Systems and methods for transmitting haptic messages

• US 9,785,238 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2015
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Birnbaum, David, Ullrich, Christopher, Rubin, Peter, Ngo, Phong D., Kopelow, Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): MERCEDES, DISMERY E
• Application Number:
  US14/612,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20150199013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 : according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 : Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 : for social networking applications

Abstract

Systems and methods for transmitting haptic messages are disclosed. For example, one disclosed method includes the steps of: receiving at least one sensor signal from at least one sensor of a mobile device, the at least one sensor signal associated with a movement of the mobile device, determining a message to be displayed in a user interface based at least in part on the at least one sensor signal, and causing the message to be displayed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting user input with a sensor of a first mobile device, wherein the sensor comprises a touch-sensitive input device and the user input comprises user input on the touch-sensitive input device;

determining a message based in part on the user input, wherein the message comprises data associated with a first location of a first user associated with the first mobile device;

transmitting the message to a second mobile device, wherein the second mobile device is configured to receive the message and determine a haptic effect based in part on the first location and output the haptic effect, wherein the haptic effect is configured to provide information about the user input on the touch-sensitive input device; and

causing the second mobile device to display an image associated with the user input, wherein the second mobile device is configured to display the image at substantially the same time as the user input.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a haptic effect associated with the message and transmitting the haptic effect to the second mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the haptic effect is configured to provide data associated with the first location.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving, by the first mobile device, a second message comprising data associated with a second location of a second user associated with the second mobile device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising displaying, by the first mobile device, an image associated with the second location.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code, which when executed by a processor is configured to cause the processor to:

detect user input with a sensor of a first mobile device, wherein the sensor comprises a touch-sensitive input device and the user input comprises user input on the touch-sensitive input device;

determine a message based in part on the user input, wherein the message comprises data associated with a first location of a first user associated with the first mobile device;

transmit the message to a second mobile device, wherein the second mobile device is configured to receive the message and determine a haptic effect based in part on the first location and output the haptic effect, wherein the haptic effect is configured to provide information about the user input on the touch-sensitive input device; and

cause the second mobile device to display an image associated with the user input, wherein the second mobile device is configured to display the image at substantially the same time as the user input.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, further comprising program code, which when executed, is configured to cause the processor to determine a haptic effect associated with the message and transmit the haptic effect to the second mobile device.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the haptic effect is configured to provide data associated with the first location.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising program code, which when executed, is configured to cause the processor to receive a second message comprising data associated with a second location of a second user associated with the second mobile device.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising program code, which when executed, is configured to cause the processor to display an image associated with the second location.

11. A system comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a user interaction with a touch surface, wherein the sensor comprises a touch-sensitive input device and the user input comprises user input on the touch-sensitive input device;

a processor in communication with the sensor, the processor configured to;

determine a message based in part on the user input, wherein the message comprises data associated with a first location of a first user associated with a first mobile device; and

transmit the message to a second mobile device, wherein the second mobile device is configured to receive the message and determine a haptic effect based in part on the first location and output the haptic effect, wherein the haptic effect is configured to provide information about the user input on the touch-sensitive input device; and

cause the second mobile device to display an image associated with the user input, wherein the second mobile device is configured to display the image at substantially the same time as the user input.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the haptic effect is configured to provide data associated with the first location.