Vibro-tactile alert and massaging system having directionally oriented stimuli
US6744370B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 13, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 1, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 13, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60N2002/981
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A vibro-tactile cutaneous alert stimulation and massaging system for equipment such as a vehicle includes a pad; a heater element, and motorized vibrators in respective regions of the pad; a plurality of vibratory transducers for location relative to plural zones of the seat, each transducer being responsive to a transducer power signal; a microprocessor controller having program and variable memory and an input and output interface; an array of input elements connected to the input interface for signaling the microprocessor in response to operator input, the signaling including an intensity control value, a plurality of mode signals, and a plurality of region signals relating transducers to be enabled; and a driver circuit responsive to the output interface for producing the power signal separately for each of the transducers. The controller responds to the input elements to activate the transducers in: a massaging mode selectively producing activation of the drive signals at adjustable intensity corresponding to the intensity control value; and an alert mode producing a predetermined sequence of vibro-tactile cutaneous alert stimulation cycles, each alert stimulation cycle having…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.