.g., inertial measurement units (IMUs)) may function as input devices for receiving gesture input, such as movement of the handheld controller 600. In some embodiments, additional input devices may be provided in the form of a keyboard, keypad, mouse, touchscreen, joystick, control buttons, etc. The input device may further include control mechanisms such as basic volume control buttons for increasing / decreasing the volume, as well as power and reset buttons.

[0044] On the other hand, output devices may include a display 610, optical elements (e.g., LEDs), a vibrator for creating tactile sensations (e.g., a tactile actuator 106 included in the control unit 100), speakers 614(1), 614(2), headphones, and / or similar. For example, there may also be a simple optical element (e.g., an LED) to indicate a state, such as when the power and / or a function of the controller (e.g., a mode) is turned on. While several examples are provided, the controller 600 may additionally or alternatively include any other type of output device.

[0045] In some cases, the output from one or more output devices may be based on inputs received by one or more of the input devices. For example, the selection of the control unit 100 may result in a tactile response output from the control unit 100's vibrator (e.g., tactile actuator 106) or from any other location within the controller 600's housing 500. In some cases, the output may vary at least in part based on the characteristics of a touch input on a touch sensor, such as a touch sensor associated with the control unit. For example, a touch input at a first location on the touch sensor may result in a first tactile output, while a touch input at a second location on the touch sensor may result in a second tactile output. Furthermore, a particular gesture on the touch sensor may result in a particular tactile output (or other type of output). For example, a swipe gesture on the control unit may result in a first type of tactile output, while a tap on the control unit (detected by the touch sensor) may result in a second type of tactile output, while a strong press on the control unit may result in a third type of tactile output. Additionally, a particular control unit or part of a control unit may be illuminated based on the received input.

[0046] In addition, the handheld controller 600 may include one or more communication interfaces 704 to facilitate wireless connectivity to one network and / or one or more remote systems and / or devices 701 (e.g., a host computing device running an application, a game console, etc.). The communication interfaces 704 may implement one or more of various wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and radio frequency (RF). It should be noted that the handheld controller 600 may further include physical ports to facilitate wired connectivity to a network, connected peripheral devices, or plug-in network devices communicating with other wireless networks.

[0047] In the exemplary implementations, the handheld controller 600 further includes one or more processors 706 and a computer-readable medium 708. In some implementations, the processors 706 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), both a CPU and a GPU, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, or other processing units or components known in the art. Alternatively, or in addition, the functionality described herein can be implemented at least partially by one or more hardware logic components. For example, exemplary types of hardware logic components that can be used include, but are not limited to, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific standards (ASSPs), system-on-chip systems (SOCs), and composite programmable logic devices (CPLDs). Additionally, each of the processors 706 may have its own local memory, which may also store program modules, program data, and / or one or more operating systems.

[0048] The computer-readable medium 708 may include volatile and non-volatile memory, removable and non-removable media, implemented in any method or technique for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Such memory may include, but is not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technologies, compact disk ROM (CD-ROM), digital versatile disk (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, independent disk redundant array (RAID) storage systems, or any other media that can be used to store desired information and can be accessed from a computing device. The computer-readable medium 708 may be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium ("CRSM") which may be any available physical medium accessible by the processor 706 to execute instructions stored in the computer-readable medium 708. In one basic implementation, the CRSM may include RAM and flash memory. In other implementations, the CRSM may include, but is not limited to, a ROM, an EEPROM, or any other tangible medium that can be used to store desired information and can be accessed by the processor 706.

[0049] Several modules, such as instructions and data storage devices, may be stored in a computer-readable medium 708 and configured to run on the processor 706. While several exemplary functional modules are shown as being stored in the computer-readable medium 708 and running on the processor 706, the same functionality may alternatively be implemented in hardware, firmware, or as a system-on-a-chip (SOC).

[0050] The operating system module 710 may be configured to reside within the handheld controller 600 and manage the hardware coupled to it, for the benefit of other modules. In addition, the computer-readable medium 708 may store a network communication module 712 that enables the handheld controller 600 to communicate with one or more other devices 701, such as a personal computing device, game console, or remote server, running an application (e.g., a game application), via a communication interface 704. The computer-readable medium 708 may further include a game session database 714 for storing data associated with a game (or other application) running on the controller 600 or on a computing device to which the controller 600 is coupled. The computer-readable medium 708 may also include a device record database 716 for storing data associated with a device to which the controller 600 is coupled, such as a personal computing device, game console, or remote server. The computer-readable medium 708 may further store game control instructions 718 for configuring the controller 600 to function as a gaming controller, and general-purpose control instructions 720 for configuring the handheld controller 600 to function as a controller for other non-gaming devices.

[0051] In some cases, some or all of the components (software) shown in Figure 7 may be implemented in another computing device 701 which is part of the controller system 700, including the controller 600. In such cases, the processes and / or functions described herein may be implemented by other computing devices 7001 and / or the controller 600. For example, the controller 600 may be coupled to a host PC or console, computing device / server in the same environment, to provide the device 701 with data indicating presses, selections, etc., received by the controller 600. The controller 600 may, for example, transmit data indicating touch input received by the control unit 100 of the controller 600 (e.g., a trackpad) to the computing device 701, which may determine the characteristics of the data and / or where the touch input was received by the controller 600 (or the control unit of the controller 600). Subsequently, the computing device 701 may be made to perform relevant actions within a game or application, and / or to provide relevant outputs via output devices, such as the tactile actuator 106 of the control unit 100, as described in detail above. However, although several scenarios have been described, the controller 600 and the computing device 701 may be coupled communicatively to each other to send and receive data so that the controller 600, the computing device 701, and / or other devices of the controller system 700 can perform the operations and processes described herein.

[0052] Unless otherwise indicated, all figures used in this specification and the claims to represent quantities, characteristics, conditions, etc., should be understood in all cases to be modified by the term “approximately.” Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical parameters described herein and in the appended claims are approximations that may vary depending on the desired characteristics to be obtained by this disclosure. At a minimum, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should be interpreted by taking into account the number of significant figures reported and by applying the usual rounding method. Where further clarity is required, the term “approximately” when used in conjunction with a stated number or range has a meaning reasonably supported by those skilled in the art, namely, that is, a value that is somewhat greater or somewhat less than the stated value or range, within the range of ±20%, ±19%, ±18%, ±17%, ±16%, ±15%, ±14%, ±13%, ±12%, ±11%, ±10%, ±9%, ±8%, ±7%, ±6%, ±5%, ±4%, ±3%, ±2%, or ±1% of the stated value.

[0053] Various examples and embodiments are described separately herein, but these examples and embodiments may be combined, rearranged, and modified to arrive at other variations within the scope of this disclosure. In addition, while the subject matter is described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological actions, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described. Rather, specific features and actions are disclosed as exemplary forms that implement the claims.

Claims

1. It is a controller system, Processor and It is a controller, Housing and The controller comprises a trackpad configured to be operated by the user's finger, and the trackpad is The cover and, Displaced behind the cover and coupled to the cover, A tactile actuator mounted on the circuit board and configured to vibrate in response to a control signal from the processor, having a first resonant frequency, A spring disposed behind the cover, coupled to the cover, and mounted on the housing, is configured to flex bidirectionally in response to vibrations of the tactile actuator, and comprises: A controller system comprising: a controller having a trackpad having a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency.

2. The controller system according to claim 1, wherein the second resonant frequency is defined by the spring constant of the spring, the mass of the cover, the mass of the circuit board, and the mass of one or more components mounted on the circuit board, including the tactile actuator.

3. The controller system according to claim 1, wherein the difference between the first resonant frequency and the second resonant frequency is in the range of approximately 70 hertz (Hz) to 160 Hz.

4. The aforementioned spring, A first elongated spring arm is parallel to and adjacent to the first side of the cover, The controller system according to claim 1, further comprising: a second elongated spring arm parallel to and adjacent to the second side of the cover opposite to the first side of the cover.

5. The first elongated spring arm contacts the body of the spring at the first neck region, The second elongated spring arm contacts the main body of the spring at the second neck region, The first neck region and the second neck region are substantially equal in length. The controller system according to claim 4, wherein the length is in the range of approximately 5 millimeters (mm) to 20 mm.

6. A trackpad of a controller, wherein the trackpad is The cover and, Displaced behind the cover and coupled to the cover, A tactile actuator mounted on the circuit board and configured to vibrate, having a first resonant frequency, A spring disposed behind the cover, coupled to the cover, and mounted on the housing of the controller, is configured to flex bidirectionally in response to vibrations of the tactile actuator, and comprises: A trackpad having a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency.

7. The trackpad according to claim 6, wherein the second resonant frequency is defined by the spring constant of the spring, the mass of the cover, the mass of the circuit board, and the mass of one or more components mounted on the circuit board, including the tactile actuator.

8. The trackpad according to claim 6, wherein the difference between the first resonant frequency and the second resonant frequency is in the range of approximately 70 hertz (Hz) to 160 Hz.

9. The aforementioned spring, A first elongated spring arm adjacent to the first side of the cover, The trackpad according to claim 6, further comprising: a second elongated spring arm adjacent to a second side of the cover opposite to the first side of the cover.

10. The first elongated spring arm, The first corner flange at the first end of the first elongated spring arm, The first elongated spring arm comprises a second corner flange at the second end, The aforementioned second elongated spring arm, The third corner flange at the first end of the second elongated spring arm, The second elongated spring arm comprises a fourth corner flange at the second end, The trackpad according to claim 9, wherein the spring is mounted to the housing via the first corner flange, the second corner flange, the third corner flange, and the fourth corner flange.

11. The first elongated spring arm contacts the body of the spring at the first neck region, The trackpad according to claim 9, wherein the second elongated spring arm contacts the main body of the spring at a second neck region.

12. The first neck region and the second neck region are substantially equal in length. The trackpad according to claim 11, wherein the length is in the range of approximately 5 millimeters (mm) to 20 mm.

13. The first elongated spring arm, A first cantilever extending in a first direction from the first neck region, The device comprises a second cantilever extending from the first neck region in a second direction opposite to the first direction, The aforementioned second elongated spring arm, A third cantilever extending from the second neck region in the first direction, The trackpad according to claim 11, further comprising: a fourth cantilever extending from the second neck region in the second direction.

14. The trackpad according to claim 6, wherein the spring is configured to apply a biasing force to the cover in a direction opposite to the direction of the force applied by the user of the trackpad to the cover.

15. The trackpad according to claim 6, wherein the spring is manufactured from a single piece of material.

16. The aforementioned spring, The first side flange of the spring, which is coupled to the back surface of the cover at the first side of the cover, The trackpad according to claim 6, wherein the trackpad is coupled to the cover via a second side flange of the spring, which is coupled to the back surface of the cover at the second side of the cover opposite to the first side of the cover.

17. It is a controller system, Processor and It is a controller, Housing and It comprises a control unit configured to be operated by a finger, and the control unit is The cover and, Displaced behind the cover and coupled to the cover, A tactile actuator mounted on the circuit board and configured to vibrate in response to a control signal from the processor, having a first resonant frequency, A spring disposed behind the cover, coupled to the cover, and mounted on the housing, is configured to flex bidirectionally in response to vibrations of the tactile actuator, and comprises: A controller system comprising: a control unit having a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency; and a controller.

18. The controller system according to claim 17, wherein the difference between the first resonant frequency and the second resonant frequency is in the range of approximately 70 hertz (Hz) to 160 Hz.

19. The aforementioned spring, A first elongated spring arm adjacent to the first side of the cover, The controller system according to claim 17, further comprising: a second elongated spring arm adjacent to a second side of the cover opposite to the first side of the cover.

20. The controller system according to claim 17, wherein the control unit includes a trackpad.

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