Customizing haptic feedback in live events

• US 9,711,015 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Wu, Liwen, Saboune, Jamal, Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Hamam, Abdelwahab
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US14/855,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20170076565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 3404071, 434114
• 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 method of generating event identifiers includes receiving sensor information from tracked entities. Based on the sensor information for tracked entities, an event can be determined. An event ID can be assigned to the event based on the type of event that was determined. The event ID can be sent to a haptically enabled device, the device outputting a haptic effect determined from the event ID.

Claims

1. A method of generating event identifiers (IDs), comprising:

receiving sensor information that corresponds to at least one of (i) output signals generated in response to conditions sensed by sensors respectively on tracked entities, or (ii) identification of the sensors;

determining an event based on the sensor information;

assigning an event ID corresponding to the event; and

sending the event ID to a haptically-enabled device for output of a haptic effect determined from the event ID,

wherein the conditions include at least one of environmental conditions surrounding the tracked entities, movement of the tracked entities, orientation of the tracked entities, audio of the tracked entities, audio from an environment around the tracked entities, or biosensor data of the tracked entities.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

classifying the event based on an association of one or more of the tracked entities with the sensor information;

assigning at least one classification ID to the event, wherein the at least one classification ID specifies a particular person or object associated with a respective one of the one or more tracked entities; and

associating the at least one classification ID with the event ID.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sending further includes sending the at least one classification ID with the event ID for output of the haptic effect determined from the event ID and the at least one classification ID.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein

the haptic effect is further determined from user preferences that specify a classification preference, and

the method further comprises:

when the at least one classification ID corresponds to the classification preference, selecting the event ID associated with the at least one classification ID.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

prior to the receiving of sensor information, grouping the sensor information by source;

merging the sensor information into a multi-channel feed; and

providing the multi-channel feed as the sensor information for the tracked entities.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

merging the event ID with other event IDs into a multichannel feed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein

the sending further includes transmitting the multichannel feed to a second process server, and

the second process server is configured to process the multichannel feed and provide one or more of the event ID and the other event IDs from the multichannel feed to the haptically-enabled device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to the sending of the event ID, delaying the sending by a time based on an intentional delay in a distribution of an audio/video signal associated with the event ID and a processing time of the event ID,

wherein the audio/video signal is sent with the event ID to the haptically-enabled device.

9. A system for generating event identifiers (IDs), comprising:

a sensor information interface configured to receive sensor information that corresponds to at least one of (i) output signals generated in response to conditions sensed by sensors respectively on tracked entities, or (ii) identification of the sensors;

an event processing server configured to determine an event based on the sensor information, assign an event ID corresponding to the event, and send the event ID to a haptically-enabled device for output of a haptic effect determined from the event ID,

wherein the conditions include at least one of environmental conditions surrounding the tracked entities, movement of the tracked entities, orientation of the tracked entities, audio of the tracked entities, audio from an environment around the tracked entities, or biosensor data of the tracked entities.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the event processing server is further configured to:

classify the event based on an association of one or more of the tracked entities with the sensor information,

assign at least one classification ID to the event, wherein the at least one classification ID specifies a particular person or object associated with a respective one of the one or more tracked entities, and

associate the at least one classification ID with the event ID.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the event processing server is further configured to send the at least one classification ID with the event ID for output of the haptic effect determined from the event ID and the at least one classification ID.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a second process server configured to determine the haptic effect from the event ID and from user preferences specifying a classification preference,

wherein the second process server, when the at least one classification ID corresponds to the classification preference, selects the event ID associated with the at least one classification ID.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the sensor information interface is further configured to group the sensor information by source, merge the sensor information into a multi-channel feed, and provide the multi-channel feed as the sensor information for the tracked entities.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

an event ID merger configured to merge the event ID with other event IDs into a multichannel feed.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a second process server configured to receive the multichannel feed, process the multichannel feed, and provide one or more event IDs to the haptically-enabled device.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the event processing server is further configured to:

prior to the event ID being sent to the haptically-enabled device, delay the event ID from being sent by a time based on an intentional delay in a distribution of an audio/video signal associated with the event ID and a processing time of the event ID,

wherein the audio/video signal is sent with the event ID to the haptically-enabled device.

17. A method of generating a haptic effect from an event identifier (ID), comprising:

receiving a selection of output preferences from a user;

receiving an event ID, the event ID being determined based on an event, the event being determined based on sensor information that corresponds to at least one of (i) output signals generated in response to conditions sensed by sensors respectively on tracked entities, or (ii) identification of the sensors;

selecting a haptic effect based on the event ID and the output preferences; and

outputting the haptic effect on a haptic output device,

wherein the conditions include at least one of environmental conditions surrounding the tracked entities, movement of the tracked entities, orientation of the tracked entities, audio of the tracked entities, audio from an environment around the tracked entities, or biosensor data of the tracked entities.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving with the event ID, a classification ID based on an association of one or more of the tracked entities with the sensors.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein

the output preferences specify a classification, and

when the classification ID corresponds to the classification, the selecting of a haptic effect is based on the classification ID.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the event ID is selected from a multichannel feed with other event IDs, the selecting being based on the output preferences.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

updating the output preferences so as to cause a different event ID to be selected from the multichannel feed.

22. A system of generating a haptic effect from an event identifier (ID), comprising:

a device configured to

receive a selection of output preferences from a user,

receive an event ID, wherein the event ID is determined based on an event, wherein the event is determined based on sensor information that corresponds to at least one of (i) output signals generated in response to conditions sensed by sensors respectively on tracked entities, or (ii) identification of the sensors,

select a haptic effect based on the event ID and the output preferences, and

output the haptic effect on a haptic output device,

wherein the conditions include at least one of environmental conditions surrounding the tracked entities, movement of the tracked entities, orientation of the tracked entities, audio of the tracked entities, audio from an environment around the tracked entities, or biosensor data of the tracked entities.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the device is further configured to:

receive with the event ID, a classification ID based on an association of one or more of the tracked entities with the sensors.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein

the output preferences specify a classification, and

when the classification ID corresponds to the classification, the device is configured to select the haptic effect based on the classification ID.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein:

the event ID is selected from a multichannel feed with other event IDs, the selecting being based on the output preferences.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

updating the output preferences so as to cause a different event ID to be selected from the multichannel feed.