Haptic warping system that transforms a haptic signal into a collection of vibrotactile haptic effect patterns

• US 9,158,379 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2014
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Saboune, Jamal
• Primary Examiner(s): MCNALLY, KERRI L
• Application Number:
  US14/162,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20150070151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel

Abstract

A system is provided that transforms haptic signals into vibrotactile haptic effect patterns. The system receives a haptic signal that includes haptic effect patterns. The system further detects a start time and an end time for each haptic effect pattern. The system further detects haptic effect patterns based on a characteristic, and replaces the detected haptic effect patterns with substitute haptic effect patterns. The system further shifts the start time for each haptic effect pattern back by a shift duration. The system further assigns a vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern. The system further sends the vibrotactile haptic effect patterns to a standard-definition haptic output device to generate vibrotactile haptic effects.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to transform haptic signals into collections of vibrotactile haptic effect patterns, the transforming comprising:

receiving a haptic signal comprising at least one haptic effect pattern, wherein each haptic effect pattern comprises data that causes a haptic output device to produce a haptic effect;

detecting a start time and an end time for each haptic effect pattern;

shifting the start time for each haptic effect pattern back by a shift duration;

assigning a vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern, wherein each vibrotactile haptic effect pattern comprises data that causes a standard-definition haptic output device to produce a vibrotactile haptic effect for an active duration and to cease producing the vibrotactile haptic effect for a silent duration; and

sending the one or more vibrotactile haptic effect patterns to the standard-definition haptic output device to generate one or more vibrotactile haptic effects.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, the assigning the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern further comprising limiting the active duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a maximum duration.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, the assigning the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern further comprising:

setting the active duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a product of a duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern and a maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is less than a duration threshold; and

setting the silent duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a product of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern and a difference of one and the maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is less than a duration threshold.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, the assigning the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern further comprising:

calculating a ramp-up duration for the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern as a product of an intensity and a maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when a duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is greater than or equal to a duration threshold;

setting the active duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when the ramp-up duration is greater than or equal to half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern; and

setting the silent duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when the ramp-up duration is greater than or equal to half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein each vibrotactile haptic effect pattern further comprises data that causes a standard-definition haptic output device to alternate between producing the vibrotactile haptic effect and ceasing to produce the vibrotactile haptic effect according to a sustain function for a sustain duration that is between the active duration and the silent duration;

the assigning the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern further comprising;

calculating a ramp-up duration for the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern as a product of an intensity and a maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when a duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is greater than or equal to a duration threshold;

setting the active duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to the ramp-up duration, when the ramp-up duration is less than half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern;

setting the silent duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to the ramp-up duration, when the ramp-up duration is less than half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern; and

setting the sustain duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a difference of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern and twice the ramp-up duration, when the ramp-up duration is less than half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the ramp-up duration indicates a duration for the standard-definition haptic output device to reach a vibration intensity that corresponds to the maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the intensity comprises a pre-defined value that indicates a duration for the standard-definition haptic output device to reach a maximum vibration intensity.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the sustain function comprises a function that alternates equal cycles of active durations and silent durations in order to keep a vibration intensity of the standard-definition haptic output device at a specific level.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the start time and the end time of each haptic effect pattern correspond to a start time and an end time of an event of an input signal.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the standard-definition haptic output device comprises an eccentric rotating mass actuator.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, the transforming further comprising:

detecting at least one haptic effect pattern based on a characteristic, and replacing the at least one detected haptic effect pattern with at least one substitute haptic effect pattern.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, the detecting the at least one haptic effect pattern based on the characteristic further comprising:

detecting the at least one haptic effect pattern as a texture haptic effect pattern, and replacing the at least one detected texture haptic effect pattern with at least one substitute texture haptic effect pattern, wherein a texture haptic effect pattern is a haptic effect pattern with a duration less than or equal to a texture threshold and that is separated from a subsequent haptic effect pattern by a duration less than or equal to the texture threshold.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, the transforming further comprising:

detecting at least one haptic effect pattern as a large haptic effect pattern, and partitioning the at least one detected large haptic effect pattern into a plurality of small haptic effect patterns, wherein a large haptic effect pattern is a haptic effect pattern with a duration greater than or equal to a size threshold, and wherein a small haptic effect pattern is a haptic effect pattern with a duration less than the size threshold.

14. A computer-implemented method for transforming haptic signals into collections of vibrotactile haptic effect patterns, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a haptic signal comprising at least one haptic effect pattern, wherein each haptic effect pattern comprises data that causes a haptic output device to produce a haptic effect;

detecting a start time and an end time for each haptic effect pattern;

detecting at least one haptic effect pattern based on a characteristic, and replacing the at least one detected haptic effect pattern with at least one substitute haptic effect pattern;

shifting the start time for each haptic effect pattern back by a shift duration;

assigning a vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern, wherein each vibrotactile haptic effect pattern comprises data that causes a standard-definition haptic output device to produce a vibrotactile haptic effect for an active duration and to cease producing the vibrotactile haptic effect for a silent duration; and

sending the one or more vibrotactile haptic effect patterns to the standard-definition haptic output device to generate one or more vibrotactile haptic effects.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, the assigning the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern further comprising limiting the active duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a maximum duration.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, the assigning the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern further comprising:

setting the active duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a product of a duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern and a maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is less than a duration threshold; and

setting the silent duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a product of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern and a difference of one and the maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is less than a duration threshold.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, the assigning the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern further comprising:

calculating a ramp-up duration for the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern as a product of an intensity and a maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when a duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is greater than or equal to a duration threshold;

setting the active duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when the ramp-up duration is greater than or equal to half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern; and

setting the silent duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when the ramp-up duration is greater than or equal to half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein each vibrotactile haptic effect pattern further comprises data that causes a standard-definition haptic output device to alternate between producing the vibrotactile haptic effect and ceasing to produce the vibrotactile haptic effect according to a sustain function for a sustain duration that is between the active duration and the silent duration;

the assigning the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern further comprising;

calculating a ramp-up duration for the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern as a product of an intensity and a maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when a duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is greater than or equal to a duration threshold;

setting the active duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to the ramp-up duration, when the ramp-up duration is less than half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern;

setting the silent duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to the ramp-up duration, when the ramp-up duration is less than half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern; and

setting the sustain duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a difference of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern and twice the ramp-up duration, when the ramp-up duration is less than half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern.

19. A system for transforming haptic signals into collections of vibrotactile haptic effect patterns, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store a haptic effect pattern transformation module; and

a processor configured to execute the haptic effect pattern transformation module stored on the memory;

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is configured to receive a haptic signal comprising at least one haptic effect pattern, wherein each haptic effect pattern comprises data that causes a haptic output device to produce a haptic effect;

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to detect a start time and an end time for each haptic effect pattern;

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to detect at least one haptic effect pattern based on a characteristic, and replace the at least one detected haptic effect pattern with at least one substitute haptic effect pattern;

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to shift the start time for each haptic effect pattern back by a shift duration;

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to assign a vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern, wherein each vibrotactile haptic effect pattern comprises data that causes a standard-definition haptic output device to produce a vibrotactile haptic effect for an active duration and to cease producing the vibrotactile haptic effect for a silent duration; and

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to send the one or more vibrotactile haptic effect patterns to the standard-definition haptic output device to generate one or more vibrotactile haptic effects.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to limit the active duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a maximum duration.

21. The system of claim 19,

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to set the active duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a product of a duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern and a maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is less than a duration threshold;

and

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to set the silent duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a product of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern and a difference of one and the maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is less than a duration threshold.

22. The system of claim 19,

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to calculate a ramp-up duration for the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern as a product of an intensity and a maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when a duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is greater than or equal to a duration threshold;

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to set the active duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when the ramp-up duration is greater than or equal to half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern; and

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to set the silent duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when the ramp-up duration is greater than or equal to half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein each vibrotactile haptic effect pattern further comprises data that causes a standard-definition haptic output device to alternate between producing the vibrotactile haptic effect and ceasing to produce the vibrotactile haptic effect according to a sustain function for a sustain duration that is between the active duration and the silent duration;

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to calculate a ramp-up duration for the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern as a product of an intensity and a maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when a duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is greater than or equal to a duration threshold;

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to set the active duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to the ramp-up duration, when the ramp-up duration is less than half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern;

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to set the silent duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to the ramp-up duration, when the ramp-up duration is less than half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern; and

wherein the haptic effect pattern transformation module is further configured to set the sustain duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a difference of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern and twice the ramp-up duration, when the ramp-up duration is less than half of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern.