Method and apparatus for generating mood-based haptic feedback

• US 8,390,439 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US13/214,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20120001749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6027 using adaptive systems learning from user actions, e.g. for skill level adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/011 Emotion or mood input determined on the basis of sensed human body parameters such as pulse, heart rate or beat, temperature of skin, facial expressions, iris, voice pitch, brain activity patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

A method and apparatus of generating mood-based haptic feedback are disclosed. A haptic system includes a sensing device, a digital processing unit, and a haptic generator. The sensing device, in one embodiment, is configured to detect user'"'"'s modalities in accordance with mood information collected by one or more sensors and capable of issuing a sensing signal in response to the user'"'"'s modalities. The digital processing unit is capable of identifying a user'"'"'s condition in accordance with the sensing signal and providing a haptic signal in response to the user'"'"'s condition. The user'"'"'s condition, in one aspect, indicates user'"'"'s mood and/or user'"'"'s psychological conditions. The haptic generator generates haptic feedback in accordance with the haptic signal.

Claims

1. A method for generating mood-based haptic cues, comprising:

sensing, by a portable device, mood information of a user;

determining, by the portable device, a mood of the user based on the sensed mood information;

generating, by the portable device, a haptic signal based on the determined mood of the user, the haptic signal causing a haptic cue to be generated, wherein the haptic cue conveys the determined mood of the user; and

causing, by the portable device, the haptic signal to be communicated to a device remote from the portable device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the haptic signal to be communicated to a device remote from the portable device further comprises:

causing, by the portable device, the haptic signal to be communicated to a plurality of devices remote from the portable device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable device and the device remote from the portable device are communicably coupled to one another via a network, wherein the haptic signal is communicated via the network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sensing, by the portable device, an ambient condition associated with the user; and

wherein generating the haptic signal further comprises;

generating, by the portable device, the haptic signal based on the mood information and the sensed ambient condition.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the ambient condition comprises a temperature, a humidity, a lighting, or an atmospheric pressure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the haptic signal to be communicated further comprises causing the haptic signal to be communicated during a phone call between the portable device and the device remote from the portable device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the mood information is sensed prior to the phone call.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the mood information is sensed during the phone call.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the portable device, a second haptic signal from the device remote from the portable device, the second haptic signal indicating a second mood of a user of the device remote from the portable device; and

generating, by the portable device, a second haptic cue that conveys the second mood to the user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the device remote from the portable device, the haptic signal; and

generating, by the device remote from the portable device, the haptic cue.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the mood information comprises:

sensing, by the portable device, a facial expression, a voice pitch, a body temperature, a body humidity, a heart pulse, a breathing rhythm, a body posture, a hand gesture, or a body movement.

12. The method of claim 1, determining a mood of the user further comprises determining, by the portable device, a level of the mood of the user, wherein an intensity of the haptic cue is based on the level of the mood of the user.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing mood information further comprises:

capturing video of the user, wherein the mood information comprises the captured video; and

causing, by the portable device, the captured video to be transmitted.

13. A system for generating mood-based haptic cues, comprising:

an apparatus, comprising;

a sensing device configured to sense mood information of a user; and

a processor configured to;

determine a mood of the user based on the sensed mood information;

generate a haptic signal based on the determined mood of the user, the haptic signal causing a haptic cue to be generated, wherein the haptic cue conveys the determined mood of the user; and

cause the haptic signal to be communicated to a device remote from the apparatus.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

cause the haptic signal to be communicated to a plurality of devices remote from the portable device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the apparatus and the device remote from the apparatus are communicably coupled to one another via a network, wherein the haptic signal is communicated via the network.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensing device is further configured to sense an ambient condition associated with the user;

and

wherein the processor is further configured to generate the haptic signal based on the mood information and the sensed ambient condition.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the ambient condition comprises a temperature, a humidity, a lighting, or an atmospheric pressure.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the haptic signal to be communicated during a phone call between the apparatus and the apparatus remote from the apparatus.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the mood information is sensed prior to the phone call.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the mood information is sensed during the phone call.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a second haptic signal from the device remote from the apparatus, the second haptic signal indicating a second mood of a user of the device remote from the apparatus; and

generate a second haptic cue that conveys the second mood to the user.

22. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

the device remote from the apparatus, wherein the device remote from the apparatus is configured to receive the haptic signal and generate the haptic cue.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to sense a facial expression, a voice pitch, a body temperature, a body humidity, a heart pulse, a breathing rhythm, a body posture, a hand gesture, or a body movement.

24. The system of claim 13, the mood of the user comprises a level of the mood of the user, wherein an intensity of the haptic cue is based on the level of the mood of the user.

26. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

capture video of the user, wherein the mood information comprises the captured video; and

cause the captured video to be transmitted.