Interactivity model for shared feedback on mobile devices

• US 8,279,193 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Birnbaum, David, Ullrich, Chris, Short, Jason, Devenish, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherman, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US13/472,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20120229400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 139 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 340/4.12, 340/407.1, 340/407.2, 463/30, 178 1801- 1809, 178/18.11
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A system that produces a dynamic haptic effect and generates a drive signal that includes a gesture signal and a real or virtual device sensor signal. The haptic effect is modified dynamically based on both the gesture signal and the real or virtual device sensor signal such as from an accelerometer or gyroscope, or by a signal created from processing data such as still images, video or sound. The haptic effect may optionally be modified dynamically by using the gesture signal and the real or virtual device sensor signal and a physical model, or may optionally be applied concurrently to multiple devices which are connected via a communication link. The haptic effect may optionally be encoded into a data file on a first device. The data file is then communicated to a second device and the haptic effect is read from the data file and applied to the second device.

Claims

1. A method of producing a haptic effect comprising:

receiving a device sensor signal;

receiving a gesture signal;

generating a dynamic interaction parameter using the device sensor signal and the gesture signal; and

applying a drive signal to a haptic output device according to the dynamic interaction parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the gesture signal comprises a vector signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the gesture signal comprises an on-screen signal.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a dynamic interaction parameter comprises generating a dynamic interaction parameter from a combination of the device sensor signal and the gesture signal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a dynamic interaction parameter comprises generating a dynamic interaction parameter using the device sensor signal and the gesture signal and a physical model.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a dynamic interaction parameter comprises generating a dynamic interaction parameter using the device sensor signal and the gesture signal and an animation.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor signal comprises an accelerometer signal.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein sensor signal comprises a gyroscope signal.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein sensor signal comprises an ambient signal.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein sensor signal comprises a virtual sensor signal.

11. A haptic effect enabled system comprising:

a haptic output device;

a drive module electronically coupled to the haptic output device for receiving a device sensor signal, receiving a gesture signal, and generating a dynamic interaction parameter using the device sensor signal and the gesture signal; and

a drive circuit electronically coupled to the drive module and the haptic output device for applying a drive signal to the haptic output device according to the dynamic interaction parameter.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the gesture signal comprises a vector signal.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the gesture signal comprises an on-screen signal.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the drive module comprises a drive module for generating a dynamic interaction parameter from a combination of the device sensor signal and the gesture signal.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the drive module comprises a drive module for generating a dynamic interaction parameter using the device sensor signal and the gesture signal and a physical model.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the drive module comprises a drive module for generating a dynamic interaction parameter using the device sensor signal and the gesture signal and an animation.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the device sensor signal comprises an accelerometer signal.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the device sensor signal comprises a gyroscope signal.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the device sensor signal comprises an ambient signal.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the device sensor signal comprises a virtual sensor signal.