Haptically enabled user interface

• US 10,338,798 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2016
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Heubel, Robert W., Fleming, Jason D., Ramsay, Erin B., Vetter, A. Timothy, Lacroix, Robert A., Gregorio, Pedro, Grant, Danny A., Impivaara, Lauri Olli Matias
• Primary Examiner(s): Okebato, Sahlu
• Application Number:
  US15/335,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20170046035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A device has a user interface that generates a haptic effect in response to user inputs or gestures. In one embodiment, the device receives an indication that the user is scrolling through a list of elements and an indication that an element is selected. The device determines the scroll rate and generates a haptic effect that has a magnitude that is based on the scroll rate.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory on which instructions executable by the processor are stored to cause the processor to;

receive an indication that an object has been flicked by a user gesture and that the object has reached an end point that causes the object to bounce;

cause a haptic effect to be output when the object has reached the end point, wherein the haptic effect decreases in magnitude as the bounced object comes to rest; and

cause a second haptic effect to be output to confirm that the bounced object has come to rest.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to determine a speed of the flick, wherein a speed of the object is determined based on the speed of the flick.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code, which when executed by a processor is configured to cause the processor to:

receive an indication that an object has been flicked by a user gesture and that the object has reached an end point that causes the object to bounce;

cause a haptic effect to be output when the object has reached the end point, wherein the haptic effect decreases in magnitude as the bounced object comes to rest; and

cause a second haptic effect to be output to confirm that the bounced object has come to rest.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3, further comprising instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to determine a speed of the flick, wherein a speed of the object is determined based on the speed of the flick.