Haptic spatialization system

• US 10,353,471 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Da Costa, Henry, Lacroix, Robert, Grant, Danny, Rank, Stephen D., Birnbaum, David, Rihn, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Renwick, Reginald A
• Application Number:
  US15/812,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20180074589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A system is provided that controls a haptic effect experienced at a peripheral device. The system receives a haptic effect definition including haptic data. The system further receives spatialization data including: a distance of the haptic effect; a direction of the haptic effect; or a flow of the haptic effect. The system further includes modifying the haptic effect definition based on the received spatialization data. The system further includes sending a haptic instruction and the modified haptic effect definition to the peripheral device. The system further includes causing one or more haptic output devices to produce one or more haptic effects based on the modified haptic effect definition at the peripheral device in response to the haptic instruction.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a spatialization haptic effect that is experienced at a first peripheral device and a second peripheral device, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store a spatialization haptic effect definition; and

a processor configured to execute the spatialization haptic effect definition, including instructions for;

dividing the spatialization haptic effect definition into a first spatialization haptic effect definition component and a second spatialization haptic effect definition component;

applying a first drive signal to a first actuator of the first peripheral device to produce a first haptic effect according to the first spatialization haptic effect definition component; and

applying a second drive signal to a second actuator of the second peripheral device to produce a second haptic effect according to the second spatialization haptic effect definition component,

wherein the first haptic effect and the second haptic effect render the spatialization haptic effect.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the spatialization haptic effect definition includes one or more parameters including:

a position, a distance, a velocity, a direction, or a flow.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein at least one parameter of the spatialization haptic effect definition is modified based on a detected motion or a position of at least one of the first peripheral device or the second peripheral device.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first haptic effect or the second haptic effect is scaled, attenuated, or delayed.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the scaling, attenuating, or delaying is based on a position of a user within a gaming application.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the spatialization haptic effect definition includes spatialization data that includes one or more positions of one or more hands of a user located on the first peripheral device or the second peripheral device.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the first peripheral device and the second peripheral device comprises a controller.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to provide a spatialization haptic effect that is experienced at a first peripheral device and a second peripheral device, the instructions comprising:

dividing a spatialization haptic effect definition into a first spatialization haptic effect definition component and a second spatialization haptic effect definition component;

applying a first drive signal to a first actuator of the first peripheral device to produce a first haptic effect according to the first spatialization haptic effect definition component; and

applying a second drive signal to a second actuator of the second peripheral device to produce a second haptic effect according to the second spatialization haptic effect definition component,

wherein the first haptic effect and the second haptic effect render the spatialization haptic effect.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the spatialization haptic effect definition includes one or more parameters including:

a position, a distance, a velocity, a direction, or a flow.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein at least one parameter of the spatialization haptic effect definition is modified based on a detected motion or a position of at least one of the first peripheral device or the second peripheral device.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the first haptic effect or the second haptic effect is scaled, attenuated, or delayed.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the scaling, attenuating, or delaying is based on a position of a user within a gaming application.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the spatialization haptic effect definition includes spatialization data that includes one or more positions of one or more hands of a user located on the first peripheral device or the second peripheral device.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8, wherein each of the first peripheral device and the second peripheral device comprises a controller.

15. A computer-implemented method for providing a spatialization haptic effect that is experienced at a first peripheral device and a second peripheral device, the computer-implemented method comprising:

dividing a spatialization haptic effect definition into a first spatialization haptic effect definition component and a second spatialization haptic effect definition component;

applying a first drive signal to a first actuator of the first peripheral device to produce a first haptic effect according to the first spatialization haptic effect definition component; and

applying a second drive signal to a second actuator of the second peripheral device to produce a second haptic effect according to the second spatialization haptic effect definition component,

wherein the first haptic effect and the second haptic effect render the spatialization haptic effect.

16. The computer-implemented method according to claim 15, wherein the spatialization haptic effect definition includes one or more parameters including:

a position, a distance, a velocity, a direction, or a flow.

17. The computer-implemented method according to claim 16, wherein at least one parameter of the spatialization haptic effect definition is modified based on a detected motion or a position of at least one of the first peripheral device or the second peripheral device.

18. The computer-implemented method according to claim 15, wherein the first haptic effect or the second haptic effect is scaled, attenuated, or delayed.

19. The computer-implemented method according to claim 18, wherein the spatialization haptic effect definition includes spatialization data that includes one or more positions of one or more hands of a user located on the first peripheral device or the second peripheral device.

20. The computer-implemented method according to claim 15, wherein spatialization haptic effect definition includes spatialization data that includes one or more positions of one or more hands of a user located on controller.