System and method for controlling audio output associated with haptic effects

• US 9,760,171 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2015
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Grant, Danny A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAM, VINH TANG
• Application Number:
  US14/728,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20160070350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-173, 3404071, 3403846, 3403847, 455466, 84730, 367180, 381190
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

An apparatus, a processor-readable medium, and a method are provided that are configured to cause a haptic effect and an audio effect to be output substantially concurrently. The haptic effect has a frequency and the audio effect has a frequency different from the frequency of the haptic effect. At least one of the frequency of the haptic effect and the frequency of the audio effect is varied while maintaining substantially constant an average energy of the haptic effect. Varying the frequency of the audio effect can cause a perceived frequency of the haptic effect to change.

Claims

1. A method of generating haptic effects for a user of a haptically-enabled system, the method comprising:

generating a control signal configured to cause a haptic device to output a first haptic effect, wherein the first haptic effect is within a frequency range where changes in a frequency of a haptic effect are tactilely undetectable to the user;

receiving a request to generate a second haptic effect having a higher frequency than the first haptic effect, wherein the haptic device comprises a rotating mass and the second haptic effect is within the frequency range; and

modifying the control signal to cause the haptic device to output the second haptic effect using the rotating mass and to cause the haptic device to output an audio output using the rotating mass;

wherein the first haptic effect and the second haptic effect as output by the haptic device are both within the frequency range, and the audio output is configured to cause the user to perceive the second haptic effect to comprise the higher frequency than the first haptic effect.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein an average energy of the first haptic effect and the second haptic effect output by the haptic device are substantially the same.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein modifying the control signal comprises changing a magnitude, frequency and/or pulse of the control signal.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a frequency of the audio output is greater than a frequency of the second haptic effect.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a perceived frequency of the second haptic effect by the user is greater than an actual frequency of the second haptic effect.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency range where changes in the frequency of the haptic effect are tactilely undetectable to the user comprises between 10 Hz and 16 Hz.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency range where changes in the frequency of the haptic effect are tactilely undetectable to the user comprises between 6.6 Hz and 10 Hz.

8. A system comprising:

a haptic device configured to output vibratory haptic effects to a user; and

a controller configured to generate a control signal configured to cause the haptic device to output a first haptic effect to the user, wherein the first haptic effect is within a frequency range where changes in a frequency of a haptic effect are tactilely undetectable to the user, receive a request to generate a second haptic effect having a higher frequency than the first haptic effect, wherein the haptic device comprises a rotating mass and the haptic device is in a saturation mode while outputting the first haptic effect, and modify the control signal to cause the haptic device to output the second haptic effect using the rotating mass and to cause the haptic device to output an audio output using the rotating mass;

wherein the first haptic effect and the second haptic effect output as output by the haptic device are both within the frequency range, and the audio output is configured to cause the user to perceive the second haptic effect to comprise the higher frequency than the first haptic effect.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the haptic device comprises an actuator.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the haptic device is an eccentric-rotating-mass actuator.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the haptic device further comprises an elastic member operatively connected to the actuator and a mass operatively connected to the elastic member.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the actuator comprises a motor.

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein an average energy of the first haptic effect and the second haptic effect output by the haptic device are substantially the same.

14. The system according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to modify the control signal by changing a magnitude, frequency and/or pulse of the control signal.

15. The system according to claim 8, wherein a frequency of the audio output is greater than a frequency of the second haptic effect.

16. The system according to claim 8, wherein a perceived frequency of the second haptic effect by the user is greater than an actual frequency of the second haptic effect.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to generate haptic effects for a user of a haptically-enabled system, the generating haptic effects comprising:

generating a control signal configured to cause a haptic device to output a first haptic effect, wherein the first haptic effect is within a frequency range where changes in a frequency of a haptic effect are tactilely undetectable to the user;

receiving a request to generate a second haptic effect having a higher frequency than the first haptic effect, wherein the haptic device comprises a rotating mass and the second haptic effect is within the frequency range; and

modifying the control signal to cause the haptic device to output the second haptic effect using the rotating mass and to cause the haptic device to output an audio output using the rotating mass;

wherein the first haptic effect and the second haptic effect as output by the haptic device are both within the frequency range, and the audio output is configured to cause the user to perceive the second haptic effect to comprise the higher frequency than the first haptic effect.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein an average energy of the first haptic effect and the second haptic effect output by the haptic device are substantially the same.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein modifying the control signal comprises changing a magnitude, frequency and/or pulse of the control signal.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein a frequency of the audio output is greater than a frequency of the second haptic effect.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein a perceived frequency of the second haptic effect by the user is greater than an actual frequency of the second haptic effect.