HAPTIC SENSATIONS AS A FUNCTION OF EYE GAZE

• US 20140256438A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Grant, Danny A., Levesque, Vincent
• Granted Patent: US 9,833,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

Systems, electronic devices, and methods provide haptic sensations as a function of eye gaze. A system may include a detector configured to determine a direction of an eye gaze of a user of the system, a processor configured to generate signal representative of a haptic effect based on the direction of the eye gaze, and a haptic output device configured to receive the signal from the processor and output the haptic effect to the user. A method for providing a haptic effect to a user of a system may include determining a direction of an eye gaze of the user of the system, generating a haptic effect based on the direction of the eye gaze, and outputting the haptic effect to the user.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a detector configured to determine a direction of an eye gaze of a user of the system;

a processor configured to generate signal representative of a haptic effect based on the direction of the eye gaze; and

a haptic output device configured to receive the signal from the processor and output the haptic effect to the user.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the haptic output device comprises an actuator configured to output the haptic effect.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the haptic output device comprises a non-mechanical device configured to output the haptic effect.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a camera configured to capture an image of an eye of the user, and an image processor configured to determine the direction of the eye gaze based on the image.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the image processor is part of the processor.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a sensor configured to monitor movements of muscles near an eye of the user, and a second processor configured to determine the direction of the eye gaze based on the monitored movements.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the second processor is part of the processor.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the detector and the processor are part of a first device and the haptic output device is part of a second device that is separate from the first device.

9. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a communication port configured to establish a wired or wireless communication channel between the first device and the second device.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the detector is part of a first device and the processor and the haptic output device are part of a second device that is separate from the first device.

11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising a communication port configured to establish a wired or wireless communication channel between the first device and the second device.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate a first signal representative of the haptic effect when the eye gaze of the user is determined to be directed at an object, and wherein the processor is configured to generate a second signal representative of a second haptic effect that is different from the haptic effect when the eye gaze of the user is determined to not be directed at the object.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate a first signal representative of the haptic effect when the eye gaze of the user is determined to be directed at a first object, and wherein the processor is configured to generate a second signal representative of a second haptic effect that is different from the haptic effect when the eye gaze of the user is determined to be directed at a second object that is different from the first object.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate an augmented reality space, and use the direction of the eye gaze to determine when the user is looking at an object in the augmented reality space, wherein the haptic effect is further based on the object.

15. A method for providing a haptic effect to a user of a system, the method comprising:

determining a direction of an eye gaze of the user of the system;

generating a haptic effect based on the direction of the eye gaze; and

outputting the haptic effect to the user.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said determining comprising capturing an image of an eye of the user, and determining the direction of the eye gaze based on the image.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said determining comprises monitoring movements of muscles near an eye of the user, and determining the direction of the eye gaze based on the monitored movements.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein said generating the haptic effect comprises generating a first haptic effect when the eye gaze of the user is determined to be directed at a first object, and generating a second haptic effect that is different from the haptic effect when the eye gaze of the user is determined to not be directed at the first object.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein said generating the haptic effect comprises generating a first haptic effect when the eye gaze of the user is determined to be directed at a first object, and generating a second haptic effect that is different from the haptic effect when the eye gaze of the user is determined to be directed at a second object that is different from the first object.

20. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a detector supported by the housing, the detector configured to determine a direction of an eye gaze of a user of the electronic device;

a haptic output device supported by the housing, the haptic output device configured to generate a haptic effect to the user; and

a processor supported by the housing, the processor configured to generate

i) a first haptic drive signal representative of a first haptic effect based on the eye gaze of the user corresponding to the user looking at the electronic device, and

ii) a second haptic drive signal representative of a second haptic effect based on the eye gaze of the user corresponding to the user looking away from the electronic device, the processor further being configured to output the first haptic drive signal or the second haptic drive signal to the haptic output device to generate the haptic effect based on the direction of the eye gaze determined by the detector.

21. The electronic device according to claim 20, wherein the detector comprises a camera configured to capture an image of an eye of the user, and an image processor configured to determine the direction of the eye gaze based on the image.

22. The electronic device according to claim 20, further comprising a display supported by the housing, the display configured to display images.

23. The electronic device according to claim 22, wherein the display includes a touch screen configured to receive input from the user.

24. The electronic device according to claim 20, wherein an intensity of the second haptic effect is greater than an intensity of the first haptic effect.