AUTOMATIC REMOTE SENSING AND HAPTIC CONVERSION SYSTEM

• US 20150070144A1
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: WEDDLE, Amaya Becvar, GRANT, Danny
• Granted Patent: US 9,443,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system is provided that automatically converts an input into one or more haptic effects in near real-time. The system senses the input in near real-time. The system automatically converts the sensed input into one or more haptic signals in near real-time. The system generates the one or more haptic effects based on the one or more haptic signals.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to automatically convert an input into one or more haptic effects in near real-time, the automatic converting comprising:

sensing the input in near-real time;

automatically converting the sensed input into one or more haptic signals in near-real time; and

generating the one or more haptic effects based on the one or more haptic signals.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, the automatic converting further comprising:

identifying one or more characteristics of the sensed input; and

modifying the one or more haptic signals based on the one or more identified characteristics.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the modifying the one or more haptic signals further comprises:

modifying one or more haptic parameters of the one or more haptic signals to match the one or more identified characteristics.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 3,

wherein the one or more characteristics of the sensed input comprises at least one of:

an amplitude, a frequency, a duration, an envelope, a density, a magnitude, or a strength; and

wherein the one or more haptic parameters of the one or more haptic signals comprises at least one of;

an amplitude haptic parameter, a frequency haptic parameter, a duration haptic parameter, an envelope haptic parameter, a density haptic parameter, a magnitude parameter, or a strength haptic parameter.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, the automatic converting further comprising filtering the sensed input.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, the automatic converting further comprising wirelessly transmitting the sensed input to a controller configured to perform the automatic converting.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the generating the one or more haptic effects is performed by a wearable haptic device.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the generating the one or more haptic effects further comprising sending the one or more haptic signals to one or more haptic output devices to generate the one or more haptic effects.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein at least one haptic output device of the one or more haptic output devices comprises an actuator.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the input comprises audio data.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the input comprises video data.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the input comprises acceleration data.

13. A computer-implemented method for automatically converting an input into one or more haptic effects in near real-time, the computer-implemented method comprising:

sensing the input in near-real time;

automatically converting the sensed input into one or more haptic signals in near-real time; and

generating the one or more haptic effects based on the one or more haptic signals.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

identifying one or more characteristics of the sensed input; and

modifying the one or more haptic signals based on the one or more identified characteristics.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the modifying the one or more haptic signals further comprises:

modifying one or more haptic parameters of the one or more haptic signals to match the one or more identified characteristics.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15,

wherein the one or more characteristics of the sensed input comprises at least one of:

an amplitude, a frequency, a duration, an envelope, a density, a magnitude, or a strength; and

wherein the one or more haptic parameters of the one or more haptic signals comprises at least one of;

an amplitude haptic parameter, a frequency haptic parameter, a duration haptic parameter, an envelope haptic parameter, a density haptic parameter, a magnitude parameter, or a strength haptic parameter.

17. The computer-implemented method claim 13, the automatic converting further comprising filtering the sensed input.

18. A system for automatically converting an input into one or more haptic effects in near real-time, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store an automatic haptic conversion module; and

a processor configured to execute the automatic haptic conversion module stored on the memory;

wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is configured to sense the input in near-real time;

wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is further configured to automatically convert the sensed input into one or more haptic signals in near-real time; and

wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is further configured to generate the one or more haptic effects based on the one or more haptic signals.

19. The system of claim 18,

wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is further configured to identify one or more characteristics of the sensed input;

and

wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is further configured to modify the one or more haptic signals based on the one or more identified characteristics.

20. The system of claim 19,

wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is further configured to modify one or more haptic parameters of the one or more haptic signals to match the one or more identified characteristics.

21. The system of claim 20,

wherein the one or more characteristics of the sensed input comprises at least one of:

an amplitude, a frequency, a duration, an envelope, a density, a magnitude, or a strength; and

wherein the one or more haptic parameters of the one or more haptic signals comprises at least one of;

an amplitude haptic parameter, a frequency haptic parameter, a duration haptic parameter, an envelope haptic parameter, a density haptic parameter, a magnitude parameter, or a strength haptic parameter.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is further configured to filter the sensed input.