Method and apparatus for generating mood-based haptic feedback

• US 10,289,201 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2017
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Blount, Eric
• Application Number:
  US15/822,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20180143692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 3405731, 3404071
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6027 using adaptive systems learning from user actions, e.g. for skill level adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/011 Emotion or mood input determined on the basis of sensed human body parameters such as pulse, heart rate or beat, temperature of skin, facial expressions, iris, voice pitch, brain activity patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating mood-based haptic feedback are disclosed. A haptic system includes a sensing device, a digital processing unit, and a haptic generator. The sensing device, in one embodiment, is configured to detect user'"'"'s modalities in accordance with mood information collected by one or more sensors and capable of issuing a sensing signal in response to the user'"'"'s modalities. The digital processing unit is capable of identifying a user'"'"'s condition in accordance with the sensing signal and providing a haptic signal in response to the user'"'"'s condition. The user'"'"'s condition, in one aspect, indicates user'"'"'s mood and/or user'"'"'s psychological conditions. The haptic generator generates haptic feedback in accordance with the haptic signal.

Claims

1. A haptic system, comprising:

a sensing device, including at least one sensor, to sense mood information for a user of the haptic system;

a haptic generator to generate haptic feedback in accordance with a haptic signal, the haptic feedback being vibrotactile feedback that indicates at least one of a level of fatigue, a level of alertness, a level of distraction, or a level of sobriety;

a memory; and

a processor, coupled to the sensing device, the haptic generator and the memory, configured to;

receive the mood information from the sensing device,

identify a mood of the user from the mood information,

generate the haptic signal based on the mood, and

send the haptic signal to the haptic generator.

2. The haptic system according to claim 1, wherein the haptic generator is coupled to an automobile steering wheel.

3. The haptic system according to claim 1, wherein the haptic generator is coupled to an automobile seat.

4. The haptic system according to claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication device coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a physical condition of the user based on the mood information, and transmit the physical condition to an interested party.

5. The haptic system according to claim 1, wherein the haptic generator is coupled to a game controller.

6. The haptic system according to claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to:

execute a game; and

change a difficulty level of the game based on the mood.

7. The haptic system according to claim 1, wherein the mood information includes at least one of facial expressions, voice pitches or biometrics.

8. The haptic system according to claim 7, wherein the mood information is biometric information including at least one of a body temperature, a body humidity, a body perspiration, a heart pulse, a heart rate, a breathing rhythm, a body posture, a hand gesture or a hand movement.

9. A method of generating haptic effects for a haptic system, the method comprising:

receiving mood information for a user of the haptic system from a sensing device including at least one sensor;

identifying a mood of the user from the mood information;

generating a haptic signal based on the mood; and

sending the haptic signal to a haptic generator to generate haptic feedback in accordance with the haptic signal, the haptic feedback being vibrotactile feedback that indicates at least one of a level of fatigue, a level of alertness, a level of distraction, or a level of sobriety.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the haptic generator is coupled to an automobile steering wheel or an automobile seat.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising determining a physical condition of the user based on the mood information, and transmitting the physical condition to an interested party over a wireless network.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

executing a game; and

changing a difficulty level of the game based on the mood,

wherein the haptic generator is coupled to a game controller.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the mood information includes at least one of facial expressions, voice pitches or biometrics.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the mood information is biometric information including at least one of a body temperature, a body humidity, a body perspiration, a heart pulse, a heart rate, a breathing rhythm, a body posture, a hand gesture or a hand movement.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to generate haptic effects for a haptic system, the instructions comprising:

receiving mood information for a user of the haptic system from a sensing device including at least one sensor;

identifying a mood of the user from the mood information;

generating a haptic signal based on the mood; and

sending the haptic signal to a haptic generator to generate haptic feedback in accordance with the haptic signal, the haptic feedback being vibrotactile feedback that indicates at least one of a level of fatigue, a level of alertness, a level of distraction, or a level of sobriety.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the haptic generator is coupled to an automobile steering wheel or an automobile seat.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the instructions further include determining a physical condition of the user based on the mood information, and transmitting the physical condition to an interested party over a wireless network.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the haptic generator is coupled to a game controller, and wherein the instructions further include:

executing a game; and

changing a difficulty level of the game based on the mood.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the mood information includes at least one of facial expressions, voice pitches or biometrics.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the mood information is biometric information including at least one of a body temperature, a body humidity, a body perspiration, a heart pulse, a heart rate, a breathing rhythm, a body posture, a hand gesture or a hand movement.