TERMINAL DEVICE FOR PROVIDING HAPTIC EFFECT USING HAPTIC ENGINE AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20140285329A1
• Filed: 01/23/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Eun-Hwa, PARK, Jin-Hyoung, BAE, Yu-Dong, JUNG, Dae-Kwang, JUNG, Ji-Hoon
• Granted Patent: US 9,280,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• 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 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

Abstract

A terminal device controlling method that provides a haptic effect using a haptic engine is provided, which includes sensing a haptic event, executing a non-physical parameter-based haptic function in a haptic engine so as to determine a vibration pattern corresponding to the haptic event, transferring the vibration pattern from the haptic engine to a device driver, and driving, through the device driver, a vibrator based on the vibration pattern so as to embody a haptic effect.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a terminal device that provides a haptic effect using a haptic engine, the method comprising:

sensing a haptic event;

executing a non-physical parameter-based haptic function in a haptic engine so as to determine a vibration pattern corresponding to the haptic event;

transferring the vibration pattern from the haptic engine to a device driver; and

driving, through the device driver, a vibrator based on the vibration pattern so as to embody the haptic effect.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-physical parameter-based haptic function is determined based on at least one classification.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one classification includes a broad classification for determining a function, an intermediate classification for determining a detailed category, and a fine classification for determining selection of a situation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the intermediate classification determines a frequency or a haptic pattern, and the fine classification determines an intensity or a duration.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the haptic pattern includes a combination of a plurality of predetermined haptic patterns.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input of selection with respect to at least one of an intensity and a duration of the vibration pattern.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the haptic event is based on a physical parameter;

calling a physical parameter-based haptic function when the haptic event is based on a physical parameter; and

calling the non-physical parameter-based haptic function when the haptic event is not based on a physical parameter.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the physical parameter-based haptic function is determined based on at least one of an impulse, a type of event, and a number of repetitions.

9. A terminal device that provides a haptic effect using a haptic engine, the terminal device comprising:

a controller configured to sense a haptic event;

execute a non-physical parameter-based haptic function in a haptic engine so as to determine a vibration pattern corresponding to the haptic event;

transfer the vibration pattern from the haptic engine to a device driver; and

drive a vibrator through the device driver based on the vibration pattern so as to embody a haptic effect;

the vibrator that vibrates the terminal device; and

a storage unit that stores the vibration pattern corresponding to the haptic event.

10. The terminal device of claim 9, wherein the non-physical parameter-based haptic function is determined based on at least one classification.

11. The terminal device of claim 10, wherein the at least one classification includes a broad classification for determining a function, an intermediate classification for determining a detailed category, and a fine classification for determining selection of a situation.

12. The terminal device of claim 11, wherein the intermediate classification determines a frequency or a haptic pattern, and the fine classification determines an intensity or a duration.

13. The terminal device of claim 12, wherein the haptic pattern comprises a combination of a plurality of predetermined haptic patterns.

14. The terminal device of claim 9, wherein the controller receives an input of selection with respect to at least one of an intensity and a duration of the vibration pattern.

15. The terminal device of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine whether the haptic event is based on a physical parameter;

call a physical parameter-based haptic function when the haptic event is based on a physical parameter; and

call a non-physical parameter-based haptic function when the haptic event is not based on a physical parameter.

16. The terminal device of claim 15, wherein the physical parameter based haptic function is determined based on at least one of an impulse, a type of event, and a number of repetitions.