Systems and methods for haptic remote control gaming

• US 9,245,428 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Weddle, Amaya B., Grant, Danny, Birnbaum, David
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US13/826,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20140035736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/168, 345/169, 340/407.2, 446/454, 446/456
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/005 by providing the operator with signals other than visual, e.g. acoustic, haptic
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for haptic remote control gaming are disclosed. In one embodiment a portable multifunction device receives information from a remotely controllable device. The portable multifunction device can be operable as a remote control for the remotely controllable device. The portable multifunction device may be a smartphone, a tablet computer, or another suitable electronic device. The portable multifunction device can determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the information received from the remotely controllable device. The portable multifunction device may generate a signal configured to cause an actuator to output the determined haptic effect. The portable multifunction device can output the signal.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more software applications configured to be executed by a processor in a first portable multifunction device, the one or more software applications configured to:

receive, by the first portable multifunction device, information from a remotely device, the first portable multifunction device configured to remotely control a remotely controllable device;

cede, by the first portable multifunction device, a control function to a second portable multifunction device based at least in part on the received information, wherein the control function is configured to control a function of the remotely controllable device, and wherein the remote device is at least one of the remotely controllable device or the second portable multifunction device;

determine, by the first portable multifunction device, a first haptic effect configured to indicate that the control function has been ceded to the second portable multifunction device;

generate, by the first portable multifunction device, a signal configured to cause a haptic output device to output the first haptic effect; and

output, by the first portable multifunction device, the signal to the haptic output device.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first portable multifunction device is a smartphone.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the second portable multifunction device is a watch.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first portable multifunction device is a watch.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the remotely controllable device comprises at least one of a car, a plane, a drone, a robot, or a doll.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the information is received from at least one of the remotely controllable device or the second portable multifunction device over at least one radio frequency.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the information is received from at least one of the remotely controllable device or the second portable multifunction device via at least one of a cellular network or a Wi-Fi network.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the information comprises sensor information associated with one or more sensors in the remotely controllable device.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the sensor information comprises at least one of a direction, a tilt, or a speed of the remotely controllable device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the signal is output to the haptic output device and the first portable multifunction device comprises the haptic output device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the information comprises a video feed from at least one camera associated with the remotely controllable device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the one or more software applications is further configured to:

overlay at least a portion of the video feed and one or more graphical images to create an overlaid view; and

display the overlaid view on a display of the first portable multifunction device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the received information comprises environmental information for the remotely controllable device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the information is received by the first portable multifunction device from the remotely controllable device and a second portion of the information is received by the first portable multifunction device from the second portable multifunction device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14,

wherein the first portion of the information received from the remotely controllable device comprises environmental information for the remotely controllable device,

wherein the second portion of the information received from the second portable multifunction device comprises an event performed by the second portable multifunction device, and

wherein the determined first haptic effect is based at least in part on the environmental information received from the remotely controllable device and the event received from the second portable multifunction device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the received information comprises information usable to determine an event associated with the remotely controllable device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the event occurs in an augmented reality.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the second portable multifunction device is operable as a second remote control for a second remotely controllable device, and wherein the information corresponds to the second remotely controllable device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18,

wherein the first portable multifunction device is in a first location,

wherein the second portable multifunction device is in a second location,

wherein the first location is different from the second location, and

wherein the first portable multifunction device in the first location is configured to communicate with the second portable multifunction device in the second location through at least one network.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18,

wherein the information is received in response to an event corresponding to the second remotely controllable device that occurred in an augmented reality during gameplay, and

wherein the determined first haptic effect is based at least in part on the event.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the signal is output to the second portable multifunction device.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the signal is output to the remotely controllable device.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the control function is ceded by the first portable multifunction device to the second portable multifunction device in response to a request from the second portable multifunction device in the received information.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the control function is ceded by the first portable multifunction device to the second portable multifunction device in response to a damage determination corresponding to the remotely controllable device based at least in part on the received information.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the control function is ceded by the first portable multifunction device to the second portable multifunction device in response to a determination that communication with the remotely controllable device is lost.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the second portable multifunction device obtains exclusive control over the control function after the first portable multifunction device cedes the control function to the second portable multifunction device.

27. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first portable multifunction device, information from a remote device, the first portable multifunction device configured to remotely control a remotely controllable device;

ceding, by the first portable multifunction device, a control function to a second portable multifunction device based at least in part on the received information, wherein the control function is configured to control a function of the remotely controllable device, and wherein the remote device is at least one of the remotely controllable device or the second portable multifunction device;

determining, by the first portable multifunction device, a first haptic effect configured to indicate transfer of the control function to the second portable multifunction device;

generating, by the first portable multifunction device, a signal configured to cause an actuator to output the first haptic effect; and

outputting, by the first portable multifunction device, the signal.

28. A system, comprising:

a first remotely controllable device, comprising;

a first memory, a first communication interface, a first sensor, and a first processor in communication with the first memory, the first communication interface, and the first sensor; and

,

a second portable multifunction device, comprising;

a second display, a second memory, a second communication interface, a second haptic output device, and a second processor in communication with the second display, the second memory, the second communication interface, and the second haptic output device; and

a third portable multifunction device, comprising;

a third display, a third memory, a third communication interface, a third haptic output device, and a third processor in communication with the third display, the third memory, the third communication interface, and the third haptic output device,

wherein the second portable multifunction device is configured to;

receive information from at least one of the remotely controllable device or the third portable multifunction device in response to sensor information received from the first sensor;

cede a control function to the third portable multifunction device based at least in part on the received information, wherein the control function is configured to control a function of the first remotely controllable device;

determine a first haptic effect configured to indicate transfer of the control function to the third portable multifunction device;

generate a haptic output signal based on the first haptic effect; and

output the haptic output signal to at least one of the second haptic output device, the first remotely controllable device, or the third portable multifunction device, and

wherein, after ceding the control function, the second portable multifunction device and the third portable multifunction device are configured to remotely control the first remotely controllable device.