Interactivity model for shared feedback on mobile devices

• US 8,866,788 B1
• Filed: 07/28/2014
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Birnbaum, David, Ullrich, Chris, Short, Jason, Devenish, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): SHERMAN, STEPHEN G
• Application Number:
  US14/444,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20140333565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 85 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 178 1801- 1809, 178/18.11, 340/4.12, 340/407.1, 340/407.2, 463/30
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

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 first gesture signal;

receiving a second gesture signal;

generating a dynamic interaction parameter using the first gesture signal, the second gesture signal and an animation index to correlate the haptic effect to an animation; and

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

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the animation comprises a visual or audio script.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

enabling a communication link to a secondary device containing the haptic output device; and

communicating the dynamic interaction parameter to the secondary device via the communication link.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein communicating the dynamic interaction parameter comprises creating a data signal using the dynamic interaction parameter and communicating the data signal to the secondary device via the communication link.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein applying a drive signal to a haptic output device comprises concurrently applying a primary drive signal to a primary haptic output device on a primary device and a secondary drive signal to the haptic output device on the secondary device according to the dynamic interaction parameter.

6. A haptic effect enabled system comprising:

a haptic output device;

a drive module electronically coupled to the haptic output device for receiving a first gesture signal, receiving a second gesture signal, and generating a dynamic interaction parameter using the first gesture signal, the second gesture signal and an animation index to correlate the haptic effect to an animation; 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.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the animation comprises a visual or audio script.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising a communication module electronically coupled to the drive module for enabling a communication link to a secondary device containing the haptic output device, and communicating the dynamic interaction parameter to the secondary device via the communication link.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the wherein the communication module for communicating the dynamic interaction parameter comprises a communication module for creating a data signal using the dynamic interaction parameter and communicating the data signal to the secondary device via the communication link.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the drive circuit comprises a drive circuit for concurrently applying a primary drive signal to a primary haptic output device on a primary device and a secondary drive signal to the haptic output device on the secondary device according to the dynamic interaction parameter.

11. A method of producing a haptic effect comprising:

receiving a first device sensor signal;

receiving a second device sensor signal;

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

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

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first device sensor signal or the second device sensor signal comprises a device sensor signal selected from the group consisting of accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient, microphone, photometer, thermometer, altimeter, bio monitor, skin temperature, body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, electroencephalograph and galvanic skin response.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein generating a dynamic interaction parameter further comprises:

receiving an indication that a user is engaging in a physical activity;

determining a change in the physical activity; and

modifying the haptic effect to be a more noticeable haptic effect.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the physical activity comprises walking or running.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the more noticeable haptic effect comprises a haptic effect selected from the group consisting of speed up, slow down, increase intensity, decrease intensity, change of pattern, change of duration, change of phase, change of frequency and change of amplitude.

16. A haptic effect enabled system comprising:

a haptic output device;

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

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the first device sensor signal or the second device sensor signal comprises a device sensor signal selected from the group consisting of accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient, microphone, photometer, thermometer, altimeter, bio monitor, skin temperature, body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, electroencephalograph and galvanic skin response.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the drive module for generating a dynamic interaction parameter further comprises a drive module for:

receiving an indication that a user is engaging in a physical activity;

determining a change in the physical activity; and

modifying the haptic effect to be a more noticeable haptic effect.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the physical activity comprises walking or running.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the more noticeable haptic effect comprises a haptic effect selected from the group consisting of speed up, slow down, increase intensity, decrease intensity, change of pattern, change of duration, change of phase, change of frequency and change of amplitude.