Haptically Enabled Messaging

• US 20080287147A1
• Filed: 05/18/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Ramsay, Erin B., Gregorio, Pedro, Grant, Danny A., Fleming, Jason D., Flaherty, Natasha M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,315,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A mobile terminal device receives a haptically enabled message that includes text and at least one haptic feedback command. The device determines the timing of the haptic feedback command within the message. When the device receives an indication that the message is being displayed by a user, the device synchronizes a haptic effect corresponding to the haptic feedback command. The synchronizing is based on the timing and the indication.

Claims

14. A mobile terminal device comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor; and

an actuator coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor receives a haptically enabled message, the message comprising text and at least one haptic feedback command and;

determines a timing of the haptic feedback command within the message;

receives an indication that the message is being displayed on said mobile terminal device; and

synchronizes a first haptic effect corresponding to the haptic feedback command, the synchronizing based on the timing and the indication.

1. A method of operating a mobile terminal device comprising:

receiving a haptically enabled message, the message comprising text and at least one haptic feedback command;

determining a timing of the haptic feedback command within the message;

receiving an indication that the message is being displayed on said mobile terminal device; and

synchronizing a first haptic effect corresponding to the haptic feedback command, the synchronizing based on the timing and the indication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of timing is based on a location of the haptic feedback command within the message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the location is based on a word count of the text.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the location is based on a character count of the text.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the location is based on a reading speed of a user of the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronizing comprises:

determining a time delay based on the timing; and

initiating the first haptic effect after an expiration of the time delay upon receiving the indication.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the haptically enabled message by receiving a gesture from a user of the device and converting the gesture into the haptic feedback command.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the gesture is a movement of the device by the user.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the gesture is a video of the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the haptic feedback command is an emoticon.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the haptic feedback command is not visible in the message.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a second haptic effect in conjunction with a receipt of the haptically enabled message at the device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said second haptic effect may indicate at least one of message content, sender and priority.

15. The mobile terminal device of claim 14, wherein the first haptic effect is generated by the actuator.

16. The mobile terminal device of claim 14, wherein the determination of timing is based on a location of the haptic feedback command within the message.

17. The mobile terminal device of claim 16, wherein the location is based on a word count of the text.

18. The mobile terminal device of claim 16, wherein the location is based on a character count of the text.

19. The mobile terminal device of claim 14, further comprising:

generating the haptically enabled message by receiving a gesture from a user of the device and converting the gesture into the haptic feedback command.

20. The mobile terminal device of claim 19, further comprising an accelerometer coupled to the processor, wherein the gesture is a movement of the device by the user.

21. The mobile terminal device of claim 19, wherein the gesture is a video of the user.

22. The mobile terminal device of claim 14, wherein the haptic feedback command is an emoticon.

23. The mobile terminal device of claim 14, wherein the haptic feedback command is not visible in the message.

17-1. The mobile terminal device of claim 16, wherein the location is based on a reading speed of a user of the device.

18-2. The mobile terminal device of claim 14, wherein the synchronizing comprises:

determining a time delay based on the timing; and

initiating the first haptic effect after an expiration of the time delay upon receiving the indication.

24. A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

determine a timing of a haptically enabled message, the message comprising text and at least one haptic feedback command within the message;

receive an indication that the message is being displayed on said mobile terminal device; and

synchronize a first haptic effect corresponding to the haptic feedback command, the synchronizing based on the timing and the indication.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the determination of timing is based on a location of the haptic feedback command within the message.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the location is based on a word count of the text.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the location is based on a character count of the text.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the location is based on a reading speed of a user of the device.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the synchronizing comprises:

determining a time delay based on the timing; and

initiating the first haptic effect after an expiration of the time delay upon receiving the indication.

30. A mobile terminal device comprising:

means for receiving a haptically enabled message, the message comprising text and at least one haptic feedback command;

means for determining a timing of the haptic feedback command within the message;

means for receiving an indication that the message is being displayed on said mobile terminal device; and

means for synchronizing a first haptic effect corresponding to the haptic feedback command, the synchronizing based on the timing and the indication.