Systems and methods for pressure-based haptic effects

• US 10,488,931 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2018
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Ullrich, Christopher J., Weddle, Amaya, Yu, Hua, Birnbaum, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Azongha, Sardis F
• Application Number:
  US15/905,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20180188811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a sensor configured to detect a user interaction with a touch surface and transmit a sensor signal including data associated with a pressure of the user interaction. The illustrative system also includes a processor in communication with the sensor, the processor configured to: receive the sensor signal; determine, based on the sensor signal, a pressure level; determine a user interface level based at least in part on the pressure level; perform a function associated with the user interface level and the user interaction; determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the user interface level and the user interaction; generate a haptic signal based at least in part on the haptic effect; and transmit the haptic signal. The illustrative system further includes a haptic output device in configured to receive the haptic signal and output the haptic effect.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor;

a haptic output device communicatively coupled to the processor and responsive to one or more haptic signals from the processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to;

display a virtual object on a touch-screen display;

receive a signal from the touch-screen display indicating a contact at a location of the virtual object;

in response to a pressure of the contact exceeding a first pressure threshold;

output a first haptic effect with the haptic output device; and

execute a first function, the first function being different from outputting the first haptic effect;

in response to the pressure of the contact transitioning from being below a second pressure threshold greater than the first pressure threshold to being above the second pressure threshold;

output a second haptic effect with the haptic output device, the second haptic effect being different from the first haptic effect; and

execute a second function, the second function being different from the first function and being different from outputting the second haptic effect; and

in response to the pressure of the contact transitioning from above the second pressure threshold to below the second pressure threshold;

output a third haptic effect with the haptic output device, wherein the third haptic effect is different from the second haptic effect; and

execute a third function, the third function being different from the second function and being different from outputting the third haptic effect.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first haptic effect is configured to simulate (i) a texture of the virtual object, or (ii) the virtual object performing a first virtual operation.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second haptic effect is configured to simulate the virtual object performing a second virtual operation that is different from the first virtual operation.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the third haptic effect is configured to simulate the virtual object performing a third virtual operation that is different from the first virtual operation and the second virtual operation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual object comprises at least one visual characteristic, and wherein the memory further comprises program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:

change the visual characteristic of the virtual object in response to the pressure of the contact exceeding the first pressure threshold.

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

output the second haptic effect with the haptic output device based at least in part on the change in the visual characteristic.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first function comprises outputting, removing, changing, updating, or deleting the virtual object.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second function comprises outputting audio data, video data, or information based on the contact.

9. A method comprising:

displaying, by a processor, a virtual object on a touch-screen display;

receiving, by the processor, a signal from the touch-screen display indicating a contact at a location of the virtual object;

in response to a pressure of the contact exceeding a first pressure threshold;

outputting, by the processor, a first haptic effect with a haptic output device; and

executing a first function, the first function being different from outputting the first haptic effect;

in response to the pressure of the contact transitioning from being below a second pressure threshold greater than the first pressure threshold to being above the second pressure threshold;

outputting, by the processor, a second haptic effect with the haptic output device, the second haptic effect being different from the first haptic effect; and

executing a second function, the second function being different from the first function and being different from outputting the second haptic effect; and

in response to the pressure of the contact transitioning from above the second pressure threshold to below the second pressure threshold;

outputting a third haptic effect with the haptic output device, wherein the third haptic effect is different from the second haptic effect; and

executing a third function, the third function being different from the second function and being different from outputting the third haptic effect.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first haptic effect is configured to simulate (i) a texture of the virtual object or (ii) the virtual object performing a first virtual operation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second haptic effect is configured to simulate the virtual object performing a second virtual operation that is different from the first virtual operation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the third haptic effect is configured to simulate the virtual object performing a third virtual operation that is different from the first virtual operation and the second virtual operation.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the virtual object comprises at least one visual characteristic, the method further comprising:

changing the visual characteristic of the virtual object in response to the pressure of the contact exceeding the first pressure threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

outputting the second haptic effect with the haptic output device based at least in part on the change in the visual characteristic.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the first function comprises outputting, removing, changing, updating, or deleting the virtual object.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the second function comprises outputting audio data, video data, or information based on the contact.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code that is executable by a processor to cause the processor to:

display a virtual object on a touch-screen display;

receive a signal from the touch-screen display indicating a contact at a location of the virtual object;

in response to a pressure of the contact exceeding a first pressure threshold;

output a first haptic effect with a haptic output device; and

execute a first function, the first function being different from outputting the first haptic effect;

in response to the pressure of the contact transitioning from being below a second pressure threshold greater than the first pressure threshold to being above the second pressure threshold;

output a second haptic effect with the haptic output device, the second haptic effect being different from the first haptic effect; and

execute a second function, the second function being different from the first function and being different from outputting the second haptic effect; and

in response to the pressure of the contact transitioning from above the second pressure threshold to below the second pressure threshold;

output a third haptic effect with the haptic output device, wherein the third haptic effect is different from the second haptic effect, and execute a third function, the third function being different from the second function and being different from outputting the third haptic effect.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first haptic effect is configured to simulate the virtual object performing a first virtual operation, the second haptic effect is configured to simulate the virtual object performing a second virtual operation that is different from the first virtual operation, and the third haptic effect is configured to simulate the virtual object performing a third virtual operation that is different from the first virtual operation and the second virtual operation.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the virtual object comprises at least one visual characteristic, the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:

change the visual characteristic of the virtual object in response to the pressure of the contact exceeding the first pressure threshold; and

output the second haptic effect with the haptic output device based at least in part on the change in the visual characteristic.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first function comprises outputting, removing, changing, updating, or deleting the virtual object.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the second function comprises outputting audio data, video data, or information based on the contact.