Method and Apparatus for Distributing Haptic Synchronous Signals

• US 20090153350A1
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Kruse, Barbara, Steger, Ryan
• Granted Patent: US 7,839,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.200
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0655 Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/285 in cooperation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/06 for rowing or sculling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 5/025 Electronic metronomes rhytem generation for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/00 Teaching music metronomes G04F5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/40 Rhythm
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/185 Stick input, e.g. drumsticks with position or contact sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/331 Ring or other finger-attached control device
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/355 Geolocation input, i.e. control of musical parameters based on location or geographic position, e.g. provided by GPS, WiFi network location databases or mobile phone base station position databases
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/395 Acceleration sensing or accelerometer use, e.g. 3D movement computation by integration of accelerometer data, angle sensing with respect to the vertical, i.e. gravity sensing

Abstract

A haptic signal distribution system capable of distributing haptic synchronous signals includes a master haptic device and groups of slave haptic devices. In one embodiment, the master haptic device is configured to distribute haptic synchronous signals to slave haptic devices. The haptic synchronous signals, for instance, may include information relating to a tempo for a piece of music. A haptic signal distribution system, for example, allows a master wearable haptic device to selectively distribute haptic synchronous signals to one or more groups of slave wearable haptic devices via a wireless communications network. Upon receipt of the haptic synchronous signals, each slave wearable haptic device generates a series of haptic feedback having a rhythm of beats in response to the haptic synchronous signals.

Claims

1. A haptic timing distribution system, comprising:

a master wearable haptic device configured to selectively distribute haptic timing signals via a wireless communications network, wherein the haptic timing signals includes one or more tempos; and

at least one slave wearable haptic device, logically coupled to the master wearable haptic device, capable of selectively receiving haptic timing signals and generating a series of haptic feedback with a rhythm in response to the haptic timing signals.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the master wearable haptic device is capable of attaching to a part of body.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the master wearable haptic device is capable of attaching to an instrument.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the master wearable haptic device configured to selectively distribute haptic timing signals further includes a sensor capable of sensing movements of the master wearable haptic device, wherein the sensor is configured to generate haptic timing signals in response to the movements.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the master wearable haptic device configured to selectively distribute haptic timing signals further includes a signal generator capable of generating multiple sets of haptic signals, wherein each set of the multiple sets of haptic signals is configured to distribute to selected slave wearable haptic devices.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein multiple sets of haptic signals further include multiple tempos wherein each tempo is distributed to a group of selected wearable haptic devices.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the rhythm is substantially similar to at least one of the tempos.

8. The system of claim 1, further includes a plurality of slave wearable haptic devices divided into multiple groups of slave wearable haptic devices, wherein each group of the multiple groups of slave wearable haptic devices is configured to receive a type of haptic signal with a rhythm of tempo.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the master wearable haptic device configured to selectively distribute haptic timing signals further includes inaudible temporal synchronization queues.

10. A haptic coordinating system, comprising:

a master wearable haptic device configured to distribute one or more sets of haptic coordinating signals via a wireless communications network, wherein the master wearable haptic device is capable of attaching to an object; and

a plurality of slave wearable haptic device, logically coupled to the master wearable haptic device, capable of selectively receiving at least a set of haptic coordinating signals and generating haptic feedback in response to the haptic coordinating signals.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the master wearable haptic device is capable of attaching to a part of body.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the master wearable haptic device configured to distribute one or more sets of haptic coordinating signals further includes a sensor capable of sensing movements of the master wearable haptic device, wherein the sensor is configured to generate haptic coordinating signals in accordance with the movements detected.

13. The system of claim 10,

wherein the master wearable haptic device includes a master clock using global positioning system (“

GPS”

) to synchronize the master clock; and

wherein each of the plurality of slave wearable haptic devices includes a slave clock using GPS to synchronize the salve clock.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of slave wearable haptic device is divided into multiple groups, wherein each group of the multiple groups of slave wearable haptic devices is configured to receive one or more sets of haptic coordinating signals.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein each set of haptic coordinating signals further includes a recipient address for addressing targeted group of slave wearable haptic devices.

16. A method for providing a series of haptic feedback comprising:

generating a first set of haptic signals in accordance with haptic data;

generating a second set of haptic signals in accordance with the haptic data;

transmitting the first set of haptic signals to a first slave wearable haptic device for generating a first series of haptic feedback; and

transmitting the second set of haptic signals to a second slave wearable haptic device for generating a second series of haptic feedback.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

sensing movements of a master wearable haptic device; and

producing the haptic data in response to the movements of the master wearable haptic device.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising retrieving the haptic data from a storage location in a master wearable haptic device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein generating a first set of haptic signals in accordance with haptic data further includes adding inaudible temporal synchronization queues in the haptic signals.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising synchronizing a master clock in the master wearable haptic device and a slave clock in the slave wearable haptic device.

21. A system for providing a series of haptic feedback comprising:

means for generating a first set of haptic signals in accordance with haptic data;

means for generating a second set of haptic signals in accordance with the haptic data;

means for transmitting the first set of haptic signals to a first slave wearable haptic device for generating a first series of haptic feedback; and

means for transmitting the second set of haptic signals to a second slave wearable haptic device for generating a second series of haptic feedback.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

means for sensing movements of a master wearable haptic device; and

means for producing the haptic data in response to the movements of the master wearable haptic device.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for retrieving the haptic data from a storage location in a master wearable haptic device.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein means for generating a first set of haptic signals in accordance with haptic data further includes means for adding inaudible temporal synchronization queues in the haptic signals.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising means for synchronizing a master clock in the master wearable haptic device and a slave clock in the slave wearable haptic device.