System and method for providing complex haptic stimulation during input of control gestures, and relating to control of virtual equipment

• US 10,139,911 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Grant, Danny A., Heubel, Robert W., Birnbaum, David M., Ramsay, Erin B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US15/600,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20170357323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 463 22, 463 30, 463 37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 : Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

A system is configured to provide haptic stimulation to a user. In one embodiment, the haptic stimulation is provided to the user in conjunction with the performance of one or more control gestures through which the user controls, for example, a game, a real world component or piece of equipment, and/or other entity. In one embodiment, the haptic stimulation is provided to the user in conjunction with control of virtual equipment by the user.

Claims

1. A system configured to provide stimulation to a user of a game, the system comprising:

a touch sensitive electronic display having an interface surface accessible for engagement by the user, the electronic display being configured to generate output signals related to a position at which the interface surface is engaged, and to present views of the game to the user through the interface surface,

wherein the views presented through the interface surface include views of virtual equipment usable in the game, the virtual equipment having user selectable sections that are selectable by the user to interact with the virtual equipment by engaging the interface surface at the user selectable sections of the views of the virtual equipment;

an actuator configured to generate haptic stimulation to the user;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

one or more processors communicatively coupled to the touch sensitive electronic display, the non-transitory computer-readable medium, and the actuator, the one or more processors configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to;

determine operating parameters of the virtual equipment in the views or simulate operation of the virtual equipment based on a selection of a user selectable section of the virtual equipment, and wherein the user selectable sections of the virtual equipment correspond to sections of the virtual equipment analogous to a section of equipment that would be engaged in real life to configure operating parameters or operate the virtual equipment;

determine haptic stimulation to be generated associated with the operating parameters of the virtual equipment or simulated operation of the virtual equipment; and

control the actuator to generate the determined haptic stimulation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual equipment includes a projectile weapon.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the operating parameters of the virtual equipment based on selection by the user of the user selectable section of the virtual equipment include one or more of an amount of loaded rounds of ammunition, a level of disrepair, a stopping power, a projectile velocity, an ammunition type, or a noise level.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured to actuate the touch sensitive electronic display.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured to actuate the interface surface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the operating parameters of the virtual equipment include activation and deactivation of individual pieces of virtual equipment.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to add or remove one or more components of a piece of virtual equipment based on the user engaging the user selectable section of the piece of virtual equipment.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein removal or addition of one or more components of the piece of virtual equipment are reflected in the views of virtual equipment presented to the user through the interface surface.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to change equipment modes of a piece of virtual equipment based on the user engaging the user selectable section of the virtual equipment.

10. A method of providing stimulation to a user of a game, the method comprising:

presenting views of a game through an interface surface of a touch sensitive electronic display that is accessible for engagement by a user, wherein the views presented through the interface surface include views of virtual equipment usable in the game, the virtual equipment having user selectable sections that are selectable by the user to interact with the virtual equipment by engaging the interface surface at the user selectable sections of the views of the virtual equipment;

receiving a selection of one of the user selectable sections via a user engagement of the selected user selectable section on the interface surface;

determining operating parameters of the virtual equipment in the views based on selection by the user of the user selectable section of the virtual equipment or simulating operation of the virtual equipment based on the received selection;

determining, responsive to the received selection, haptic stimulation to be generated for the user associated with the operating parameters of the virtual equipment or simulated operation of the virtual equipment; and

generating the determined haptic stimulation, wherein the user selectable sections of the views of the virtual equipment correspond to sections of the virtual equipment analogous to sections of equipment that would be engaged in real life to configure operating parameters or operate the virtual equipment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the virtual equipment includes a projectile weapon.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the operating parameters of the virtual equipment determined based on selection of the selected user selectable section include one or more of an amount of loaded rounds of ammunition, a level of disrepair, a stopping power, a projectile velocity, an ammunition type, or a noise level.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the determined haptic stimulation is generated to actuate the touch sensitive electronic display.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the determined haptic stimulation is generated to actuate the interface surface.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the operating parameters of the virtual equipment determined based on selection of the selected user selectable section include activation and deactivation of individual pieces of virtual equipment.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising adding or removing one or more components of a piece of virtual equipment based on the user engaging the user selectable section of the piece of the virtual equipment.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein removal or addition of one or more components of the piece of virtual equipment are reflected in the views of virtual equipment presented to the user through the interface surface.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein further comprising changing equipment modes of a piece of virtual equipment based on the user engaging the user selectable section of the virtual equipment.