Haptic feedback method and apparatus and machine-readable storage medium

• US 9,594,444 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2012
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Bae, Yu-Dong, Lee, Eun-Hwa, Lee, Jeong-Seok, Lee, Young-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zubajlo, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US13/683,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20130127759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/161, 345/173, 463 36- 38
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means

Abstract

A haptic feedback method includes providing a user with an image that is updated based on a collision event, generating collision data including a type of the collision event and an impulse amount, generating a haptic pattern based on the collision data, and generating a vibration based on the haptic pattern.

Claims

1. A haptic feedback method, the method comprising:

obtaining information on an impulse amount range of collisions from an application stored in a memory;

matching the impulse amount range and a strength range of haptic patterns;

providing a user with an image of the application that is updated based on a collision event;

obtaining information on the collision event;

generating a haptic pattern based on the information on the collision event; and

generating vibration based on the haptic pattern,

wherein the collision event is caused by a collision between a first object and a second object in the image, and

wherein generating the haptic pattern includes;

determining a maximum strength of the haptic pattern within the strength range corresponding to an impulse amount of the collision within the impulse amount range;

if the collision between the first object and the second object is a collision between hard bodies, generating a rectangular haptic pattern; and

if the collision between the first object and the second object is a collision between soft bodies or a collision between a hard body and a soft body, generating a triangular haptic pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input from the user,

wherein the collision is generated based on the user input.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating an event based on the user input; and

determining whether the generated event corresponds to the collision event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the haptic pattern has a duration time associated with an impulse amount of the collision.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the haptic pattern further includes:

identifying a combination of the first object and the second object by comparing stiffness values of the first object and the second object with a predetermined threshold value, wherein the combination of the first object and the second object corresponds to one of a first combination of hard bodies, a second combination of soft bodies, and a third combination of a hard body and a soft body.

6. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing a program causing a processor to execute a haptic feedback method, the method comprising;

obtaining information on an impulse amount range of collisions from an application stored in a memory;

matching the impulse amount range and a strength range of haptic patterns;

providing a user with an image of the application that is updated based on a collision event;

obtaining information on the collision event;

generating a haptic pattern based on the information on the collision event; and

generating vibration based on the haptic pattern,

wherein the collision event is caused by a collision between a first object and a second object in the image, and

wherein generating the haptic pattern includes;

determining a maximum strength of the haptic pattern within the strength range corresponding to an impulse amount of the collision within the impulse amount range;

if the collision between the first object and the second object is a collision between hard bodies, generating a rectangular haptic pattern; and

if the collision between the first object and the second object is a collision between soft bodies or a collision between a hard body and a soft body, generating a triangular haptic pattern.

7. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein generating the haptic pattern further includes:

identifying a combination of the first object and the second object by comparing stiffness values of the first object and the second object with a predetermined threshold value, wherein the combination of the first object and the second object corresponds to one of a first combination of hard bodies, a second combination of soft bodies, and a third combination of a hard body and a soft body.

8. A haptic feedback apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a display unit configured to provide a user with an image of an application that is updated based on a collision event;

a controller configured to obtain information on an impulse amount range of collisions from the application stored in a memory, match the impulse amount range and a strength range of haptic patterns, obtain information on the collision event, and generate a haptic pattern based on the information on the collision event; and

an actuator configured to generate a vibration based on the haptic pattern,

wherein the collision event is caused by a collision between a first object and a second object in the image, and

wherein the controller is further configured to;

determine a maximum strength of the haptic pattern within the strength range corresponding to an impulse amount of the collision within the impulse amount range;

if the collision between the first object and the second object is a collision between hard bodies, generate a rectangular haptic pattern; and

if the collision between the first object and the second object is a collision between soft bodies or a collision between a hard body and a soft body, generate a triangular haptic pattern.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a sensor unit configured to detect an input of the user,

wherein the collision is generated based on the user input.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

generate an event based on the user input, and

determine whether the generated event corresponds to a collision event.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the haptic pattern has a duration time associated with an impulse amount of the collision.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

identify a combination of the first object and the second object by comparing stiffness values of the first object and the second object with a predetermined threshold value, wherein the combination of the first and second objects corresponds to one of a first combination of hard bodies, a second combination of soft bodies, and a third combination of a hard body and a soft body.