Methods and systems for in-system estimation of actuator parameters

Abstract

A method for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the field may include the steps of driving the actuator with a test signal that is imperceptible to a user of the device including the actuator during real-time operation of the device, measuring a voltage and current associated with the actuator and generated by the test signal, determining one or more parameters of the actuator based on the voltage and current, determining the actuator type of the actuator based on one or more parameters, and controlling a regeneration signal for the actuator based on the actuator type.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the detection of parameters in a system associated with electromagnetic actuators, such as linear resonant actuators or haptic transducers. Background Technology

[0002] Vibro-haptic transducers, such as linear resonant actuators (LRAs), are widely used in portable devices like mobile phones to generate vibrational feedback for the user. Various forms of vibro-haptic feedback create different touch sensations on the user's skin and can play increasingly larger roles in human-machine interactions in modern devices.

[0003] An LRA can be modeled as a mass spring electromechanical vibration system. When driven by appropriately designed or controlled drive signals, an LRA can generate specific desired types of vibrations. For example, the sharp and distinct vibration patterns of a user's finger can be used to create a sensation similar to a mechanical button click. These distinct vibration patterns can be used as virtual switches to replace mechanical buttons.

[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a Vibro-haptic system of a device (100). The device (100) may include a controller (101) configured to control a signal applied to an amplifier (102). The amplifier (102) may then drive a haptic transducer (103) based on the signal. The controller (101) may be triggered by a trigger to output a signal. The trigger may include, for example, a pressure or force sensor of a screen or virtual button of the device (100).

[0005] Among the various forms of Vibro-haptic feedback, continuous tone vibrations can play an important role in notifying the device user of specific predefined events, such as incoming calls or messages, emergency alerts, or timer warnings. To efficiently generate tone vibration notifications, it may be desirable to operate the haptic actuator at a resonant frequency.

[0006] Resonant frequency of a haptic transducer f 0 can be estimated approximately as follows:

[0007] (1)

[0008] Here, C is the compliance of the spring system, and M is the equivalent moving mass that can be determined based on the actual moving part of the haptic transducer and the mass of the portable device that fixes the haptic transducer.

[0009] The vibration resonance of a haptic transducer can vary from time to time due to usage conditions such as variations between samples of individual haptic transducers, variations in mobile device assembly, variations in temporal components due to aging, variations in components due to self-heating, and various different intensities in which the user grips the device.

[0010] FIG. 2a illustrates an example of a linear resonant actuator (LRA) modeled as a linear system including a mass-spring system (201). LRAs are nonlinear components that can operate differently depending, for example, applied voltage levels, operating temperature, and operating frequency. However, these components can be modeled as linear components under certain conditions.

[0011] FIG. 2b illustrates an example of an LRA modeled as a linear system, including an electrical equivalent model of the mass-spring system (201) of the LRA. In this example, the LRA is modeled as a third-order system having electrical and mechanical elements. In particular, and are the DC resistance and coil inductance of the coil-magnet system, respectively, and is the magnetic force coefficient of the coil. The driving amplifier is the output impedance voltage waveform having Outputs terminal voltage It can be detected through the terminals of the haptic transducer. The mass-spring system (201) is speed Move to.

[0012] Electromagnetic loads such as LRAs have coil impedance and mechanical impedance Its impedance, which can be viewed as the sum of It can be characterized by:

[0013] (2)

[0014] coil impedance is also inductance DC resistance in series with May include:

[0015] (3)

[0016] mechanical impedance is a resonance representing the electrical resistance indicating the mechanical friction of the mass-spring system of a haptic transducer Beef Resistance at, capacitance representing electric capacitance representing the equivalent moving mass M of the mass-spring system of the haptic transducer Cmes , and inductance representing the compliance C of the mass-spring system of the haptic transducer Lights It can be defined by three parameters including. The electrical equivalent of the total mechanical impedance is Res, Cmes, Lces It is a parallel connection of . The Laplace transform of this parallel connection is written as follows:

[0017] (4)

[0018] Resonant frequency of a haptic transducer can be expressed as follows:

[0019] (5)

[0020] The quality factor Q of LRA can be expressed as follows:

[0021] (6)

[0022] Referring to equation (6), the expression is resistance and Res(i.e., Although it may seem counterintuitive to include a sub-expression describing the parallel connection of ), in Fig. 2b, these resistances are shown as a series connection. However, the driving voltage There may be cases where this oscillates and then suddenly turns off and becomes zero. The voltage amplifier illustrated in FIG. 2b can be considered to have a low source impedance, ideally zero source impedance. Under these conditions, the driving voltage When this drops to 0, the voltage amplifier effectively disappears from the circuit. At this point, the resistance in Fig. 2b The top terminal of is resistance Beef Since it is grounded just like the lowest terminal of, the resistances and Beef As reflected in equation (6), they are actually connected in parallel.

[0023] Electromagnetic transducers, such as LRAs or microspeakers, may have slow response times. FIG. 3 is a graph of an exemplary response of an LRA, illustrating an exemplary driving signal for the LRA, the current through the LRA, and the back EMF of the LRA, where this back EMF may be proportional to the speed of the moving element (e.g., coil or magnet) of the transducer. As shown in FIG. 3, the attack time of the back EMF may slow down as energy is transferred to the LRA, and some "rumble" of the back EMF may occur after the driving signal ends as the mechanical energy stored in the LRA is discharged. In the context of a haptic LRA, this behavioral characteristic may result in a "mushy" click or pulse instead of a "crisp" tactile response. Therefore, it may instead be desirable for the LRA to have a response similar to that shown in FIG. 4, where there is minimal rumble after the driving signal ends and a more "crisp" tactile response is provided in tactile situations. Therefore, it may be desirable to apply processing to the driving signal so that when the processed driving signal is applied to the transducer, the speed or back EMF of the transducer is closer to the speed or back EMF of FIG. 4. By including FIG. 4 in this background section, the applicant does not intend to recognize the optimized waveforms of FIG. 4 as prior art.

[0024] To optimize the performance of LRAs or other actuators to generate more desirable responses, the transducer drive system may need to apply tuning parameters optimized for a given actuator model, which may require the implementation of traditionally costly factory calibration procedures. Therefore, it may be desirable to reduce factory calibration by seamlessly performing actuator parameter measurements without affecting the user experience during system power-on or actuator operation.

[0025] Human haptic systems are particularly sensitive to frequencies in the 100–400 Hz range. Therefore, LRAs are often designed to have resonant frequencies in the 150 Hz–250 Hz range. These resonant characteristics imply a relatively large acceleration rise time in most cases. Additionally, if the amplitude of the input voltage is reduced after the LRA mass has moved, the amplitude of the mass's movement may not decrease instantaneously. Instead, the movement of the mass decreases slowly. LRA algorithms can use optimized tuning parameters to enable consistent acceleration across multiple LRA samples, reduce ramp-up / brake times, and / or improve the end-user experience for haptic effects.

[0026] According to the teachings of the present invention, disadvantages and problems associated with determining parameters associated with electromagnetic actuators can be reduced or eliminated.

[0027] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the field may include the steps of driving the actuator with a test signal that is imperceptible to a user of the device including the actuator during real-time operation of the device, measuring a voltage and current associated with the actuator and generated by the test signal, determining one or more parameters of the actuator based on the voltage and current, determining an actuator type of the actuator based on one or more parameters, and controlling a regeneration signal for the actuator based on the actuator type.

[0028] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a system for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the field may include a test signal generator configured to generate a test signal imperceptible to a user of a device including an actuator to drive the actuator during real-time operation of the device, and a measurement subsystem configured to measure voltage and current associated with the actuator and generated by the test signal, determine one or more parameters of the actuator based on the voltage and current, determine the actuator type of the actuator based on one or more parameters, and control a regenerative signal for the actuator based on the actuator type.

[0029] The technical advantages of the present disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the drawings, description, and claims included herein. The purposes and advantages of the embodiments will be realized and achieved by the elements, features, and combinations specifically noted in the claims, at least.

[0030] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are both examples and descriptions and do not limit the claims set forth in this disclosure. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0031] A more complete understanding of the embodiments and their advantages can be obtained by referring to the following description, in which the same reference numerals are taken together with the accompanying drawings illustrating the same features, wherein: FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a Vibro haptic system of a device known in the art; FIGS. 2a and FIGS. 2b each illustrate an example of a linear resonant actuator (LRA) modeled as a linear system known in the art; FIG. 3 illustrates a graph of exemplary waveforms of an electromagnetic load known in the art; FIG. 4 illustrates a graph of preferred exemplary waveforms of an electromagnetic load according to embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of selected components of an exemplary mobile device according to embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of selected components of an exemplary integrated haptic system according to embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 7 illustrates selected components of an exemplary system including an electromagnetic load according to embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 8 illustrates a circuit diagram of an exemplary implementation of a sensing resistor for measuring current according to embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary method for estimating actuator parameters within a system and compensating for them according to embodiments of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0032] The following description describes exemplary embodiments according to the present disclosure. Additional exemplary embodiments and implementations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that various equivalent techniques may be applied in place of or in connection with the embodiments described below, and that all such equivalents should be considered to be included in the present disclosure.

[0033] Various electronic devices or smart devices may have transducers, speakers, and acoustic output transducers, for example, any transducer for converting a suitable electric drive signal into an acoustic output such as a sound pressure wave or mechanical vibration. For example, many electronic devices may include one or more speakers or loudspeakers for generating sound, such as playing audio content, voice communications, and / or providing auditory notifications.

[0034] These speakers or loudspeakers may include electromagnetic actuators, such as voice coil motors, that are mechanically connected to a flexible diaphragm, for example, a conventional loudspeaker cone, or to the surface of a device, for example, a glass screen of a mobile device. Some electronic devices may also include acoustic output transducers capable of generating ultrasounds for use, for example, in proximity detection type applications and / or machine-to-machine communication.

[0035] Many electronic devices may additionally or alternatively include more specialized acoustic output transducers, such as haptic transducers, customized to generate vibrations for haptic control feedback or notifications to the user. Additionally or alternatively, the electronic device may have a connector, such as a socket, for making a detachable coupling connection with a corresponding connector of an accessory device, and may be configured to provide a driving signal to the connector to drive one or more of the aforementioned types of transducers of the accessory device upon connection. Thus, such an electronic device will include a driving circuit for driving the transducers of the host device or the connected accessory with an appropriate driving signal. In the case of acoustic or haptic transducers, the driving signal is typically an analog time-varying voltage signal, for example, a time-varying waveform.

[0036] FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of selected components of an exemplary host device (502) according to embodiments of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the host device (502) may include an enclosure (501), a controller (503), a memory (504), a force sensor (505), a microphone (506), a linear resonant actuator (507), a wireless transmitter / receiver (508), a speaker (510), and an integrated haptic system (512).

[0037] The enclosure (501) may include any suitable housing, casing, or other enclosure for accommodating various components of the host device (502). The enclosure (501) may be made of plastic, metal, and / or any other suitable material. Additionally, the enclosure (501) may be adapted (e.g., in size and shape) so that the host device (502) can be easily transported by the user of the host device (502). Thus, the host device (502) may include, but is not limited to, a smartphone, a tablet computing device, a portable computing device, a PDA (personal digital assistant), a laptop computer, a video game controller, or any other device that can be easily transported by the user of the host device (502).

[0038] The controller (503) may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to be housed within the enclosure (501) and to interpret and / or execute program instructions and / or process data, and may include, but is not limited to, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other digital or analog circuit configured to interpret and / or execute program instructions and / or process data. In some embodiments, the controller (503) processes data stored in memory (504) and / or other computer-readable media accessible to the controller (503) and / or interprets and / or executes program instructions.

[0039] The memory (504) may be housed within the enclosure (501), may be communicably connected to the controller (503), and may include any system, device, or apparatus (e.g., computer-readable medium) configured to retain program instructions and / or data for a certain period of time. The memory (504) may include any suitable selection and / or array of RAM (Random Access Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) card, flash memory, magnetic storage, magneto-optical storage, or volatile or non-volatile memory arrays that retain data even after the host device (502) is powered off.

[0040] The microphone (506) may be at least partially housed within the enclosure (501) and may be communicably coupled to the controller (503) and may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to convert sound incident on the microphone (506) into an electrical signal that can be processed by the controller (503), wherein such sound is converted into an electrical signal using a diaphragm or membrane having an electrical capacitance that varies based on sound wave vibrations received from the diaphragm or membrane. The microphone (506) may include an electrostatic microphone, a condenser microphone, an electret microphone, a MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems) microphone, or any other suitable capacitive microphone.

[0041] A wireless transmitter / receiver (508) may be housed within an enclosure (501) and may be communicably connected to a controller (503), and may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to generate and transmit radio frequency signals with the help of an antenna, as well as to receive radio frequency signals and convert information transmitted by such received signals into a form usable by the controller (503). The wireless transmitter / receiver (508) may be configured to transmit and / or receive various types of radio frequency signals, including but not limited to cellular communications (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE, etc.), short-range wireless communications (e.g., BLUETOOTH), commercial radio signals, television signals, satellite radio signals (e.g., GPS), Wireless Fidelity, etc.

[0042] The speaker (510) may be at least partially housed within the enclosure (501) or outside the enclosure (501), may be communicably coupled to the controller (503), and may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to generate sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. In some embodiments, the speaker may include a dynamic loudspeaker using a lightweight diaphragm mechanically coupled to a rigid frame through a flexible suspension that restrains the voice coil to move axially through a cylindrical magnetic gap. When an electrical signal is applied to the voice coil, a magnetic field is generated by the current in the voice coil, causing the voice coil to become a variable electromagnet. The coil and the magnetic system of the driver interact to generate a mechanical force that moves the coil (and thus the attached cone) back and forth, thereby reproducing sound under the control of the applied electrical signal coming from the amplifier.

[0043] The force sensor (505) may be housed within the enclosure (501) and may include any suitable system, device, or apparatus for detecting force, pressure, or touch (e.g., interaction with a human finger) and generating an electrical or electronic signal in response to such force, pressure, or contact. In some embodiments, such an electrical or electronic signal may be a function of the magnitude of the force, pressure, or touch applied to the force sensor. In these and other embodiments, such an electronic or electrical signal may include a general-purpose input / output signal (GPIO) associated with an input signal to which haptic feedback is provided. The force sensor (505) may include, but is not limited to, a capacitive displacement sensor, an inductive force sensor (e.g., a resistive-inductive-capacitive sensor), a strain gauge, a piezoelectric sensor, a force-sensing resistor, a piezoelectric sensor, a thin-film force sensor, or a quantum tunneling composite-based force sensor. For clarity and illustrative purposes of this disclosure, the term “force” as used herein may refer not only to force but also to physical quantities similar to force, such as (but not limited to) pressure and contact.

[0044] The linear resonant actuator (507) may be housed within the enclosure (501) and may include any suitable system, device, or apparatus for generating a mechanical force vibrating along a single axis. For example, in some embodiments, the linear resonant actuator (507) may rely on an alternating voltage to drive a voice coil pressed against a moving mass connected to a spring. When the voice coil is driven at the resonant frequency of the spring, the linear resonant actuator (507) may vibrate with a perceptible force. Thus, the linear resonant actuator (507) may be useful for haptic applications within a specific frequency range. For clarity and illustrative purposes, the present disclosure is described in relation to the use of a linear resonant actuator (507), but it is understood that any other type or type of vibration actuator (e.g., eccentric rotating mass actuators) may be used instead of or in addition to the linear resonant actuator (507). It is also understood that actuators configured to generate mechanical forces vibrating across multiple axes may be used instead of or in addition to the linear resonant actuator (507). As described in other parts of the present disclosure, the linear resonant actuator (507) based on a signal received from an integrated haptic system (512) may provide haptic feedback to a user of the host device (502) for at least one of mechanical button replacement and capacitive sensor feedback.

[0045] The integrated haptic system (512) may be housed within an enclosure (501) and may be communicably coupled to a force sensor (505) and a linear resonant actuator (507), and may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to receive a signal from the force sensor (505) indicating a force applied to a host device (502) (e.g., a force applied to a virtual button of the host device (502) by a human finger) and to generate an electronic signal to drive the linear resonant actuator (507) in response to the force applied to the host device (502). Details of an exemplary integrated haptic system according to embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0046] Although specific exemplary components are shown in FIG. 5 as being integrated into the host device (502) (e.g., controller (503), memory (504), force sensor (505), microphone (506), wireless transmitter / receiver (508), speaker(s) (510)), the host device (502) according to the present disclosure may include one or more components not specifically listed above. For example, FIG. 5 illustrates specific user interface components, but the host device (502) may include one or more other user interface components (including, but not limited to, a keypad, touch screen, and display) in addition to those shown in FIG. 5, so that a user can interact with and / or manipulate the host device (502) and its associated components.

[0047] FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of selected components of an exemplary integrated haptic system (512A) according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the integrated haptic system (512A) may be used to implement the integrated haptic system (512) of FIG. 5. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the integrated haptic system (512A) may include a digital signal processor (DSP) (602), a memory (604), and an amplifier (606).

[0048] The DSP (602) may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to interpret and / or execute program instructions and / or process data. In some embodiments, the DSP (602) may interpret and / or execute program instructions and / or process data stored in memory (604) and / or another computer-readable medium accessible to the DSP (602).

[0049] The memory (604) may be communicably connected to the DSP (602) and may include any system, device, or apparatus (e.g., computer-readable medium) configured to retain program instructions and / or data for a certain period of time. The memory (604) may include any suitable selection and / or array of RAM (Random Access Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) card, flash memory, magnetic storage, magneto-optical storage, or volatile or non-volatile memory arrays that retain data even after the host device (502) is powered off.

[0050] The amplifier (606) can be electrically coupled to the DSP (602), and the input signal V INBy increasing the power of (e.g., time-varying voltage or current), the output signal V OUT It may include any suitable electronic system, device, or apparatus configured to generate. For example, the amplifier (606) may use power from a power source (not explicitly shown) to increase the amplitude of the signal. The amplifier (606) may include any suitable amplifier class, including a Class D amplifier, but is not limited thereto.

[0051] When in operation, the memory (604) may store one or more haptic playback waveforms. In some embodiments, each of the one or more haptic playback waveforms may define a haptic response a(t) as a function of time as a desired acceleration of a linear resonant actuator (e.g., linear resonant actuator (507)). The DSP (602) receives a force signal V representing the force applied to the force sensor (505). SENSE It can be configured to receive a force signal V representing the detected force. SENSE In response to or independently of such reception, the DSP (602) retrieves a haptic playback waveform from memory (604) and processes such haptic playback waveform to obtain a processed haptic playback signal V IN It can be determined. In embodiments where the amplifier (606) is a Class D amplifier, the processed haptic playback signal V IN It may include a pulse width modulation signal. A force signal V representing the detected force. SENSE In response to the reception of, the DSP (602) processes the haptic playback signal V IN It can be output to the amplifier (606), and the amplifier (606) processes the haptic playback signal V IN Haptic output signal V for amplifying to drive a linear resonant actuator (507) OUT It can generate.

[0052] In some embodiments, the integrated haptic system (512A) may be formed on a single integrated circuit, thereby enabling lower latency than conventional approaches to haptic feedback control. By providing the integrated haptic system (512A) as part of a single monolithic integrated circuit, latency between the system components of the integrated haptic system (512A) and various interfaces may be reduced or eliminated.

[0053] FIG. 7 illustrates selected components of an exemplary system (700) including an electromagnetic load (701) according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The system (700) may include, but is not limited to, any other system, device, or apparatus including a mobile device, home application, vehicle, and / or human-machine interface. The electromagnetic load (701) may include any suitable load having a complex impedance, including, but not limited to, a haptic transducer, a loudspeaker, a microspeaker, a piezoelectric transducer, a voice coil actuator, a solenoid, or other suitable transducer.

[0054] When operating, the signal generator (724) of the transducer driving subsystem (705) of the system (700) is a raw transducer driving signal (In some embodiments, it may be a waveform signal such as a haptic waveform signal or an audio signal) can be generated. Raw transducer driving signal It can be generated based on the desired playback waveform received by the signal generator (724).

[0055] Raw transducer driving signal is a raw transducer driving signal based on one or more parameters generated by the impedance measurement subsystem (708) It can be received by a waveform preprocessor (726) capable of modifying it, where one or more of these parameters can be associated with an electromagnetic load (701).

[0056] Processed transducer driving signal is also a driving signal amplified by an amplifier (706) to drive an electromagnetic load (701). Can generate. Driving signal In response to, the detected terminal voltage of the electromagnetic load (701) The terminal voltage can be detected by a voltage sensing block (707), for example, a voltmeter, and can be converted into a digital representation by a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC) (703). Similarly, the detected current It can be converted into a digital representation by the second ADC (704). Current is resistance R coupled to the terminal of the electromagnetic load (701). s It can be detected through a shunt resistor (702) having.

[0057] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the transducer driving subsystem (705) has a DC resistance of the electromagnetic load (701). and coil inductance The impedance measurement subsystem (708) may include, but is not limited to, an impedance of an electromagnetic load (701) capable of estimating the impedance of such load. Based on such measurements, the impedance measurement subsystem (708) may estimate such parameters and / or any other suitable parameters (e.g., mechanical impedance parameters). Beef , Cmes , 및 Lces ) can be communicated to the waveform preprocessor (726). Based on such parameters, the waveform preprocessor (726) can drive the raw transducer signal in a manner intended to optimize the performance of the electromagnetic load (701). It can be modified (for example, the driving or braking of the electromagnetic load can be modified to improve human perception of the clarity of the haptic effect).

[0058] Examples of approaches for estimating one or more components of the electrical and / or mechanical impedances of an electromagnetic load (701) are, without limitation, U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 816,790, filed on March 12, 2020, with the title "Methods and systems for improving transducer dynamics"; U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 816,833, filed on March 12, 2020, with the title "Methods and systems for estimating transducer parameters"; U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 842,482, filed on April 7, 2020, with the title "Thermal model of a transducer for thermal protection and resistance estimation"; and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 369,556, filed on March 29, 2019, with the title "Driver circuit"; and described in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 497,110, filed on October 8, 2021, with the title of the invention “Systems and methods for detecting displacement of an electromechanical transducer”; all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0059] For example, referring to Fig. 2b, the velocity and position of the moving mass of the actuator are, respectively, inverse EMF Vbemf (Forward, V B (referred to as) and I L (For example, inverse EMF Vb is B is proportional to speed and current I L can be captured by (proportional to the position of the moving mass). The linear state-space model of the transducer model shown in Fig. 2b is expressed by the following equations:

[0060]

[0061]

[0062] Here, the voltage Ve of the transducer model shown in Fig. 2b is the detected terminal voltage It can be given by. Therefore, if the impedance measurement subsystem (708) can measure the current and input voltage that excite the frequency regions of interest, the DC resistance Re , coil inductance You , parallel machine resistance Beef , parallel capacitance Cmes and / or parallel inductance Lights One or more estimates of the internal parameters of the actuator, including , can be provided.

[0063] To estimate these impedance parameters in the field, the impedance measurement subsystem (708) can generate a test signal (e.g., a pilot tone signal) during operation, and the waveform preprocessor (726) can generate this test signal as a raw transducer driving signal Transducer driving signal processed in combination with It can generate, or raw transducer driving signal Muting and processed transducer driving signal A test signal may be generated. Such a test signal may have a transducer driving signal having a duration imperceptible to humans, an amplitude imperceptible to humans, and / or a frequency not typically used in the final application of the electromagnetic load (701) to stimulate the electromagnetic load (701) (e.g., a frequency very different from the resonant frequency of the electromagnetic load (701)). Thus, when the system (700) is operated and used in real time, the test signal may not be perceived by the user of the system (700). For example, the imperceptible duration may be approximately 5 milliseconds. As another example, the imperceptible amplitude may be between approximately 170 millivolts and approximately 330 millivolts. The frequency not typically used by the final application of the electromagnetic load (701) to stimulate the electromagnetic load (701) may depend on the type of the electromagnetic load (701) and may vary based on the type of the electromagnetic load (701).

[0064] Additionally, the impedance measurement subsystem (708) detects the terminal voltage generated by driving the test signal to the electromagnetic load (701). and detected current It can measure. In addition, the impedance measurement subsystem (708) can measure the parameters of the electromagnetic load (701) (e.g., DC resistance Re , coil inductance You , parallel machine resistance Beef , parallel capacitance Cmes , and / or parallel inductance Lights ) can be estimated and these parameters can be communicated to the waveform preprocessor (726).

[0065] In turn, the waveform preprocessor (726) determines the type of electromagnetic load (701) present in the system (700) and, based thereon, the raw transducer driving signal Transducer driving signal processed by performing optimized control of It can generate.

[0066] FIG. 8 illustrates a circuit diagram of an exemplary implementation of a sensing resistor (702) according to embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 8, the sensing resistor (702) may be implemented using two selectable resistors (802 and 803) together with a switch (801) for selecting between the use of resistor (802) and resistor (803). The resistance of resistor (802) may be significantly higher than the resistance of resistor (803).

[0067] During the regeneration of the test signal by the impedance measurement subsystem (708) and the waveform preprocessor (726), the tolerance for voltage drops across the sensing resistor (702) may be higher, which is the sensing current generated using the same voltage measurement device (e.g., the second ADC (704)) coupled to the terminals of the sensing resistor (702). To increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the measurement, the resistance value R is used only while the test signal is being played back. S This means that it may be desirable. Therefore, the system (700) has two different modes: a) a larger resistor (802) is selected and the impedance measurement subsystem (708) detects the current. a) a characterization mode for measuring; and b) an activation mode in which a smaller resistor (803) is selected (e.g., to have less effect on the desired haptic motion of the electromagnetic load (701)) and intended human-perceived waveforms are driven by the electromagnetic load (701). Although not illustrated in detail in the drawings, other parts of the impedance measurement subsystem (708) and / or the transducer driving subsystem (705) may generate a control signal to operate the switch (801) to select between the resistor (802) and the resistor (803).

[0068] FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary method for estimating actuator parameters within a system and compensating therefor, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. According to a specific embodiment, the method (900) may begin at step (902). As mentioned above, the teachings of the present disclosure may be implemented in various configurations of the system (700). Accordingly, the preferred initialization point for the method (900) and the order of steps including the method (900) may vary depending on the selected implementation.

[0069] In step 902, the system (700) may be powered on or reset. In step 904, after loading firmware to implement all or part of the transducer driving subsystem (705), the system (700) may enter a characterization mode, and the impedance measurement subsystem (708) is a driving signal for driving the electromagnetic load (701) with a test signal. It can be driven as. In step 906, the impedance measurement subsystem (708) drives the test signal to the electromagnetic load (701) to generate a detected terminal voltage. and detected current It can measure. In step (908), the impedance measurement subsystem (708) measures the parameters of the electromagnetic actuator (701) (e.g., DC resistance Re , coil inductance You , parallel machine resistance Beef , parallel capacitance Cmes , and / or parallel inductance Lights ) can be estimated and these parameters can be communicated to the waveform preprocessor (726).

[0070] In step 910, the waveform preprocessor (726) can determine the type of electromagnetic load (701) present in the system (700). In step (912), the system (700) is such that the waveform preprocessor (726) determines the raw transducer driving signal Transducer driving signal processed by performing optimized control of It can enter an activation mode that can generate.

[0071] FIG. 9 discloses a specific number of steps to be taken in connection with the method (900), but may be performed with more or fewer steps than shown in FIG. 9. Also, FIG. 9 discloses a specific order of steps to be taken in connection with the method (900), but the steps comprising the method (900) may be completed in any appropriate order.

[0072] The method (900) may be implemented using a transducer driving subsystem (705), its components, or any other system operable to implement the method (900). In certain embodiments, the method (900) may be partially or fully implemented by software and / or firmware implemented on a computer-readable medium.

[0073] Although the foregoing discusses applications to linear electromagnetic loads, it is understood that systems and methods similar or identical to those disclosed can be applied to other linear or nonlinear systems.

[0074] As used herein, where two or more elements are referred to as being "combined," such term indicates that such two or more elements are indirectly or directly connected, with or without the presence of intervening elements, or are in an applicable state of electronic or mechanical communication.

[0075] This disclosure includes all changes, substitutions, variations, modifications, and alterations to the exemplary embodiments of this specification that are understood by those skilled in the art. Similarly, where appropriate, the appended claims encompass all changes, substitutions, variations, variations, and modifications to the exemplary embodiments of this specification that are understood by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, references in the appended claims to devices, systems, or components of devices or systems that are adapted, arranged, made possible, configured, enabled, operable, or operable to perform a specific function include such devices, systems, or components regardless of whether such devices, systems, or components are so adapted, arranged, made possible, configured, enabled, operable, or operable, or whether such devices or specific functions are activated, turned on, or unlocked. Accordingly, modifications, additions, or omissions to the systems, devices, and methods described in this specification may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, components of systems and devices may be integrated or separated. Furthermore, the operations of the systems and devices disclosed herein may be performed by more or fewer other components, and the described method may include more or fewer other steps. Additionally, the steps may be performed in any suitable order. As used herein, "each" refers to each member of a set or each member of a subset of a set.

[0076] Although exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described below, the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented using any number of techniques, whether or not currently known. The present disclosure should not in any way be limited to the exemplary implementations and techniques illustrated in the drawings and described above.

[0077] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the items depicted in the drawings are not necessarily drawn in a fixed proportion.

[0078] All examples and conditional language cited herein are intended for educational purposes to help the reader understand the concepts contributed by the inventor to advance the present disclosure and the technology thereof, and are not to be interpreted as being limited to such examples and conditions specifically cited. Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0079] Although specific advantages have been listed above, various embodiments may include some or all of the listed advantages, or may not include any of them. Additionally, other technical advantages may become readily apparent to those skilled in the art after reviewing the drawings and description above.

[0080] To assist the Patent Office and readers of all patents issued for this application in interpreting the claims attached herein, the applicants should note that they do not intend to apply 35 USC § 112(f) to the attached claims or claim elements unless the words “means for doing” or “steps for doing” are explicitly used in a particular claim.

Claims

Claim 1 A method for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the field, comprising: driving the actuator with a test signal that is imperceptible to a user of the device including the actuator during real-time operation of the device, wherein the test signal has at least one of an imperceptible duration, an imperceptible amplitude, and a frequency different from the resonant frequency of the actuator for stimulating the actuator; measuring a voltage and a current associated with the actuator and caused by the test signal; determining one or more parameters of the actuator based on the voltage and the current; determining an actuator type of the actuator based on the one or more parameters; and controlling a regeneration signal for the actuator based on the actuator type. Claim 2 A method for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the field, wherein, in claim 1, the one or more parameters include mechanical impedance parameters of the actuator. Claim 3 A method for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the site, wherein, in claim 1, the one or more parameters include electrical impedance parameters of the actuator. Claim 4 delete Claim 5 A method for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the site, wherein, in claim 1, the imperceptible duration is less than 5 milliseconds. Claim 6 delete Claim 7 A method for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the site, wherein, in claim 1, the imperceptible amplitude is between 170 millivolts and 330 millivolts. Claim 8 delete Claim 9 A method for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the field, wherein the step of measuring the current includes the step of measuring the sensing voltage across the terminals of a sensing resistor in series with the actuator. Claim 10 A method for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the field, further comprising the step of operating the device in a plurality of modes, wherein the sensing resistor has a first resistance and the current is measured in a characterization mode; and the sensing resistor has a second resistance smaller than the first resistance in an activation mode. Claim 11 A system for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the field, comprising: a test signal generator configured to generate a test signal imperceptible to a user of the device including the actuator for driving the actuator during real-time operation of the device, wherein the test signal has at least one of an imperceptible duration, an imperceptible amplitude, and a frequency different from the resonant frequency of the actuator for stimulating the actuator; and a measurement subsystem configured to measure a voltage and a current associated with the actuator and caused by the test signal; determine one or more parameters of the actuator based on the voltage and the current; determine an actuator type of the actuator based on the one or more parameters; and control a regeneration signal for the actuator based on the actuator type. Claim 12 A system for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the site, wherein, in claim 11, the one or more parameters include mechanical impedance parameters of the actuator. Claim 13 A system for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the site, wherein, in claim 11, the one or more parameters include electrical impedance parameters of the actuator. Claim 14 delete Claim 15 A system for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the site, wherein the imperceptible duration is less than 5 milliseconds, in claim 11. Claim 16 delete Claim 17 A system for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the site, wherein, in claim 11, the imperceptible amplitude is between 170 millivolts and 330 millivolts. Claim 18 delete Claim 19 A system for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the field, wherein measuring the current includes measuring the sensing voltage across the terminals of a sensing resistor in series with the actuator. Claim 20 A system for estimating actuator parameters for an actuator in real time at the field, wherein the system is also configured to operate the device in a plurality of modes, including a characterization mode in which the current is measured having a first resistance and the sensing resistor has a first resistance; and an activation mode in which the sensing resistor has a second resistance smaller than the first resistance.

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