Systems and methods for transmitting haptic messages

• US 8,976,112 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Birnbaum, David, Ullrich, Chris, Rubin, Peter, Ngo, Phong David, Kopelow, Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, K.
• Application Number:
  US14/106,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20140104162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• 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 2203/04104 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 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 : according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 : Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 : for social networking applications

Abstract

Systems and methods for transmitting haptic messages are disclosed. For example, one disclosed method includes the steps of: receiving at least one sensor signal from at least one sensor of a mobile device, the at least one sensor signal associated with a movement of the mobile device, determining a message to be displayed in a user interface based at least in part on the at least one sensor signal, and causing the message to be displayed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a sensor signal from a first sensor configured to sense a first physical interaction with a first messaging device;

transmitting a first signal associated with the first physical interaction to a second messaging device;

receiving a second signal associated with a second physical interaction with the second messaging device;

modifying an image on a display of the first messaging device based on the first physical interaction and the second physical interaction;

determining a haptic effect based at least in part on the first physical interaction and the second physical interaction; and

generating a haptic signal configured to cause an actuator to output the haptic effect.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the image comprises a shared virtual space.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the haptic effect comprises an effect configured to simulate a collision when the first physical interaction and the second physical interaction are both associated with the same location within the shared virtual space.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the shared virtual space comprises a graphical representation of the first physical interaction and the second physical interaction.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the graphical representation comprises a first trail following a location associated with the first physical interaction and a second trail associated with the second physical interaction.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the shared virtual space comprises one or more message objects.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more message objects comprise one or more of:

a ball, a tube, or a capsule.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code, which when executed by the processor, is configured to cause the processor to:

receive a sensor signal from a first sensor configured to sense a first physical interaction with a first messaging device;

transmit a first signal associated with the first physical interaction to a second messaging device;

receive a second signal associated with a second physical interaction with the second messaging device;

modify an image on a display of the first messaging device based on the first physical interaction and the second physical interaction;

determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the first physical interaction and the second physical interaction; and

generate a haptic signal configured to cause an actuator to output the haptic effect.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the image comprises a shared virtual space.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the haptic effect comprises an effect configured to simulate a collision when the first physical interaction and the second physical interaction are both associated with the same location within the shared virtual space.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the shared virtual space comprises a graphical representation of the first physical interaction and the second physical interaction.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the graphical representation comprises a first trail following a location associated with the first physical interaction and a second trail associated with the second physical interaction.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the shared virtual space comprises one or more message objects.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more message objects comprise one or more of:

a ball, a tube, or a capsule.

15. A messaging device comprising:

first sensor configured to sense a first physical interaction;

a display configured to receive a display signal and output an image;

a processor coupled to the first sensor and the display, the processor configured to;

transmit a first signal associated with the first physical interaction to a second messaging device;

receive a second signal associated with a second physical interaction with the second messaging device;

modify the image on the display based on the first physical interaction and the second physical interaction;

determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the first physical interaction and the second physical interaction; and

generate a haptic signal configured to cause an actuator to output the haptic effect.

16. The messaging device of claim 15, wherein the image comprises a shared virtual space.

17. The messaging device of claim 16, wherein the haptic effect comprises an effect configured to simulate a collision when the first physical interaction and the second physical interaction are both associated with the same location within the shared virtual space.

18. The messaging device of claim 16, wherein the shared virtual space comprises a graphical representation of the first physical interaction and the second physical interaction.

19. The messaging device of claim 18, wherein the graphical representation comprises a first trail following a location associated with the first physical interaction and a second trail associated with the second physical interaction.

20. The messaging device of claim 16, wherein the shared virtual space comprises one or more message objects.