Haptic warping system

• US 9,245,429 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Saboune, Jamal
• Primary Examiner(s): Blount, Eric
• Application Number:
  US14/080,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20150070149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.1, 340/407.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

A system is provided that transforms haptic signals. The system receives an original haptic signal, where the original haptic signal includes a first haptic effect space, and where the first haptic effect space includes one or more haptic effects that can be generated by a first haptic output device. The system further transforms the original haptic signal into a new haptic signal, where the new haptic signal includes a second haptic effect space that is different from the first haptic effect space, where the second haptic effect space includes one or more haptic effects that can be generated by a second haptic output device, and where data contained within the new haptic signal is based on data contained within the original haptic signal. The system further sends the new haptic signal to a haptic output device to generate one or more 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, the transforming comprising:

receiving an original haptic signal, wherein the original haptic signal comprises a first haptic effect space, and wherein the first haptic effect space comprises one or more haptic effects that can be generated by a first haptic output device;

transforming the original haptic signal into a new haptic signal, wherein the new haptic signal comprises a second haptic effect space that is different from the first haptic effect space, wherein the second haptic effect space comprises one or more haptic effects that can be generated by a second output device, and wherein data contained within the new haptic signal is based on data contained within the original haptic signal; and

sending the new haptic signal to a haptic output device to generate one or more haptic effects.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the transforming the original haptic signal into the new haptic signal further comprises:

generating the new haptic signal that comprises the second haptic space, wherein the new haptic signal is synchronized with the original haptic signal;

sending the original haptic signal to a primary haptic output device to generate one or more primary haptic effects; and

sending the new haptic signal to a secondary haptic output device to generate one or more secondary haptic effects.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2,

wherein the new haptic signal causes the secondary haptic output device to generate the one or more secondary haptic effects for a duration of the original haptic signal where one or more absolute values of the data contained within the original haptic signal are greater than or equal to a threshold;

and

wherein the new haptic signal causes the secondary haptic output device not to generate any secondary haptic effects for a duration of the original haptic signal where one or more absolute values of the data contained within the original haptic signal are less than the threshold.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the transforming the original haptic signal into the new haptic signal further comprises:

dividing the data contained within the original haptic signal into a plurality of time-windows, wherein each time-window comprises a portion of the data contained within the original haptic signal;

assigning a level to a time-window of the plurality of time windows;

translating the level of the time-window into data that represents a haptic effect pattern; and

generating the new haptic signal, wherein the new haptic signal comprises the data that represents the haptic effect pattern.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the translating the level of the time-window into data that represents the haptic effect pattern further comprises:

setting a duration of the haptic effect pattern, where a ratio of the duration of the haptic effect pattern to a duration of the time-window is proportional to a ratio of the level of the time-window and a maximum level.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the level is assigned to the time-window based on a maximum absolute value of the data contained within the time-window.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the level is assigned to the time-window based on a mean absolute value of the data contained within the time-window.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the transforming the original haptic signal into the new haptic signal further comprises:

dividing the data contained within the original haptic signal into a plurality of time-windows, wherein each time-window comprises a portion of the data contained within the original haptic signal;

assigning a first level to a first time-window and a second level to a second time-window of the plurality of time-windows;

determining a level transition between the first level and the second level;

selecting a haptic effect pattern from a table comprising one or more haptic effect patterns based on the determined level transition; and

generating the new haptic signal, wherein the new haptic signal comprises the data that represents the haptic effect pattern.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the transforming the original haptic signal into the new haptic signal further comprises:

modifying at least one of the first level or the second level where the determined level transition is not present within the table;

determining a new level transition based on the modification to at least one of the first level or the second level; and

selecting a haptic effect pattern from a table comprising one or more haptic effect patterns based on the determined new level transition.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the haptic output device comprises an actuator.

11. A computer-implemented method for transforming haptic signals, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving by a processor an original haptic signal, wherein the original haptic signal comprises a first haptic effect space, and wherein the first haptic effect space comprises one or more haptic effects that can be generated by a first haptic output device;

transforming by the processor the original haptic signal into a new haptic signal, wherein the new haptic signal comprises a second haptic effect space that is different from the first haptic effect space, wherein the second haptic effect space comprises one or more haptic effects that can be generated by a second output device, and wherein data contained within the new haptic signal is based on data contained within the original haptic signal; and

sending the new haptic signal to a haptic output device to generate one or more haptic effects.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the transforming the original haptic signal into the new haptic signal further comprises:

generating the new haptic signal that comprises the second haptic space, wherein the new haptic signal is synchronized with the original haptic signal;

sending the original haptic signal to a primary haptic output device to generate one or more primary haptic effects; and

sending the new haptic signal to a secondary haptic output device to generate one or more secondary haptic effects.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12,

wherein the new haptic signal causes the secondary haptic output device to generate the one or more secondary haptic effects for a duration of the original haptic signal where one or more absolute values of the data contained within the original haptic signal are greater than or equal to a threshold;

and

wherein the new haptic signal causes the secondary haptic output device not to generate any secondary haptic effects for a duration of the original haptic signal where one or more absolute values of the data contained within the original haptic signal are less than the threshold.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the transforming the original haptic signal into the new haptic signal further comprises:

dividing the data contained within the original haptic signal into a plurality of time-windows, wherein each time-window comprises a portion of the data contained within the original haptic signal;

assigning a level to a time-window of the plurality of time windows;

translating the level of the time-window into data that represents a haptic effect pattern; and

generating the new haptic signal, wherein the new haptic signal comprises the data that represents the haptic effect pattern.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the transforming the original haptic signal into the new haptic signal further comprises:

dividing the data contained within the original haptic signal into a plurality of time-windows, wherein each time-window comprises a portion of the data contained within the original haptic signal;

assigning a first level to a first time-window and a second level to a second time-window of the plurality of time-windows;

determining a level transition between the first level and the second level;

selecting a haptic effect pattern from a table comprising one or more haptic effect patterns based on the determined level transition; and

generating the new haptic signal, wherein the new haptic signal comprises the data that represents the haptic effect pattern.

16. A system for transforming haptic signals, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store a haptic warping module; and

a processor configured to execute the haptic warping module stored on the memory;

wherein the haptic warping module is configured to receive an original haptic signal, wherein the original haptic signal comprises a first haptic effect space, and wherein the first haptic effect space comprises one or more haptic effects that can be generated by a first haptic output device;

wherein the haptic warping module is further configured to transform the original haptic signal into a new haptic signal, wherein the new haptic signal comprises a second haptic effect space that is different from the first haptic effect space, wherein the second haptic effect space comprises one or more haptic effects that can be generated by a second output device, and wherein data contained within the new haptic signal is based on data contained within the original haptic signal; and

wherein the haptic warping module is further configured to send the new haptic signal to a haptic output device to generate one or more haptic effects.

17. The system of claim 16,

wherein the haptic warping module is further configured to generate the new haptic signal that comprises the second haptic space, wherein the new haptic signal is synchronized with the original haptic signal;

wherein the haptic warping module is further configured to send the original haptic signal to a primary haptic output device to generate one or more primary haptic effects; and

wherein the haptic warping module is further configured to send the new haptic signal to a secondary haptic output device to generate one or more secondary haptic effects.

18. The system of claim 17,

wherein the new haptic signal causes the secondary haptic output device to generate the one or more secondary haptic effects for a duration of the original haptic signal where one or more absolute values of the data contained within the original haptic signal are greater than or equal to a threshold;

and

wherein the new haptic signal causes the secondary haptic output device not to generate any secondary haptic effects for a duration of the original haptic signal where one or more absolute values of the data contained within the original haptic signal are less than the threshold.

19. The system of claim 16,

wherein the haptic warping module is further configured to divide the data contained within the original haptic signal into a plurality of time-windows, wherein each time-window comprises a portion of the data contained within the original haptic signal;

wherein the haptic warping module is further configured to assign a level to a time-window of the plurality of time windows;

wherein the haptic warping module is further configured to translate the level of the time-window into data that represents a haptic effect pattern; and

wherein the haptic warping module is further configured to generate the new haptic signal, wherein the new haptic signal comprises the data that represents the haptic effect pattern.

20. The system of claim 16,

wherein the haptic warping module is further configured to divide the data contained within the original haptic signal into a plurality of time-windows, wherein each time-window comprises a portion of the data contained within the original haptic signal;

wherein the haptic warping module is further configured to assign a first level to a first time-window and a second level to a second time-window of the plurality of time-windows;

wherein the haptic warping module is further configured to determine a level transition between the first level and the second level;

wherein the haptic warping module is further configured to select a haptic effect pattern from a table comprising one or more haptic effect patterns based on the determined level transition; and

wherein the haptic warping module is further configured to generate the new haptic signal, wherein the new haptic signal comprises the data that represents the haptic effect pattern.