System and method for manipulation of sound data using haptic feedback

• US 8,125,442 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Chu, Lonny L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US12/210,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20090002315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/161, 345/163, 345/700, 345/701, 345/702, 345/173, 345/204, 846/09, 463/30, 463/37, 463/38, 715/701, 715/702, 715/727
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0008 Associated control or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/36 Accompaniment arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/101 Music Composition or musical creation; Tools or processes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/241 Scratch effects, i.e. emulating playback velocity or pitch manipulation effects normally obtained by a disc-jockey manually rotating a LP record forward and backward
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/201 for movement interpretation, i.e. capturing and recognizing a gesture or a specific kind of movement, e.g. to control a musical instrument
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/311 with controlled tactile or haptic feedback effect; output interfaces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/031 File merging MIDI, i.e. merging or mixing a MIDI-like file or stream with a non-MIDI file or stream, e.g. audio or video
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/03 Sound
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/002 having an operating member rectilinearly slidable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/008 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being perpendicular to the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers

Abstract

In an embodiment, a device which comprises means for generating an audio signal based on sound data, the audio signal configured to produce sound from an audio producing device; means for generating a haptic command based on the sound data, the haptic command configured to cause a haptic feedback device to output a haptic sensation, the haptic sensation being associated with at least one characteristic of the sound data; and means for receiving a navigation command from a user experiencing the haptic sensation via the haptic feedback device, the navigation command associated with the sound data and based, at least in part, on the haptic sensation.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

memory configured to store sound data to which a haptic sensation is correlated; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to play the sound data, receive a user adjustment of parameters associated with the correlation of the haptic sensation to the sound data, and reprocess the sound data to include the adjustment of the parameter.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to store the reprocessed sound data in the memory.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to play the reprocessed sound data.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to play the reprocessed sound data when the haptic sensation is triggered.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to load a sound file with the sound data into the memory.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the user adjustment of parameters comprises at least one of adjusting a speed of playback, adjusting the balance of playback between left and right speakers, and adjusting an output amplitude of the sound data.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the user adjustment of parameters comprises selecting that the sound file repeats playback.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the user adjustment of parameters comprises designating an amount of rise in sound signal compared to an average sound level that triggers the haptic sensation.

9. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive a user selection of a haptic device by which the haptic sensations are output.

10. A method comprising:

playing sound data to which a haptic sensation is correlated such that an audio signal is generated;

receiving a user adjustment of parameters associated with the correlation of the haptic sensation to the sound data; and

reprocessing the sound data to include the adjustment of the parameter with the computer.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising playing the reprocessed sound data.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising playing the reprocessed sound data when the haptic sensation is triggered.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising loading a sound file with the sound data into the memory in a computer.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the user adjustment of parameters comprises at least one of adjusting a speed of playback, adjusting the balance of playback between left and right speakers, and adjusting an output amplitude of the sound data.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the user adjustment of parameters comprises selecting that the sound file repeats playback.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the user adjustment of parameters comprises designating an amount of rise in sound signal compared to an average sound level that triggers the haptic sensation.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a user selection of a haptic device by which the haptic sensations are output.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon which cause a computer system to carry out a method when executed, the method comprising:

playing sound data to which a haptic sensation is correlated such that an audio signal is generated;

receiving a user adjustment of parameters associated with the correlation of the haptic sensation to the sound data; and

reprocessing the sound data to include the adjustment of the parameter.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising playing the reprocessed sound data when the haptic sensation is triggered.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the user adjustment of parameters comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of adjusting a speed of playback, adjusting the balance of playback between left and right speakers, adjusting an output amplitude of the sound data, selecting that the sound file repeats playback, and designating an amount of rise in sound signal compared to an average sound level that triggers the haptic sensation.