Vehicle Operating Unit Haptics Without Resonance Oscillation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Haptic feedback systems in vehicles often experience oscillations due to resonance frequencies, leading to a qualitatively inferior user experience, as existing methods either stimulate these frequencies to create vibrations or rely on braking pulses to suppress post-oscillations, which can reduce feedback quality.
Innovation Solution
An operating unit with a spring-mass system designed to have resonance frequencies above the human tactile sensation threshold, utilizing a control unit to manage an actuator that generates pulse-shaped mechanical excitation with a frequency spectrum devoid of energy above the cut-off frequency, preventing oscillations by ensuring no excitation at resonance frequencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the resonance frequency of the spring-mass system is within the human tactile sensation range, then haptic feedback is perceptible, but post-oscillations occur reducing feedback quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the resonance frequency parameter of the spring-mass system to lie above the human tactile sensation range (above 200 Hz). This parameter change eliminates post-oscillations within the perceptible range while maintaining haptic feedback quality, as the excitation pulse is shaped to match the system's impulse response and the resonance frequency is positioned where it cannot be perceived by human receptors.
2Shape
If a force excitation adapted to resonance frequencies is applied, then pulse-shaped motion is achieved, but oscillations occur if frequency adaptation is imprecise
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit shapes the excitation pulse based on knowledge of the system's resonance frequency and impulse response. By using feedback control that accounts for the system's dynamic characteristics, the excitation is precisely timed and shaped to produce the desired pulse-shaped motion without causing post-oscillations, eliminating the need for extremely precise manual frequency adaptation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-determines the optimal excitation pulse shape and timing based on the known resonance frequency of the spring-mass system. By preparing and applying the excitation pulse in advance with the correct temporal profile, the system achieves pulse-shaped motion while preventing post-oscillations, rather than relying on real-time adjustment during operation.
3Reliability
If the resonance frequency is placed above the cut-off frequency, then post-oscillations are eliminated, but the system requires precise frequency positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit automatically determines and positions the excitation pulse based on the system's inherent resonance frequency characteristics. The system self-adjusts by using the known impulse response and resonance frequency to generate the optimal excitation profile, eliminating the need for external manual tuning or complex adjustment mechanisms to achieve precise frequency positioning.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables oscillation-free haptic feedback, maintaining high quality by ensuring that the mechanical pulse is perceptible without inducing post-oscillations, as the resonance frequencies lie outside the human sensitivity range, thus enhancing the haptic experience.
Implementation Method 1
the spring-mass system has a construction-related resonance frequency... the frequency spectrum of the mechanical pulse at the resonance frequency... has no frequency components in that the power density spectrum above the cut-off frequency is energy-free or substantially energy-free
Implementation Method 2
an operating element elastically mounted in and/or on the housing... the elastically mounted operating element forms a spring-mass system
Data Source
AI summary
The operating unit for a vehicle is provided with a housing and an operating element elastically mounted in and/or on the housing, wherein the elastically mounted operating element forms a spring-mass system having a construction-related resonance frequency. The operating unit is further provided with an actuator for pulse-shaped mechanical excitation of the operating element, and a control unit for controlling the actuator when manually actuating the operating element. The resonance frequency is, due to construction, above the highest cut-off frequency that can typically still be detected by receptors for haptic feedback and/or for tactile sensation of a person. The frequency spectrum of the mechanical pulse at the resonance frequency and/or at one of the harmonics of the resonance frequency has no frequency components in that the power density spectrum above the cut-off frequency is energy-free or substantially energy-free.