EP3129981B1 - Improved haptic controller - Google Patents

Description

GENERAL TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of haptic controllers comprising a control adapted to control one or more sound characteristics during a sound production.

STATE OF THE ART

When an operator uses electronic or digital instruments, he may commonly have one or more haptic controllers to allow real-time control of the properties of sounds emitted.

Thus, potentiometers or knobs are commonly used to carry out such commands.

The patent US 2,953,958 discloses an electronic musical instrument controller having a pedal pivoting on two parallel axes. The document EP 2 211 334 A2 discloses a key for a musical instrument, the key having four degrees of freedom. Document US 2009/0016204 A1 discloses an input interface for skateboard video game, where the board is supported by an arm articulated on two parallel axes.

However, existing devices have limitations not only in terms of control possibilities, but also in terms of proximity to musical instruments. However, this proximity is particularly sought after by users, who are above all musicians, and for whom an intuitive control and closer to the instrument is preferable.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

• une base
• un organe de pilotage comprenant une extrémité proximale, une extrémité distale, et un support de pilotage adapté pour permettre l'application d'un effort variable en un ou plusieurs points entre l'extrémité proximale et l'extrémité distale,
• un organe de liaison reliant l'organe de pilotage à la base, présentant une extrémité proximale et une extrémité distale, l'extrémité distale de l'organe de liaison est reliée à la base par un pivot distal permettant la rotation de l'organe de liaison par rapport à la base selon un axe X2-X2, et l'extrémité proximale de l'organe de liaison est reliée à l'extrémité proximale de l'organe de pilotage par un pivot proximal permettant la rotation de l'organe de pilotage par rapport à l'organe de liaison selon un axe X1-X1 parallèle à l'axe X2-X2, le contrôleur haptique étant caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend en outre des éléments d'amortissement disposés respectivement entre la base et l'organe de liaison et entre l'organe de liaison et l'organe de pilotage de manière à amortir le pivotement de l'organe de liaison et de l'organe de pilotage lors de l'application d'un effort sur le support de pilotage.

The present invention thus aims at remedying at least partially these problems, and proposes a haptic controller comprising

• a base
• a control member comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and a control support adapted to allow the application of a variable force at one or more points between the proximal end and the distal end,
• a connecting member connecting the control member to the base, having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the connecting member is connected to the base by a distal pivot allowing rotation of the connecting member relative to the base along an axis X2-X2, and the proximal end of the organ of connection is connected to the proximal end of the control member by a proximal pivot allowing rotation of the control member relative to the connecting member along an axis X1-X1 parallel to the axis X2-X2, the haptic controller being characterized in that it further comprises damping elements disposed respectively between the base and the connecting member and between the connecting member and the control member so as to damp the pivoting of the connecting member and the control member during the application of a force on the control medium.

According to a particular embodiment, the damping elements are configured so as not to be aligned with respect to a direction normal to the driving support.

• un premier élément d'amortissement disposé entre la base et l'organe de liaison est disposé à proximité du pivot proximal,
• un second élément d'amortissement disposé entre l'organe de liaison et l'organe de pilotage est disposé à proximité du pivot distal.

The haptic controller then typically comprises

• a first damping element disposed between the base and the connecting member is disposed near the proximal pivot,
• a second damping element disposed between the connecting member and the control member is disposed near the distal pivot.

According to a particular embodiment, the connecting member comprises a first section and a second section interconnected by two spring blades mounted in parallel with each other, so as to allow a translation of the control member. along the X1-X1 axis relative to the base.
Said spring blades are typically associated with an adjustment element adapted to modify the stiffness of said spring blades.

According to a particular embodiment, said damping elements are elements having a non-linear deformation profile as a function of the force applied.

Said damping elements are for example deformable cylinders comprising a bore arranged parallel to their axis, and offset with respect to their axis, profiles comprising a flat base, a curved face opposite to said flat base and typically comprising a longitudinal bore , or deformable domes, for example hemispherical.

According to a particular embodiment, the control member comprises a control support adapted to receive a removable piloting surface.

According to a particular embodiment, the haptic controller further comprises a controller and sensors adapted to measure the deformation of the damping elements and to deliver an output signal as a function of the measured deformations.
Alternatively, the haptic controller comprises a controller and sensors adapted to measure the displacement of the connecting member and the control member, and to output an output signal as a function of the measured displacements.

PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

• La figure 1 présente une vue d'ensemble d'un exemple de contrôleur selon un aspect de l'invention,
• Les figures 2 et 3 présentent des vues partielles en coupe du contrôleur présenté sur la figure 1.

Other characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, which is purely illustrative and nonlimiting, and which should be read with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• The figure 1 presents an overview of an exemplary controller according to one aspect of the invention,
• The figures 2 and 3 present partial sectional views of the controller presented on the figure 1 .

In all the figures, the elements in common are identified by identical reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The Figures 1 to 3 present different views of an example of a haptic controller according to one aspect of the invention.

The haptic controller 1 as presented comprises a base 2, a control member 3, and a connecting member 4 connecting the control member 3 to the base 2. The base 2 is associated with a housing 23 in which are arranged the different elements described below.

A proximal end 11 and a distal end 12 of the haptic controller 1 are defined, these ends being arbitrarily defined for the description.

Thereafter will be defined for different elements of the controller 1 a proximal end and a distal end, taking for reference the proximal end 11 and the distal end 12 of the controller 1, the proximal end of a given component being the end of this component which is closest to the proximal end 11 of the controller 1, and the distal end of this component being its end which is closest to the distal end 12 of the controller 1.

A proximal end 21 and a distal end 22 of the base 2 are thus defined, as is a proximal end 31 and a distal end 32 of the control member 3.
The control member 3 is connected to the base 2 by the connecting member 4.
This connecting member 4 is configured to form a Z-shaped assembly of the control member 3 on the base 2, thus forming two successive lever effects with respect to the base 2.

The link member 4 comprises pivot links, configured as follows.

A distal pivot 72 connects the distal end 42 of the connecting member 4 to the distal end 22 of the base 2, allowing the rotation of the connecting member 4 relative to the base 2 along an axis X2-X2 .
A proximal pivot 71 connects the proximal end 41 of the connecting member 4 to the proximal end 31 of the control member 3, allowing the rotation of the control member 3 relative to the connecting member 4 along an axis X1-X1 parallel to the axis X2-X2.

Damping elements are arranged so as to damp the rotational movements of the various elements.
A first damping element 81 is thus disposed between the base 2 and the connecting member 4, and a second damping element 82 is arranged between the connecting member and the control member 3.

The damping elements 81 and 82 thus dampen the rotational movements of the connecting member 4 and the control member 3.

The damping elements 81 and 82 are typically cylinders comprising a bore parallel to their axis, and can be offset with respect to their axis so as to form non-constant thickness tubular elements as shown in FIG. figure 3 . The damping elements can also be deformable domes, typically hemispherical. The damping members may also be profiles comprising a planar base and an opposite curved end, and comprising a longitudinal bore. The damping elements may thus for example have a square section, one of whose faces is in the shape of a circular arc, and comprising a longitudinal bore formed in the boss made by the arc-shaped face. The damping elements may also have a section formed of a circular portion and a rectangular portion, connected by one side of the rectangular portion.

Such elements having a flat base are advantageous in terms of positioning, in that they do not require specific arrangements.
The damping elements 81 and 82 are thus advantageously elements having a non-linear deformation profile as a function of the applied force, which allows a finer control of the lower intensity controls.
The damping elements 81 and 82 can advantageously be modified according to the desired application.

The control member 3 is configured to have a control support 33, typically a flat surface, extending from its proximal end 31 to its distal end 32, so that a user can exert a pressure force, at one or more points of this driving support 33, thus defining a command applied by the user to the haptic controller 1. A driving surface is typically attached to the control support 33. The driving surface is advantageously removable, allowing thus to change it according to the user or the sound production. The driving surface is for example made of wood, and attached to the control support 33 by fixing means. The user then exerts a force on the driving surface, which is transmitted to the control support 33. The driving surface can be equipped with various means such as striking sensors, tactile sensors.

The damping elements 81 and 82 are configured to be offset relative to each other with respect to a vertical direction defined as a direction normal to the driving support 33 of the control member 3.
In the example shown, the damping elements 81 and 82 are arranged in such a way that the first damping element 81 is closer to the proximal end 11 of the haptic controller 1 than the second damping element 82. The second element The damping element 82 is closer to the distal end 12 of the haptic controller 1 than the first damping element 81. The first damping element 81 is thus disposed close to the proximal pivot 71, whereas the second damping element 81 damping element 82 is disposed near the distal pivot 72.

When the user applies a command on the haptic controller 1, he exerts a pressure force at one or more points of the control support 33 of the control member 3 tending to move it towards the base 2.
This steering effort causes a rotation at the pivots 72 and 71, depending on the point or points of application and the intensity of the force applied, and therefore a compressive force of damping elements 81 and 82 varying also depending on the point (s) of application and the intensity of the effort applied.
The damping elements 81 and 82 thus advantageously provide a force feedback function to the user as a function of the command applied.
The compression force is not distributed in the same way between the damping elements 81 and 82 as a function of the point or points of application of the command.
By way of example, considering the configuration shown in the figures, when the control is a compression force applied near the proximal end 31 of the control member 3, the structure of the haptic controller 1 implies that the first damping element 81 will undergo a greater compressive force than the second damping element 82.
Conversely, when the control is a compressive force applied near the distal end 32 of the control member 3, the controller structure implies that the second damping element 82 will undergo a greater compressive force than the first damping element 81.

The haptic controller 1 thus typically comprises a set of sensors adapted to measure the deformation of the damping elements 81 and 82, and / or to measure the rotation of the pivots 72 and 71, or more generally the displacement of the various elements such as the connecting member 4 and the control member 3, these measurements thus delivering an output signal varying with the command applied by the user, which is then typically processed by a computer 9, represented here as being arranged in the base 2, using an algorithm to modify one or more characteristics during a sound production.

The control support 33 of the control member 3 is typically a removable surface, which can be coupled to the control member 3 via fixing means to allow the user to modify the control support 33, and in particular the material of which it is composed. The control support 33 is thus typically made of wood, which provides the user with a touch sensation closer to a conventional musical instrument than controllers commonly made of plastic or metal materials.

In the particular embodiment shown in the figures, the connecting member 4 comprises a first section 5 and a second section 6, each having a beam shape.
For each section 5 and 6, a proximal end, respectively 51 and 61, and a distal end, respectively 52 and 62, are defined.

In this embodiment, the first section 5 and the second section 6 are connected by two leaf springs 36 mounted in parallel with each other, so as to allow movement of the second section 6 with respect to the first section 5.

Each of the leaf spring 36 allows a rotation of the second section 6 relative to the point of attachment of the leaf spring on the first section 5. Now, the leaf spring 36 being mounted in parallel, the movement allowed by these two leaf spring 36 s therefore apparent a very small rotation of curvature, which can be likened to a translation along the axis X1-X1 of the second section 6 with respect to the first section 5. We will refer to this movement as being a translation in the text. The axis X2-X2 is parallel to the axis X1-X1; the translation of the second section 6 with respect to the first section 5 is therefore also along the axis X2-X2.

This structure thus provides an additional degree of freedom for the driving support 33 of the haptic controller 1, and thus provides an additional level of control to a user.
The haptic controller 1 then typically comprises one or more sensors measuring the translational force along the axis X1-X1 applied to the control member 3, and which delivers a corresponding output signal which is then typically processed by means an algorithm to modify one or more characteristics during a sound production.

The spring blades 36 are typically associated with an adjustment element 37 adapted to modify the stiffness of the spring blades 36, for example slidably mounted relative to the leaf spring 36, so that its sliding changes the stiffness of said leaf spring 36. The displacement in translation of the control support 33 of the control member 3 along the axis X1-X1 can thus be modulated via the adjustment element 37.

The haptic controller 1 as proposed thus offers very wide possibilities in terms of control, by making it possible to carry out a command according to several axes and at several points for the modification of characteristics during a sound production. The The proposed haptic controller thus enables real-time control through the touch of several features or combinations of features, features or combinations of features that can be controlled independently or linked. The proposed control is also thinner, adapts to different applications and offers a user interface closer to a musical instrument than a basic control such as a wheel, or a pedal
The haptic controller 1 proposed can be made in the form of an independent controller that can be connected to a musical production machine, or be integrated into the structure of a musical production machine.

Claims (10)

1. A haptic controller (1) comprising:

   • a base (2);

   • a control member (3) having a proximal end (31), a distal end (32), and a control support (33) adapted to enable a variable force to be applied at one or more points between the proximal end (31) and the distal end (32); and

   • a connection member (4) connecting the control member (3) to the base (2), and having a proximal end (41) and a distal end (42);

   • the distal end (42) of the connection member (4) is connected to the base (2) by a distal pivot (72) enabling the connection member (4) to pivot relative to the base (2) about an axis X2-X2, and the proximal end (41) of the connection member (4) is connected to the proximal end (31) of the control member (3) by a proximal pivot (71) enabling the control member (3) to pivot relative to the connection member (4) about an axis X1-X1 parallel to the axis X2-X2; and

   • characterized in that the haptic controller (1) further comprises damper elements (81, 82) arranged respectively between the base (2) and the connection member (4), and between the connection member (4) and the control member (3), in order to damp the pivoting of the connection member (4) and of the control member (3) when a force is applied to the control support (33).
2. A haptic controller (1) according to claim 1, wherein the damper elements (81, 82) are configured so as not to be in alignment relative to a direction normal to the control support (33).
3. A haptic controller (1) according to claim 2, wherein:

   • a first damper element (81) arranged between the base (2) and the connection member (4) is arranged in the proximity of the proximal pivot (71); and

   • a second damper element (82) arranged between the connection member (4) and the control member (3) is arranged in the proximity of the distal pivot (72).
4. A haptic controller (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the connection member (4) has a first segment (5) and a second segment (6) connected together by two spring blades (36) arranged in parallel with each other, so as to enable the control member to move in translation along the axis X1-X1 relative to the base (2) .
5. A haptic controller (1) according to claim 4, wherein said spring blades (36) are associated with an adjuster element (37) adapted to modify the stiffness of said spring blades (36).
6. A haptic controller (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said damper elements (81, 82) are elements presenting a deformation profile that is nonlinear as a function of the applied force.
7. A haptic controller (1) according to claim 6, wherein said damper elements (81, 82) are deformable profile having a plane base, a curved face opposite from said plane base and a longitudinal bore.
8. A haptic controller (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the control member (3) comprises a control support (33) adapted to receive a removable control surface that may be provided with sensors.
9. A haptic controller (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a controller (9) and sensors adapted to measure the deformation of the damper elements (81, 82) and to deliver an output signal as a function of the measured deformations.
10. A haptic controller (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a controller (9) and sensors adapted to measure the movements of the connection member (4) and of the control member (3), and to deliver an output signal as a function of the measured movements.

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