Systems And Methods For Pre-Touch And True Touch

• US 20120056825A1
• Filed: 03/11/2011
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Ramsay, Erin, Gregorio, Pedro
• Granted Patent: US 10,908,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Systems and methods for pre-touch and true touch are disclosed. For example, in one described system for pre-touch and true touch includes a touch-sensitive interface configured to detect a user interaction and transmit a first interface signal based at least in part on the user interaction. The system also includes a processor in communication with the touch-sensitive interface and configured to receive the first interface signal and determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the first interface signal. The processor is further configured to preload a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect. The system also includes a cache in communication with the processor and configured to store the preloaded haptic signal for a time period and then transmit the haptic signal and a haptic effect generator in communication with the cache and configured to receive the haptic signal from the cache and, in response, output a haptic effect based at least in part on the haptic signal.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a touch-sensitive interface configured to detect a user interaction and transmit a first interface signal based at least in part on the user interaction;

a processor in communication with the touch-sensitive interface and configured to receive the first interface signal and determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the first interface signal, the processor further configured to preload a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect;

a cache in communication with the processor and configured to store the preloaded haptic signal for a time period, then transmit the haptic signal; and

a haptic effect generator in communication with the cache and configured to receive the haptic signal from the cache and output a haptic effect based at least in part on the haptic signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive interface comprises a touch-screen.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive interface is configured:

to detect the user interaction before a physical contact; and

to detect the physical contact.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the touch-sensitive interface is configured to transmit the first interface signal based at least in part on the user interaction before the physical contact, and wherein the touch-sensitive interface is configured to transmit a second interface signal based at least in part on the physical contact.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the processor is configured to determine the haptic effect based at least in part on the first interface signal, and

the cache is configured to output the haptic signal based at least in part on the second interface signal.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the period of time is the time between detecting user interaction and detecting the physical contact.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the cache transmits the haptic signal to the haptic effect generator after detecting the physical contact.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the time period is predefined.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the cache comprises a memory.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the cache comprises one of:

a capacitor, an inductor, or a battery.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the cache comprises a flywheel, and

storing the haptic signal comprises rotating the flywheel.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a flywheel brake and wherein outputting the haptic effect comprises slowing the flywheel.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to detect a user interaction above the surface of the touch-sensitive interface and transmit a sensor signal to the processor corresponding to the user interaction.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises one of:

an optical sensor, an infrared sensor, or a motion sensor.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a housing configured to contain the processor, the cache, and the haptic effect generator.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the housing comprises a handheld device housing.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the haptic effect generator is configured to output the haptic effect onto the housing.

18. A method for generating a haptic effect comprising:

receiving a first interface signal from a touch-sensitive interface configured to detect a user interaction and transmit an interface signal based at least in part on the user interaction;

determining a haptic effect based at least in part on the first interface signal;

preloading a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect to a cache configured to store the haptic signal for a period of time; and

transmitting the haptic signal to a haptic effect generator configured to output the haptic effect.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the touch-sensitive interface is configured to detect the user interaction before a physical contact and to detect the physical contact.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the period of time is the period between detecting the user interaction and detecting physical contact.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving a second interface signal from the touch-sensitive interface, and wherein the touch-sensitive interface is configured to transmit the first interface signal based at least in part on the user interaction before the physical contact and transmit the second interface signal based at least in part on the physical contact.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the haptic signal is transmitted to the haptic effect generator after receiving the second interface signal.

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

program code to receive an interface signal from a touch-sensitive interface configured to detect a user interaction, the touch-sensitive interface further configured to transmit an interface signal based at least in part on the user interaction;

program code to determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the interface signal;

program code to preload a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect to a cache configured to store the haptic signal for a time period; and

program code to transmit the stored haptic signal to a haptic effect generator configured to output the haptic effect.