Physical surface interaction

• US 9,639,159 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2014
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovio Entertainment Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Rovio Entertainment Ltd.
• Inventors: Pesonen, Mika, Rajala, Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US14/340,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20160026263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 178 1801- 1809, 178 2001- 2004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads

Abstract

In accordance with an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising at least one receiver configured to receive an identifier of an accessory and sensor information, at least one processing core configured to obtain, based at least in part on the sensor information, a location of the apparatus on a physical surface and a second location in a virtual space, the first location corresponding to the second location via a mapping, and to cause transmission of the identifier of the accessory and information identifying the second location.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one receiver configured to receive an identifier of an accessory associated with the apparatus and a first sensor information; and

at least one processing core configured to obtain, based at least in part on the first sensor information, a first location of the apparatus on a physical surface and a second location in a virtual space that comprises a location of the accessory, the first location corresponding to the second location via a mapping, and to cause transmission of the identifier of the accessory and information identifying the second location.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver is further configured to receive an action indicator from a physical button, and the at least one processing core is configured to cause transmission of information indicating the physical button has been activated.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the physical button is comprised in the apparatus.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to receive the accessory in a physical receptacle comprised in the apparatus.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver is further configured to receive second sensor information and the at least one processing core is configured to obtain, based at least in part on the second sensor information, a third location and a fourth location, the third location being a location of the apparatus on the physical surface and the fourth location being a location in the virtual space, the third and fourth locations corresponding to each other via the mapping.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver is further configured to receive virtual space information, and the at least one processing core is configured to, responsive to the virtual space information, trigger a haptic feedback actuator to produce haptic feedback.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver is further configured to receive dynamic sensor information, the at least one processing core is further configured to obtain, based on the dynamic sensor information, movement information describing movement of the apparatus on the physical surface, and based on the movement information to trigger production of haptic feedback and wherein the at least one processing core is further configured to trigger the production of the haptic feedback based at least in art based on where on the physical surface the apparatus is determined, by the at least one processing core, to be moving.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processing core is configured to cause periodic transmission of location updates concerning virtual space locations corresponding to locations on the physical surface where the apparatus determines itself to be.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processing core is configured to associate the location of the apparatus on the physical surface with an element in the virtual space, and to associate an orientation of the apparatus on the physical surface with an action to be performed with respect to the element in the virtual space.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, in an apparatus, an identifier of an accessory associated with the apparatus and a first sensor information;

obtaining, based at least in part on the first sensor information, a first location of the apparatus on a physical surface and a second location in a virtual space that comprises a location of the accessory, the first location corresponding to the second location via a mapping, and

causing transmission of the identifier of the accessory and information identifying the second location.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving an action indicator from a physical button, and causing transmission of information indicating the physical button has been activated.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving the accessory in a physical receptacle comprised in the apparatus.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving second sensor information and obtaining, based at least in part on the second sensor information, a third location and a fourth location, the third location being a location of the apparatus on the physical surface and the fourth location being a location in the virtual space, the third and fourth locations corresponding to each other via the mapping.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising causing transmission of the information identifying the second location as information associated with the accessory.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving virtual space information, and responsive to the virtual space information, triggering a haptic feedback actuator to produce haptic feedback.

16. The method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving dynamic sensor information, obtaining, based on the dynamic sensor information, movement information describing movement of the apparatus on the physical surface, and based on the movement information triggering production of haptic feedback.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the triggering of the production of the haptic feedback is based at least in part based on where on the physical surface the apparatus is determined to be moving.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein the sensor information is received from a sensor comprised in the apparatus.

19. The method according to claim 10, further comprising associating the location of the apparatus on the physical surface with an element in the virtual space, and associating an orientation of the apparatus on the physical surface with an action to be performed with respect to the element in the virtual space.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of computer readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause an apparatus to at least:

receive, in the apparatus, an identifier of an accessory associated with the apparatus and a first sensor information;

obtain, based at least in part on the first sensor information, a first location of the apparatus on a physical surface and a second location in a virtual space that comprises a location of the accessory, the first location corresponding to the second location via a mapping, and

cause transmission of the identifier of the accessory and information identifying the second location.