Systems And Methods For Haptic Augmentation Of Voice-To-Text Conversion

• US 20110102160A1
• Filed: 10/29/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Ramsay, Erin, Heubel, Robert W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,902,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/011 Emotion or mood input determined on the basis of sensed human body parameters such as pulse, heart rate or beat, temperature of skin, facial expressions, iris, voice pitch, brain activity patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/06 Transformation of speech into a non-audible representation, e.g. speech visualisation or speech processing for tactile aids G10L15/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/16 Transforming into a non-visible representation devices or methods enabling ear patients to replace direct auditory perception by another kind of perception A61F11/04
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/03 characterised by the type of extracted parameters

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing voice-to-text haptic augmentation in a user interface are disclosed. For example, one disclosed system for converting audible speech information to a haptic effect includes a microphone and a processor in communication with the microphone, the processor configured to receive an audio signal associated with a voice from the microphone, determine a characteristic of the audio signal, and generate an actuator signal based at least in part on the characteristic, the actuator signal configured to cause an actuator to output a haptic effect.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving an input signal associated with one of a voice, an environmental sound, or a biorhythm;

determining a characteristic of the input signal; and

generating an actuator signal based at least in part on the characteristic, the actuator signal configured to cause an actuator to output a haptic effect.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic comprises one of a frequency, an amplitude, or a duration.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the characteristic comprises a high amplitude and wherein the actuator signal comprises a correspondingly high amplitude actuator signal.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the input signal comprises receiving an audio signal from a microphone.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising transmitting the audio signal and the actuator signal to a device configured to output the audio signal and the actuator signal.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a word associated with the audio signal; and

transmitting the word and the actuator signal to a remote device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the actuator signal to an actuator.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising generating a plurality of haptic effects based at least in part on the characteristic.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the actuator signal comprises selecting a haptic effect from a haptic effect library associated with the characteristic.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the input signal comprises receiving a biorhythm signal from a biosensor.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the characteristic comprises one of a frequency, an amplitude, or a duration.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising program code for transmitting the actuator signal to an actuator.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising program code for transmitting the input signal and the actuator signal to a device configured to output the input signal and the actuator signal.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

program code for determining a word associated with the input signal; and

program code for transmitting the word and the actuator signal to a remote device.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising program code for generating a plurality of haptic effects based at least in part on the characteristic.

11. A computer-readable medium encoded with processor executable program code, the computer-readable medium comprising:

program code for receiving an input signal associated with one of a voice, an environmental sound, or a biorhythm;

program code for determining a characteristic of the input signal; and

program code for generating an actuator signal based at least in part on the characteristic, the actuator signal configured to cause an actuator to output a haptic effect.

17. A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor in communication with the memory and configured to;

receive an input signal associated with one of a voice, an environmental sound, or a biorhythm;

determine a characteristic of the input signal; and

generate an actuator signal based at least in part on the characteristic of the input signal, the actuator signal configured to cause an actuator to output a haptic effect.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a word associated with the input signal;

transmit the word and the actuator signal to a remote device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a plurality of actuator signals based at least in part on the characteristic.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to generate the actuator signal by identifying a haptic effect from a haptic effect library associated with the characteristic.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising a microphone in communication with the processor, the microphone configured to:

receive a spoken text input;

generate an audio signal corresponding to the spoken text input; and

transmit the audio signal to the processor as the input signal.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising an actuator in communication with the processor, the actuator configured to receive the actuator signal and output a haptic effect.

23. The system of claim 17, further comprising a biosensor configured to determine a biorhythm signal and generate the input signal based at least in part on the biorhythm signal.

24. The system of claim 17, further comprising a housing for containing the memory, the processor, and the actuator.