Patents by Inventor Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez

Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20190094975
    Abstract: A system is provided that converts an input, such as audio data, into one or more haptic effects. The system applies a granular synthesis algorithm to the input in order to generate a haptic signal. The system subsequently outputs the one or more haptic effects based on the generated haptic signal. The system can also shift a frequency of the input, and also filter the input, before the system applies the granular synthesis algorithm to the input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Juan Manuel CRUZ HERNANDEZ, Ali MODARRES, Liwen WU, David BIRNBAUM
  • Patent number: 10232773
    Abstract: A system for generating haptic effects in a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a seat and a seat belt, is provided. The system comprises one or more haptic output devices positioned at or attached to the seat belt. The system further comprises a processor configured to receive a sensor signal from a sensor that is configured to sense information associated with the vehicle's environment or the vehicle's condition. The system is further configured to determine whether to generate a haptic effect based on the sensor signal, and to output a haptic control signal and communicate the haptic control signal to the one or more haptic output devices in response to a determination to generate the haptic effect. The one or more haptic output devices are configured to generate the haptic effect based on the haptic control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: IMMERSION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ali Modarres, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Danny A. Grant, Neil Olien
  • Patent number: 10234949
    Abstract: A user interface device having a user input component, a mechanical metamaterial region, one or more actuators, and a control unit is presented. The mechanical metamaterial region is located over the user input component. The one or more actuators are coupled to the mechanical metamaterial region, which has an internal structure that is mechanically alterable with the one or more actuators, and has a mechanical property that changes in response to the alteration of the internal structure by the one or more actuators. The control unit is in communication with the one or more actuators, and is configured to determine whether the user input component is to be hidden from tactile perception, and to activate the one or more actuators to mechanically alter the internal structure of the mechanical metamaterial region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: IMMERSION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jamal Saboune, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Vahid Khoshkava
  • Patent number: 10234948
    Abstract: A haptic representation system is provided that generates a haptic effect in response to sensor input. The sensor input is mapped to a haptic signal. The haptic signal is sent to an actuator configured to receive the haptic signal. The actuator utilizes the haptic signal to generate the haptic effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: David Birnbaum, Christopher J. Ullrich, Danny Grant, Ali Modarres, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez
  • Patent number: 10235849
    Abstract: A system having a haptic control unit, a haptic delivery cluster, and an electric field generator, magnetic field generator, or pneumatic actuator is presented. The haptic delivery cluster comprises a plurality of haptic delivery nodes, wherein each haptic delivery node of the plurality of haptic delivery nodes is separate from other haptic delivery nodes of the plurality of haptic delivery nodes, is at least one of a wireless communication device, a sensor, or a computing device, and has a dimension that is less than or equal to 5 mm. The electric field generator, magnetic field generator, or pneumatic actuator is in communication with the haptic control unit and is configured, when activated, to generate an electric field or a magnetic field in a physical environment in which the haptic delivery cluster is located, or to output a pulse of air in the physical environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: IMMERSION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Vincent Levesque, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Vahid Khoshkava
  • Publication number: 20190079587
    Abstract: A haptically enabled system is provided. The system receives a haptic effect primitive including a plurality of input parameters that define a haptic effect. The system also receives an input from a sensor that varies over a time duration. The system generates a dynamic haptic effect signal based on the haptic effect primitive and the input, which includes generating a plurality of output parameters including an amplitude of the dynamic haptic effect signal, and varying the amplitude of the dynamic haptic effect signal continuously over the time duration using frequency modulation. The system then applies the dynamic haptic effect signal to an actuator to generate the haptic effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Liwen Wu, Christopher J. Ullrich
  • Publication number: 20190079583
    Abstract: One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a computing device with a haptic actuation element coupled to a touch surface of the computing device and an inner surface of a housing of the computing device. The touch surface is connected to the housing via a coupler. The haptic actuation element includes a first magnetic element coupled to one of the touch surface or the inner surface and a second magnetic element coupled to the other of the touch surface or the inner surface. The second magnetic element is positioned proximate to the first magnetic element to generate attractive or repulsive forces between the magnetic elements. The haptic actuation element also includes an electrical coil disposed around one or both of the first or second magnetic elements and the electrical coil can receive a current and generate an electromagnetic force between the magnetic elements based on the current to output a haptic effect to the touch surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Mansoor Alghooneh, Vahid Khoshkava, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Neil T. Olien, Robert A. Lacroix
  • Publication number: 20190082250
    Abstract: Rendering haptics in a haptically-enabled headphone system includes generating a haptic signal at the haptically-enabled headphone system based on non-audio data and rendering a haptic effect specified in the haptic signal using a haptic output device within the haptically-enabled headphone system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventor: Juan Manuel CRUZ-HERNANDEZ
  • Publication number: 20190073039
    Abstract: A method for dynamically converting an input signal into a haptic signal that causes a haptic output device to output one or more haptic effects is provided. The method includes generating a plurality of effect objects that are orderable in any order at runtime, receiving an input signal including a data signal and metadata defining an order that the effect objects are applied to the data signal at runtime, applying the effect objects to the data signal based on the order, and sending the haptic signal to the haptic output device. The effect objects applied to the data signal include an effect object that determines a threshold magnitude value by mapping the data signal to one of a plurality of bins, and an effect object that applies a dynamic range compression algorithm to the data signal based on the threshold magnitude value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Satvir Singh Bhatia, Juan Manuel Cruz Hernandez, Loc Tien Phan
  • Publication number: 20190064952
    Abstract: A haptic effect enabled device for producing a haptic effect. In some cases, the haptic effect may represent a component of a spatial pattern represented on a surface of the haptic effect enabled device. In some cases, the haptic effect enabled device may comprise a haptic output device, a drive module, and a drive circuit. The drive module may receive information indicative of a location of a touch input at the surface and determine whether the touch input's location corresponds with a location of one of multiple components of the spatial pattern. The drive module may generate a drive signal that the drive circuit then applies to the haptic output device to generate the haptic effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent Levesque, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez
  • Patent number: 10213166
    Abstract: A system includes a haptic output device constructed and arranged to generate a haptic effect to a user of the system, and a chemical delivery device constructed and arranged to deliver a chemical to the user of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: IMMERSION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Vincent Levesque, Abdelwahab Hamam, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Vahid Khoshkava
  • Patent number: 10217333
    Abstract: A haptic actuator is presented. The haptic actuator has an electropermanent magnet having a deactivated state and an activated state for a net magnetic field thereof. A layer of ferromagnetic material or magneto-active polymer is located opposite an end of the electropermanent magnet, and is configured to generate a haptic effect by being actuated toward the end of the electropermanent magnet in response to the net magnetic field of the electropermanent magnet being in the activated state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: IMMERSION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Vahid Khoshkava, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez
  • Publication number: 20190057583
    Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for providing haptic effects based on information complementary to multimedia content. For example, one disclosed method includes the steps of receiving multimedia data comprising multimedia content and complementary data, wherein the complementary data describes the multimedia content, determining a haptic effect based at least in part on the complementary data, and outputting the haptic effect while playing the multimedia content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Applicant: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent Levesque, Ali Modarres, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Jamal Saboune
  • Publication number: 20190056789
    Abstract: A haptically-enabled device has an interface for receiving an instruction to provide haptic information. The device includes a tangible element with a physical property including length, stiffness, or texture. A haptic output device is attached to the tangible element and a haptic response module provides haptic information to the haptic output device. The haptic output device causes the tangible element to be altered from a first state to a second state of the physical property.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Juan Manuel CRUZ-HERNANDEZ, Jamal SABOUNE, Abdelwahab HAMAM, Vincent LEVESQUE
  • Patent number: 10210722
    Abstract: A system is provided that facilitates communication of haptic notification messages. The system receives a haptic notification message from a tool within a network, where the haptic notification message indicates that the tool has detected an event. The system further determines whether the haptic notification message is a haptic notification message that is required to be transmitted to at least one haptic notification device within the network. The system further transmits the haptic notification message to the at least one haptic notification device using the network in response to a determination that the haptic notification message is a haptic notification message that is required to be transmitted to at least one haptic notification device, where the at least one haptic notification device generates a haptic notification in response to receiving the haptic notification message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: IMMERSION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Abdelwahab Hamam, Robert Lacroix
  • Publication number: 20190050059
    Abstract: The present application relates generally to haptic actuators. For example, the application is directed to high performance parallel plate actuators, and more particularly an actuator that can be used to provide haptic feedback in a variety applications such as buttons, panels, track pads, touch panels, wearables, gaming devices and/or touch-sensitive surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Vahid KHOSHKAVA, Juan Manuel CRUZ-HERNANDEZ
  • Publication number: 20190051125
    Abstract: A haptic conversion system is provided that analyzes an audio signal, generates a plurality of haptic signals based on the analysis of the audio signal, and plays the generated plurality of haptic signals through a plurality of actuators to produce one or more haptic effects. The haptic conversion system maps the generated plurality of haptic signals to the plurality of actuators based on one or more audio characteristics of the audio signal. Each generated haptic signal includes one or more haptic parameters, and is played at its mapped actuator to generate the one or more haptic effects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Henry DA COSTA, Herve Thu TIMONE, Robert HEUBEL, Stephen RANK, Juan Manuel CRUZ-HERNANDEZ, Danny GRANT
  • Patent number: 10204493
    Abstract: A method for providing haptic feedback is provided for a device that produces haptic noise, such as a power tool with an electric motor that produces noises and vibrations while in operation. An environmental condition of the device can be sensed while the device is being operated and generating haptic noise. A haptic noise characteristic of the device can be determined. A haptic drive signal based on the environmental condition and haptic noise characteristic can be generated. The haptic drive signal can be applied to a haptic output device associated with the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: IMMERSION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Vincent Levesque, Jamal Saboune, Danny Grant, Robert Lacroix, Abdelwahab Hamam
  • Publication number: 20190038496
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to haptic devices for implantation in a human subject. Such haptic devices can include various actuators, including both active and passive haptic actuators, for providing feedback to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Vincent LEVESQUE, David M. BIRNBAUM, Benoit Paul BELLEY, Jamal SABOUNE, Abdelwahab HAMAM, Ravikumar PATEL, Christopher ULLRICH, Mohammadreza MOTAMEDI, Juan Manuel CRUZ-HERNANDEZ
  • Publication number: 20190038966
    Abstract: One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a deformation sensor configured to detect a deformation of a deformable surface and transmit a first sensor signal associated with the deformation. The system also includes a sensor configured to detect a user interaction with a user input device and transmit a second sensor signal associated with the user interaction. The system further includes a processor configured to: receive the first sensor signal; receive the second sensor signal; execute a function based at least in part on the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal. The processor is also configured to: determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the first sensor signal or the second sensor signal; and transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect to a haptic output device configured to receive the haptic signal and output the haptic effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicant: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent Levesque, Danny Grant, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Ali Modarres, William Rihn