Systems and methods for using textures in graphical user interface widgets

• US 10,379,618 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2018
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Grant, Danny A., Modarres, Ali, Gosline, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Yang, James J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lau, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US15/894,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20180173312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• 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 3/017 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/04 Texture mapping
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for using textures in graphical user interface widgets are disclosed. For example, one disclosed system includes: a processor configured to: receive an interface signal from a touch-sensitive interface associated with a display area; receive a display signal associated with the display area, the display signal comprising a plurality of pixels associated with one or more colors; assign a haptic value to each color; determine a texture associated with a group of the plurality of pixels by determining the haptic value associated with the group of the plurality of pixels; determine a selected actuator by selecting a first actuator if the haptic value is less than a threshold and selecting a second actuator if the haptic value is greater than or equal to the threshold; and transmit a haptic signal configured to cause the selected actuator to output a haptic effect configured to simulate the texture.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive an interface signal from a touch-sensitive interface associated with a display area;

receive a display signal associated with the display area, the display signal comprising a plurality of pixels associated with one or more colors;

assign a haptic value to each color;

determine a texture associated with a group of the plurality of pixels by determining the haptic value associated with the group of the plurality of pixels;

determine a selected actuator by selecting a first actuator if the haptic value is less than a threshold and selecting a second actuator if the haptic value is greater than or equal to the threshold; and

transmit a haptic signal configured to cause the selected actuator to output a haptic effect configured to simulate the texture.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the display area comprises a first section and a second section, and wherein first section of the display area comprises a boundary, and the second section of the display area comprises the pixels that do not comprise the boundary.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected actuator comprises:

a linear resonant actuator, an eccentric rotating mass actuator, a shape memory alloy, an electroactive polymer, a composite piezoelectric actuator, or a piezoelectric actuator.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the display area comprises one or more of:

a Global Positioning System Interface, a social networking page, a scrollbar, text, a drawing tool, a folder, or an icon.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the texture is determined based in part on contents of the folder.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to output the display signal to a display configured to output an image associated with the plurality of pixels.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the selected actuator is configured to output the haptic effect onto a surface of the display.

8. A method comprising:

receiving an interface signal from a touch-sensitive interface associated with a display area;

receiving a display signal associated with the display area, the display signal comprising a plurality of pixels associated with one or more colors;

assigning a haptic value to each color;

determining a texture associated with a group of the plurality of pixels by determining the haptic value associated with the group of the plurality of pixels;

determining a selected actuator by selecting a first actuator if the haptic value is less than a threshold and selecting a second actuator if the haptic value is greater than or equal to the threshold; and

transmitting a haptic signal configured to cause the selected actuator to output a haptic effect configured to simulate the texture.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the display area comprises a first section and a second section, and wherein first section of the display area comprises a boundary, and the second section of the display area comprises the pixels that do not comprise the boundary.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the selected actuator comprises:

a linear resonant actuator, an eccentric rotating mass actuator, a shape memory alloy, an electroactive polymer, a composite piezoelectric actuator, or a piezoelectric actuator.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the display area comprises one or more of:

a Global Positioning System Interface, a social networking page, a scrollbar, text, a drawing tool, a folder, or an icon.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the texture is determined based in part on contents of the folder.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising outputting the display signal to a display configured to output an image associated with the plurality of pixels.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the selected actuator is configured to output the haptic effect onto a surface of the display.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code, which, when executed by one or more processors, is configured to cause the one or more processors to:

receive an interface signal from a touch-sensitive interface associated with a display area;

receive a display signal associated with the display area, the display signal comprising a plurality of pixels associated with one or more colors;

assign a haptic value to each color;

determine a texture associated with a group of the plurality of pixels by determining the haptic value associated with the group of the plurality of pixels;

determine a selected actuator by selecting a first actuator if the haptic value is less than a threshold and selecting a second actuator if the haptic value is greater than or equal to the threshold; and

transmit a haptic signal configured to cause the selected actuator to output a haptic effect configured to simulate the texture.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the display area comprises a first section and a second section, and wherein first section of the display area comprises a boundary, and the second section of the display area comprises the pixels that do not comprise the boundary.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the selected actuator comprises:

a linear resonant actuator, an eccentric rotating mass actuator, a shape memory alloy, an electroactive polymer, a composite piezoelectric actuator, or a piezoelectric actuator.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the display area comprises one or more of:

a Global Positioning System Interface, a social networking page, a scrollbar, text, a drawing tool, a folder, or an icon.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the texture is determined based in part on contents of the folder.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising program code, which, when executed by the one or more processors, is configured to cause the one or more processors to output the display signal to a display configured to output an image associated with the plurality of pixels.