Customizing haptic effects on an end user device

• US 8,621,348 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2008
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Ramsay, Erin B., Heubel, Robert W., Fleming, Jason D., Rank, Stephen D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LE V
• Application Number:
  US12/060,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20080294984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,100 Days
• Field of Search: 715/864, 715/702
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/002 Specific input/output arrangements not covered by G06F3/01 - G06F3/16 other optical apparatus G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls

Abstract

Systems, methods, and associated software are described herein for enabling a regular user of an end user device, such as a cellular telephone, to customize parameters associated with haptic effects applied to the user by the end user device. In one implementation, among several, a method described herein includes enabling a user of an end user device to access software adapted to design or modify haptic effects of the end user device. The method further includes enabling the user to open a haptic track file and enter or modify parameters associated with the haptic effects of the opened haptic track file.

Claims

1. An electronic handheld device comprising:

a haptic actuating device configured to actuate haptic effects upon a user;

memory configured to store software that enables the user to create the haptic effects;

a processor configured to execute the software stored in memory; and

an accelerometer coupled to the processor;

wherein the haptic actuating device is further configured to play a created haptic effect when an event associated with the electronic handheld device occurs;

wherein the created haptic effect generates a signal that, when applied to the haptic actuating device, generates a vibrotactile effect on the handheld device;

wherein the haptic effect is created at least in part by detecting a tapping motion on the handheld device from the user by the accelerometer and translating the tapping motion to parameters of the created haptic effect, the parameters corresponding to a magnitude of the tapping motion; and

wherein the haptic effects are defined by haptic track files stored in memory and each haptic track file stores a haptic track comprising magnitude parameters with respect to time.

2. The electronic handheld device of claim 1, further comprising one or more input devices allowing the user to enter information capable of creating the haptic effects.

3. The electronic handheld device of claim 1, wherein the memory is further configured to store one or more mixed track files, each mixed track file comprising a combination of multiple haptic track files.

4. The electronic handheld device of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of each of the haptic track files of a respective mixed track file overlap in time.

5. The electronic handheld device of claim 1, wherein the electronic handheld device includes one of a mobile handset, cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, personal navigation device, tablet PC, video gaming device, game module, or game console.

6. The electronic handheld device of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store a library of haptic tracks that can be used as a starting point for creating haptic effects.

7. The electronic handheld device of claim 1, wherein the event associated with the electronic handheld device is the receiving of a telephone call.

22. The device of claim 2, wherein the input device is the accelerometer.

8. Programmable haptic design software stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the programmable haptic design software comprising:

logic adapted to enable a user to create parameters associated with a haptic track; and

logic adapted to associate the haptic track with an event of an end user device;

wherein the end user device is configured to play the haptic track when the event occurs;

wherein the haptic track generates a signal that, when applied to the end user device, generates a vibrotactile effect on the end user device;

wherein the haptic track is created at least in part by detecting a tapping motion on the end user device from a user by an accelerometer and translating the tapping; and

wherein the haptic track is stored in memory and the haptic track comprises magnitude parameters with respect to time.

9. The programmable haptic design software of claim 8, wherein the event corresponds to a specific auditory or visual output of the end user device.

10. The programmable haptic design software of claim 8, further comprising logic adapted to enable the user to initiate a test playback of a modified haptic track.

11. The programmable haptic design software of claim 8, wherein the parameters associated with the haptic track comprise an attack level, attack time, magnitude, duration, fade level, and fade time.

12. The programmable haptic design software of claim 8, further comprising logic adapted to enable the user to mix a plurality of haptic tracks to create a mixed track file.

13. The programmable haptic design software of claim 8, wherein the logic adapted to enable the user to create parameters further enables the user to set the duration of the haptic track from an approximate range comprising 0.001 seconds to 10 seconds.

23. The software of claim 8, wherein the parameters are entered or modified in response to detecting at least one of gestures, shaking or tapping.

14. A method comprising:

enabling a user of an end user device to access software adapted to create haptic effects of the end user device;

enabling the user to open a haptic track file; and

enabling the user to create parameters associated with the haptic effects of the opened haptic track file;

wherein, in response to a specific event, the end user device plays the haptic effects created by the user;

wherein the created haptic effects generates a signal that, when applied to the end user device, generates a vibrotactile effect on the end user device;

wherein the haptic track file is created at least in part by detecting a tapping motion on the end user device from the user by an accelerometer and translating the tapping motion to the parameters, the parameters corresponding to a magnitude of the tapping motion; and

wherein the haptic effects are defined by the haptic track files stored in memory and each haptic track file comprises magnitude parameters with respect to time.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

enabling the user to store the created haptic track file.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the end user device is a haptic-enabled device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein enabling the user to open the haptic track file comprises enabling the user to open a new file or an existing file.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the haptic track file is a mixed track file that includes an overlapping mix of haptic track files, each haptic track file including magnitude parameters with respect to time.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein transmitting the haptic track file initiates immediate playback of the haptic effect associated with the haptic track file on the remote device.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

measuring an ambient condition of the end user device; and

modifying the haptic effects to compensate for the measured ambient condition.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the specific event includes one of receiving a telephone call, receiving a telephone call from a particular caller, providing a particular audible signal, providing a particular visual signal, or pressing a key or button of a keypad or touch screen.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the parameters are entered or modified in response to detecting at least one of gestures, shaking or tapping.