VIBRATION GENERATION SYSTEM, STORAGE MEDIUM HAVING STORED THEREIN VIBRATION GENERATION PROGRAM, AND VIBRATION GENERATION METHOD

• US 20150356838A1
• Filed: 05/01/2015
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: OBANA, Kazutoshi, KAWAI, Kochi, MIYATAKE, Junichiro, MASUBUCHI, Shoji, AOKI, Takafumi, YAMASHITA, Kei, INAMI, Masahiko, MINAMIZAWA, Kouta
• Granted Patent: US 9,606,626 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• 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: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

At least a first vibration output apparatus and a second vibration output apparatus used while physically separated from the first vibration output apparatus are included. The first vibration output apparatus includes a first vibration unit. The second vibration output apparatus includes a second vibration unit. It is possible to output a first vibration signal and a second vibration signal for, by changing a ratio of intensities of vibrating the first vibration unit and the second vibration unit, causing a user to perceive a single vibration source between the first vibration output apparatus and the second vibration output apparatus.

Claims

1. A vibration generation system including at least a first vibration output apparatus and a second vibration output apparatus used while physically separated from the first vibration output apparatus,

the first vibration output apparatus comprising a first vibration unit,

the second vibration output apparatus comprising a second vibration unit,

the vibration generation system comprising one or more processors configured to:

as first vibration control, generate and output a first vibration signal for vibrating the first vibration unit; and

as second vibration control, generate and output a second vibration signal for vibrating the second vibration unit, wherein

in the first vibration control and the second vibration control, it is possible to output the first vibration signal and the second vibration signal for, by changing a ratio of intensities of vibrating the first vibration unit and the second vibration unit, causing a user to perceive a single vibration source between the first vibration output apparatus and the second vibration output apparatus.

2. The vibration generation system according to claim 1, wherein

in the first vibration control and the second vibration control, the first vibration unit and the second vibration unit are simultaneously vibrated with the first vibration control and the second vibration control in conjunction with each other.

3. The vibration generation system according to claim 1, wherein

the one or more processors are further configured to set between the first vibration output apparatus and the second vibration output apparatus a vibration source position to be perceived as the vibration source by the user, and

in the first vibration control and the second vibration control, a position of the vibration source to be perceived based on the vibrations of the first vibration unit and the second vibration unit is controlled in accordance with the vibration source position.

4. The vibration generation system according to claim 3, wherein

in the setting of the vibration source position, the vibration source position is movable between the first vibration output apparatus and the second vibration output apparatus based on a predetermined algorithm.

5. The vibration generation system according to claim 3, wherein

in the first vibration control and the second vibration control, the first vibration unit and the second vibration unit are simultaneously vibrated based on distribution of the intensities of the vibrations corresponding to the vibration source position, thereby causing the user to perceive the vibration source of the vibrations of the first vibration unit and the second vibration unit as being at the vibration source position.

6. The vibration generation system according to claim 3, wherein

in the first vibration control and the second vibration control, if the vibration source position moves from a position in the first vibration output apparatus to between the first vibration output apparatus and the second vibration output apparatus, and if the vibration source position moves from a position in the second vibration output apparatus to between the first vibration output apparatus and the second vibration output apparatus, the first vibration signal and the second vibration signal are continuously output.

7. The vibration generation system according to claim 1, wherein

in the first vibration control, the first vibration signal is generated such that as a position of the vibration source to be perceived by the user moves from the first vibration output apparatus toward the second vibration output apparatus, a vibration to be imparted by the first vibration unit is made smaller, and

in the second vibration control, the second vibration signal is generated such that as a position of the vibration source to be perceived by the user moves from the first vibration output apparatus toward the second vibration output apparatus, a vibration to be imparted by the second vibration unit is made greater.

8. The vibration generation system according to claim 1, further comprising a sound output unit, wherein

the one or more processors are further configured to, as sound control, generate a sound signal to be output to the sound output unit and output the generated sound signal to the sound output unit, and

in the first vibration control and the second vibration control, the first vibration signal and the second vibration signal are generated so as to impart vibrations corresponding to a sound controlled in the sound control.

9. The vibration generation system according to claim 1, further comprising a display, wherein

the one or more processors are further configured to, as display control, display an image corresponding to the first vibration signal and the second vibration signal on the display.

10. The vibration generation system according to claim 3, further comprising a display, wherein

the one or more processors are further configured to, as display control, display an image corresponding to the first vibration signal and the second vibration signal on the display, and

if the vibration source position set in the setting of the vibration source position is located between the first vibration output apparatus and the second vibration output apparatus, the image displayed on the display is erased.

11. A vibration generation system including a first vibration output apparatus and a second vibration output apparatus used while physically separated from the first vibration output apparatus,

the first vibration output apparatus comprising a first vibration unit,

the second vibration output apparatus comprising a second vibration unit,

the first vibration output apparatus comprising one or more processors configured to:

as vibration control, generate and output a first vibration signal for vibrating the first vibration unit and a second vibration signal for vibrating the second vibration unit; and

wirelessly transmit data representing the second vibration signal,

the second vibration output apparatus comprising one or more processors configured to receive the data transmitted wirelessly in the transmission of the data and output the second vibration signal indicated by the received data to the second vibration unit, wherein

in the vibration control, it is possible to output the first vibration signal and the second vibration signal for, by vibrating the first vibration unit and the second vibration unit in conjunction with each other, causing a user to perceive a single vibration source between the first vibration output apparatus and the second vibration output apparatus.

12. A vibration generation system including at least a first vibration output apparatus that can be held in one hand of a user and a second vibration output apparatus that can be held in the other hand of the user and is used while physically separated from the first vibration output apparatus,

the first vibration output apparatus comprising a first vibration unit,

the second vibration output apparatus comprising a second vibration unit,

the vibration generation system comprising one or more processors configured to:

as first vibration control, generate and output a first vibration signal for vibrating the first vibration unit; and

as second vibration control, generate and output a second vibration signal for vibrating the second vibration unit, wherein

in the first vibration control and the second vibration control, it is possible to output the first vibration signal and the second vibration signal for, by vibrating the first vibration unit and the second vibration unit in conjunction with each other, causing a user to perceive a single vibration source between the first vibration output apparatus and the second vibration output apparatus.

13. A vibration generation system including at least a first vibration output apparatus that can be held by a user in their hand and a second vibration output apparatus that can be attached to a neck of the user and is used while physically separated from the first vibration output apparatus,

the first vibration output apparatus comprising a first vibration unit,

the second vibration output apparatus comprising a second vibration unit,

the vibration generation system comprising one or more processors configured to:

as first vibration control, generate and output a first vibration signal for vibrating the first vibration unit; and

as second vibration control, generate and output a second vibration signal for vibrating the second vibration unit, wherein

in the first vibration control and the second vibration control, it is possible to output the first vibration signal and the second vibration signal for, by vibrating the first vibration unit and the second vibration unit in conjunction with each other, causing a user to perceive a single vibration source between the first vibration output apparatus and the second vibration output apparatus.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein a vibration generation program executed by a computer included in a vibration generation system including at least a first vibration output apparatus including a first vibration unit and a second vibration output apparatus including a second vibration unit used while physically separated from the first vibration output apparatus, the vibration generation program causing the computer to execute:

generating and outputting a first vibration signal for vibrating the first vibration unit; and

generating and outputting a second vibration signal for vibrating the second vibration unit, wherein

in the generation and output of the first vibration signal and the generation and output of the second vibration signal, it is possible to output a first vibration signal and a second vibration signal for, by changing a ratio of intensities of vibrating the first vibration unit and the second vibration unit, causing a user to perceive a single vibration source between the first vibration output apparatus and the second vibration output apparatus.

15. A vibration generation method performed by a processor or cooperation of a plurality of processors, the processor or the plurality of processors included in a vibration generation system including at least a first vibration output apparatus including a first vibration unit and a second vibration output apparatus including a second vibration unit used while physically separated from the first vibration output apparatus, the vibration generation method comprising:

generating and outputting a first vibration signal for vibrating the first vibration unit; and

generating and outputting a second vibration signal for vibrating the second vibration unit, wherein

in the generation and output of the first vibration signal and the generation and output of the second vibration signal, it is possible to output a first vibration signal and a second vibration signal for, by changing a ratio of intensities of vibrating the first vibration unit and the second vibration unit, causing a user to perceive a single vibration source between the first vibration output apparatus and the second vibration output apparatus.