Systems and methods for haptically-enhanced text interfaces

• US 9,317,116 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2009
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Ullrich, Chris, Birnbaum, David, Vachon, Craig, Fleming, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): SONG, DAEHO D
• Application Number:
  US12/556,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20110061017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,414 Days
• Field of Search: 715/780, 715/816, 715/702
• 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 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

When units of serialized input are analyzed by an engine or algorithm that provides a plurality of entry suggestions for competing or replacing a unit of the serialized input, one or more haptic effects can be identified and provided in conjunction with display, selection, or use of one or more of the entry suggestions to aid in the use of the engine or algorithm. The haptic effects can represent a confidence level with respect to one or more of the entry suggestions or may otherwise indicate the relative success of the engine/algorithm. For example, the serialized input may comprise characters input to a mobile or other device. The engine or algorithm may suggest words or phrases with varying degrees of confidence, with the confidence with respect to some or all of the suggestions communicated by use of haptic effects. Additional embodiments include dynamic text input interfaces, haptically-enhanced serial presentation of content, and interfaces that provide haptic effects at a first device based on remote text entry, display, reading, or other activity at a different device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, input data representing a series of input selections, the input selections comprising characters, words, or phrases;

ascertaining, by the computing device, at least one text entry suggestion generated based on the received input data;

determining, by the computing device, a confidence level associated with each text entry suggestion;

identifying, by the computing device, a haptic effect from a plurality of potential haptic effects based at least in part on the confidence level; and

outputting, by the computing device, at least one haptic signal configured to cause an actuator to generate the identified haptic effect.

2. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the text entry suggestion comprises at least one of a completion suggestion based on the received input data or a correction suggestion based on the received input data.

3. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the confidence level is based on a probability value and identifying comprises:

identifying the haptic effect from a function correlating probability values to the plurality of potential haptic effects.

4. The method set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

providing an interface, the interface configured to present a plurality of text entry suggestions and receive a selection of one of the plurality of text entry suggestions; and

wherein identifying the haptic effect comprises identifying the haptic effect associated with the selected one of the plurality of text entry suggestions.

5. The method set forth in claim 1,

wherein generating comprises generating a plurality of text entry suggestions;

wherein determining comprises determining a confidence level associated with each of the text entry suggestions; and

wherein identifying comprises identifying a haptic effect for each of the text entry suggestions.

6. The method set forth in claim 5, further comprising providing a display signal to display each of the text entry suggestions in sequence, wherein outputting at least one haptic signal comprises outputting a signal to generate the haptic effect corresponding to each text entry suggestion while the text entry suggestion is displayed.

7. The method set forth in claim 1,

wherein generating comprises generating a plurality of text entry suggestions;

wherein determining comprises determining a confidence level associated with each of the text entry suggestions; and

wherein identifying comprises identifying a single haptic effect based on evaluating the confidence levels of the text entry suggestions in aggregate.

8. The method set forth in claim 1, further comprising receiving input selecting the text entry suggestion for use as an input value;

wherein outputting occurs after the text entry suggestion has been selected for use as an input value.

9. A system comprising a processor with access to a computer-readable medium embodying program components and an actuator, the program components comprising:

a user interface module configured to receive input data representing a series of characters, words, or phrases;

a text engine configured to generate a text entry suggestion based on the received input data and determine a confidence level associated with the text entry suggestion; and

a haptic effect module configured to identify a haptic effect from a plurality of potential haptic effects based at least in part on the confidence level and output at least one haptic signal configured to cause the actuator to generate the identified haptic effect.

10. The system set forth in claim 9, wherein the confidence level is based on a probability value and the haptic effect module is configured to identify the haptic effect from a function correlating probability values to the plurality of potential haptic effects.

11. The system set forth in claim 9, further comprising a display,

wherein the user interface module is configured to present a plurality of text entry suggestions on the display and to receive a selection of one of the plurality of text entry suggestions;

and

wherein the haptic effect module is configured to identify the haptic effect associated with the selected one of the plurality of text entry suggestions.

12. The system set forth in claim 9,

wherein generating comprises generating a plurality of text entry suggestions;

wherein determining comprises determining a confidence level associated with each of the text entry suggestions; and

identifying comprises identifying a single haptic effect based on evaluating the confidence levels of the text entry suggestions in aggregate.

13. The system set forth in claim 9,

wherein the haptic effect module is configured to output the at least one haptic signal after the user interface module has received selection of a text entry suggestion for use as an input value.

14. The system set forth in claim 9, wherein the processor, actuator, and computer-readable medium are comprised in a system comprising at least one of a mobile telephone, personal digital assistant, or a computer.

15. The system set forth in claim 9, wherein the processor and actuator are comprised in separate devices in communication with one another.

16. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying program code executable by a computing system, the program code comprising:

program code for receiving serialized input;

program code for generating an entry suggestion to replace a unit of the serialized input based on the received input data;

program code for determining a confidence level associated with the entry suggestion; and

program code for identifying a haptic effect from a plurality of potential haptic effects based at least in part on the confidence level.

17. The computer-readable medium set forth in claim 16, wherein the serialized input comprises input data representing a series of characters, words, or phrases and the entry suggestion comprises a text entry suggestion.

18. The computer readable medium set forth in claim 17, further comprising program code for causing the computing system to output at least one haptic signal configured to cause an actuator to generate the identified haptic effect.

19. The computer-readable medium set forth in claim 18, wherein the confidence level comprises a probability value and identifying comprises identifying the haptic effect from a function correlating probability values to the plurality of potential haptic effects.

20. The computer-readable medium set forth in claim 18, further comprising program code for providing an interface, the interface configured to present a plurality of text entry suggestions and receive a selection of one of the plurality of text entry suggestions,

wherein identifying the haptic effect comprises identifying the haptic effect associated with the selected one of the plurality of text entry suggestions.

21. The computer-readable medium set forth in claim 18,

wherein generating comprises generating a plurality of text entry suggestions;

wherein determining comprises determining a confidence level associated with each of the text entry suggestions; and

wherein identifying comprises identifying a haptic effect for each of the text entry suggestions.

22. The computer-readable medium set forth in claim 18,

wherein generating comprises generating a plurality of text entry suggestions;

wherein determining comprises determining a confidence level associated with each of the text entry suggestions; and

wherein identifying comprises identifying a single haptic effect based on evaluating the confidence levels of the text entry suggestions in aggregate.

23. The computer-readable medium set forth in claim 18, further comprising program code for receiving input selecting the text entry suggestion for use as an input value, wherein outputting occurs after the text entry suggestion has been selected for use as an input value.