Patents by Inventor Zachary T. Schwemler

Zachary T. Schwemler 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).

  • Patent number: 10386928
    Abstract: A haptic effects generator includes a circuit configured to generate a drive signal, and a haptic actuator coupled to the circuit. The haptic actuator includes a casing having first and second axial ends, a coil configured to receive the drive signal from the circuit and situated within the casing, and a mass designed to move between the first and second axial ends in response to a magnetic field generated by the coil. The haptic actuator also includes a first spring configured to damp the movement by the mass, situated between the mass and the first axial end of the casing, and a second spring configured to damp the movement by the mass, situated between the mass and the second axial end of the casing. The haptic effects generator can cause the mass to oscillate in a range of frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Ali Israr, Nobuhisa Hanamitsu, Zachary T. Schwemler, Zachary T. Batts
  • Patent number: 10297120
    Abstract: A haptic effect generation system includes a computing platform including a hardware processor, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and a memory storing a haptic software code, as well as a haptic transformer coupled to the computing platform. The haptic transformer receives an input signal, and transforms the input signal to a first audio signal corresponding to the input signal. The ADC converts the first audio signal to a first audio data. The hardware processor executes the haptic software code to receive the first audio data from the ADC, and to generate a second audio data using the first audio data, the second audio data corresponding to a desired haptic effect. The DAC converts the second audio data to a second audio signal. The haptic transformer then transforms the second audio signal to a haptic actuator signal for producing the desired haptic effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Ali Israr, Adam A. Fritz, Zachary T. Schwemler, Siyan Zhao
  • Publication number: 20180299957
    Abstract: A haptic effects generator includes a circuit configured to generate a drive signal, and a haptic actuator coupled to the circuit. The haptic actuator includes a casing having first and second axial ends, a coil configured to receive the drive signal from the circuit and situated within the casing, and a mass designed to move between the first and second axial ends in response to a magnetic field generated by the coil. The haptic actuator also includes a first spring configured to damp the movement by the mass, situated between the mass and the first axial end of the casing, and a second spring configured to damp the movement by the mass, situated between the mass and the second axial end of the casing. The haptic effects generator can cause the mass to oscillate in a range of frequencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Ali Israr, Nobuhisa Hanamitsu, Zachary T. Schwemler, Zachary T. Batts
  • Publication number: 20180165925
    Abstract: A haptic effect generation system includes a computing platform including a hardware processor, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and a memory storing a haptic software code, as well as a haptic transformer coupled to the computing platform. The haptic transformer receives an input signal, and transforms the input signal to a first audio signal corresponding to the input signal. The ADC converts the first audio signal to a first audio data. The hardware processor executes the haptic software code to receive the first audio data from the ADC, and to generate a second audio data using the first audio data, the second audio data corresponding to a desired haptic effect. The DAC converts the second audio data to a second audio signal. The haptic transformer then transforms the second audio signal to a haptic actuator signal for producing the desired haptic effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Ali Israr, Adam A. Fritz, Zachary T. Schwemler, Siyan Zhao