System and method for providing haptic feedback to a musical instrument

• US 7,453,039 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2006
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Ramstein, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels; Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US11/506,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20060278065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 846/45, 345/156
• US Class Current: 84/645
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/32 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/311 with controlled tactile or haptic feedback effect; output interfaces therefor

Abstract

A system and method for generating a haptic feedback signal correlated to a music signal and providing the haptic feedback signal to a musical instrument. The music signal can created by the musical instrument or from a file, e.g., a MIDI file. A processor can generate the haptic feedback signal using a look-up table in which the music signal is mapped to a corresponding haptic feedback signal or can compute the corresponding haptic feedback signal based on the parameters of the music signal. The processor provides the haptic feedback signal to an actuator for causing a haptic effect at the musical instrument in response to receiving the haptic feedback signal. The haptic feedback signal can be applied to an input member, such as a key on a keyboard or a string on a guitar, or to the housing of the musical instrument, such as the neck of a guitar.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a database comprising at least one haptic effect; and

a processor in communication with the database and a musical instrument having at least one actuator, the processor configured to;

read sound data from a data source stored in a computer-readable medium;

receive a selection of a haptic effect in the database, the haptic effect associated with the sound data;

transmit the sound data to the musical instrument to cause an output of a sound; and

transmit an actuator signal to the at least one actuator, the actuator signal configured to cause the at least one actuator to output the haptic effect to the musical instrument while the instrument is being played, the output of the haptic effect corresponding to the output of the sound.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the database comprises at least one look-up table comprising the at least one haptic effect.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to read the sound data by reading the sound data from a file.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the file is a musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) file.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the actuator is configured to cause the haptic effect on an input member of the musical instrument.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the musical instrument is a keyboard-based instrument, and the input member is selected from the group consisting of a key and a pitch bend.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the musical instrument comprises a housing and wherein the actuator is coupled to the housing and configured to cause the haptic effect on the housing.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a musical instrument selected from the group consisting of a keyboard, drum pads, wind controller, guitar, electric guitar, and a computer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the sound data comprises one note, and the haptic effect is correlated to the one note.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the sound data comprises a chord, and the haptic effect is correlated to the chord.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first musical instrument comprises a guitar, and the input member comprises a guitar string.

12. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded processor-executable program code to cause a processor to execute one or more instructions, the computer-readable medium comprising:

program code to read sound data from a data source on a first computer-readable medium;

program code to select a haptic effect from a database, the haptic effect associated with the sound data;

program code to transmit the sound data to a musical instrument having at least One actuator to cause a sound; and

program code to transmit an actuator signal to the at least one actuator, the actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to output the haptic effect to the musical instrument while the instrument is being played, the output of the haptic effect corresponding to the output of the sound.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the database comprises at least one look-up table comprising the at least one haptic effect.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the actuator signal is configured

to cause the haptic effect on an input member of the musical instrument.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the actuator signal is configured to cause the haptic effect on a housing of the musical instrument.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein the sound data is stored in a file.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the file is a musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) file.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the musical instrument is a keyboard-based instrument, and comprises an input member selected from the group consisting of a key and a pitch bend.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the at least one actuator is coupled to a housing of the musical instrument and is configured to cause the haptic effect on the housing.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the musical instrument is selected from the group consisting of a keyboard, drum pads, wind controller, guitar, electric guitar, and a computer.

21. A method comprising:

reading sound data from a computer-readable medium;

receive a selection of a haptic effect from the database, the haptic effect associated with the sound data;

transmitting the sound data to a musical instrument having at least one actuator to cause a sound; and

transmit an actuator signal to the at least one actuator, the actuator signal configured to cause the at least one actuator to output the haptic effect to the musical instrument while the instrument is being played, the output of the haptic effect corresponding to the output of the sound.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of reading the sound data from a file.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the actuator signal is configured to cause the haptic effect on an input member of the musical instrument.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the actuator signal is configured to cause the haptic effect on a housing of the musical instrument.

25. A system, comprising:

a database comprising at least one haptic effect;

a processor in communication with a first musical instrument and a second musical instrument, the processor configured to;

receive a first signal from the first musical instrument, the first signal generated by a manipulation of a first input member of the first musical instrument;

select a haptic effect from the database;

transmit an actuator signal to an actuator in communication with the second musical instrument to cause the actuator to output the haptic effect to the second musical instrument in response to the first signal.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the database comprises a look-up table comprising the at least one haptic effect.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a second signal to the second instrument, the second signal based at least in part on the first signal and configured to cause the second instrument to output a sound.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the second signal comprises a MIDI signal.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the actuator signal is further configured to cause the actuator to output the haptic effect to an input member of the second instrument.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the actuator signal is further configured to cause the actuator to output the haptic effect to a housing of the second instrument.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the second musical instrument comprises a plurality of actuators.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the actuator signal is further configured to cause the actuator to output the haptic effect to an input member of the second instrument.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the actuator signal is further configured to cause the actuator to output the haptic effect to a housing of the second instrument.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the processor is further configured to output a second actuator signal to a second actuator in communication with the first instrument, the second actuator signal configured to cause the haptic effect on the first instrument.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the actuator is configured to output the haptic effect on the first input member.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the actuator is configured to output the haptic effect on a housing of the first musical instrument.

37. A method, comprising:

receiving a first signal from a first musical instrument, the first signal generated by a manipulation of a first input member of the first musical instrument;

selecting a haptic effect from the database;

transmit an actuator signal to an actuator in communication with a second musical instrument to cause the actuator to output the haptic effect to the second musical instrument in response to the first signal.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the actuator signal is further configured to cause the actuator to output the haptic effect to an input member of the second instrument.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the actuator signal is further configured to cause the actuator to output the haptic effect to a housing of the second instrument.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the processor is further configured to output a second actuator signal to a second actuator in communication with the first instrument, the second actuator signal configured to cause the haptic effect on the first instrument.

41. A computer-readable medium comprising program code, the program code comprising:

program code for receiving a first signal from a first musical instrument, the first signal generated by a manipulation of a first input member of the first musical instrument;

program code for selecting a haptic effect from the database;

program code for transmit an actuator signal to an actuator in communication with a second musical instrument to cause the actuator to output the haptic effect to the second musical instrument in response to the first signal.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the actuator signal is further configured to cause the actuator to output the haptic effect to an input member of the second instrument.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the actuator signal is further configured to cause the actuator to output the haptic effect to a housing of the second instrument.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the processor is further configured to output a second actuator signal to a second actuator in communication with the first instrument, the second actuator signal configured to cause the haptic effect on the first instrument.