Systems and methods for providing haptic feedback via a case

• US 10,444,844 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Levesque, Vincent, Grant, Danny, Mousakhanian, Razmik, Rabemiarisoa, Andry, Isajanyan, Gor, Zhu, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Danielsen, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US16/123,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20190004608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a case configured to mechanically couple with a mobile device and position the mobile device such that the mobile device serves as a display for the case. The system also includes a processor coupled to the case and configured to generate a haptic signal based at least in part on a characteristic of the case. The system also includes a haptic output device in communication with the processor and configured to receive the haptic signal and output a haptic effect in response to the haptic signal.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a mobile device comprising an outer housing configured to engage with a case, wherein the case is configured to releasably couple the mobile device to a body part, and wherein the case comprises a first haptic output device;

a processor disposed within the outer housing; and

a memory disposed within the outer housing and communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to;

detect a first event associated with the body part;

determine a first haptic effect based on the first event;

based on the first event being associated with the body part, cause the first haptic output device of the case to output the first haptic effect;

detect a second event that is not associated with the body part;

determine a second haptic effect based on the second event; and

based on the second event not being associated with the body part, cause a second haptic output device to output the second haptic effect, the second haptic output device being part of an object that is distinct from the case.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first event is a video game event.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the case is a headset configured to receive the mobile device and position the mobile device such that the mobile device serves as a display for the case.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to cause the first haptic output device to output the first haptic effect by transmitting a signal to the case, the signal being configured to cause the first haptic output device positioned on the case to output the first haptic effect.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:

determine a third haptic effect based on the second event; and

in response to detecting that the mobile device is mechanically coupled to the case, cause the first haptic output device of the case to output the third haptic effect.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the case is configured to couple the mobile device to a leg, arm, shoulder, back, chest, or foot of a wearer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:

cause the first haptic output device to also output the second haptic effect corresponding to the second event.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the object is the mobile device.

9. A method comprising:

detecting, by a processor of a mobile device, a first event associated with a body part to which a case is configured to output haptic effects, the case being configured to removably couple the mobile device to the body part;

determining, by the processor, a first haptic effect based on the first event;

based on the first event being associated with the body part, causing, by the processor, a first haptic output device of the case to output the first haptic effect;

detecting, by the processor, a second event that is not associated with the body part;

determining, by the processor, a second haptic effect based on the second event; and

based on the second event not being associated with the body part, causing, by the processor, a second haptic output device to output the second haptic effect, the second haptic output device being part of an object that is distinct from the case.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the case is a headset configured to receive the mobile device and position the mobile device such that the mobile device serves as a display for the case.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

causing the first haptic output device to output the first haptic effect by transmitting a signal to the case, the signal being configured to cause the first haptic output device positioned on the case to output the first haptic effect.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a third haptic effect based on the second event; and

causing the first haptic output device of the case to output the third haptic effect.

13. A system comprising:

a mobile device comprising an outer housing configured to engage with a case, wherein the case is configured to releasably couple the mobile device to a body part, and wherein the case comprises a first haptic output device;

a processor disposed within the outer housing; and

a memory disposed within the outer housing and communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to;

detect a first event associated with a body part;

determine a first haptic effect based on the first event;

based on the first event being associated with the body part, cause the first haptic output device of the case to output the first haptic effect;

detect a second event;

determine a second haptic effect and a third haptic effect based on the second event; and

in response to detecting that the mobile device is mechanically coupled to the case;

cause the first haptic output device of the case to output the second haptic effect; and

cause a second haptic output device to output the third haptic effect.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first event is a video game event.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the second haptic output device is part of an object that is distinct from the case.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the case is a headset configured to receive the mobile device and position the mobile device such that the mobile device serves as a display for the case.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the memory further comprises program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to cause the first haptic output device to output the first haptic effect by transmitting a signal to the case, the signal being configured to cause the first haptic output device positioned on the case to output the first haptic effect.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the case is configured to couple the mobile device to a leg, arm, shoulder, back, chest, or foot of a wearer.

19. A method comprising:

detecting, by a processor of a mobile device, a first event associated with a body part, wherein the mobile device is removably coupled to the body part by a case, the case having a first haptic output device for providing haptic effects to the body part;

determining, by the processor, a first haptic effect based on the first event;

based on the first event being associated with the body part, causing, by the processor, the first haptic output device of the case to output the first haptic effect;

detecting, by the processor, a second event;

determining, by the processor, a second haptic effect and a third haptic effect based on the second event; and

in response to detecting that the mobile device is mechanically coupled to the case;

causing, by the processor, the first haptic output device of the case to output the second haptic effect; and

causing, by the processor, a second haptic output device to output the third haptic effect.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second haptic output device is part of an object that is distinct from the case.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the object is the mobile device.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the case is a headset configured to receive the mobile device and position the mobile device such that the mobile device serves as a display for the case.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the case is configured to couple the mobile device to a leg, arm, shoulder, back, chest, or foot of a wearer.