Systems and methods for enhanced television interaction

• US 9,866,924 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Grant, Danny, Pimentel, Pamela, Gervais, Eric, Levesque, Vincent, Kapelus, Aaron, Chang, Mina, Parker, Daniel, Birnbaum, David, Jiang, Li, Rank, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Raman, Usha
• Application Number:
  US13/827,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20140267911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8186 specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control

Abstract

Systems and methods for enhanced television interaction are disclosed. For example, one disclosed method includes receiving notification information, the notification information indicating an event associated with video content displayed by a television device; determining a haptic effect associated with the notification information; generating and transmitting a haptic signal to a haptic output device, the haptic signal configured to cause the haptic output device to output the haptic effect.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a secondary device and from a television system component, a query signal requesting information regarding whether a haptic effect library associated with a particular television program is installed on the secondary device, wherein the query signal is transmitted from the television system component in response to detecting that the particular television program is being watched for a first time;

in response to receiving the query signal, transmitting, by the secondary device, a signal to the television system component indicating that the haptic effect library is not installed;

after transmitting the signal to the television system component, receiving by the secondary device and from the television system component, haptic effect data configured to be used by the secondary device to install the haptic effect library on the secondary device;

in response to receiving the haptic effect data, installing, by the secondary device, the haptic effect library using the haptic effect data;

receiving a notification signal, by the secondary device and from the television system component, the notification signal comprising notification information indicating an event associated with the particular television program;

determining, by the secondary device, a haptic effect within the haptic effect library and associated with the notification information; and

generating and transmitting, by the secondary device, a haptic signal to a haptic output device, the haptic signal configured to cause the haptic output device to output the haptic effect.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating and transmitting a video signal to a display device positioned on the secondary device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving secondary information that is associated with the particular television program;

monitoring the secondary information;

detecting another event associated with the secondary information; and

based on detecting the other event, generating and transmitting a second haptic signal to the haptic output device, the second haptic signal configured to cause the haptic output device to output the haptic effect.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an input from an input device, and wherein the input comprises a sensed physiological condition of a user and the haptic signal is based on the sensed physiological condition.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the haptic signal is based on information associated with video content and information from a social networking account.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification information comprises information associated with a status of a user of a social networking site and video content.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating and transmitting an audio signal to a speaker, the audio signal based on the notification information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the haptic effect data comprises a uniform resource locator (URL); and

installing the haptic effect library using the haptic effect data comprises downloading the haptic effect library from a remote device using the URL and temporarily installing the haptic effect library.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the notification signal comprises:

the haptic effect data configured to be used to install the haptic effect library; and

the notification information indicating the event associated with the particular television program.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary device comprises a wearable device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the television system component comprises a television, a digital video recorder (DVR), a digital video disc (DVD) player, or a set-top box.

12. A method comprising:

detecting, by a television system component, that a particular television program is being watched for a first time;

in response to detecting that the particular television program is being watched for the first time, transmitting, by the television system component, a query signal to a secondary device requesting information regarding whether a haptic effect library associated with the particular television program is installed on the secondary device;

after transmitting the query signal, receiving, by the television system component and from the secondary device, a signal indicating that the haptic effect library is not installed on the secondary device;

in response to receiving the signal indicating that the haptic effect library is not installed, transmitting, by the television system component and to the secondary device, haptic effect data configured to be used by the secondary device to install the haptic effect library on the secondary device;

monitoring, by the television system component, a content stream comprising video data and audio data associated with the particular television program;

detecting, by the television system component, an event within the content stream; and

generating and transmitting, by the television system component, a notification signal associated with the event to the secondary device, notification signal configured to cause the secondary device to use the haptic effect library to determine a haptic effect to output.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting secondary information to the secondary device, the secondary information associated with the content stream and configured to be visually displayed by the secondary device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the secondary device comprises a smartphone or a remote control.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the notification signal comprises the haptic effect or an audio effect.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the notification signal comprises a first notification signal that is configured to cause a first secondary device to output a first haptic effect and a second notification signal that is configured to cause a second secondary device to output a second haptic effect that is different from the first haptic effect.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first secondary device is configured to control the television system component and the first haptic effect is configured to prompt a user to take action.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting the event within the content stream comprises:

analyzing the audio data to detect the occurrence of the event;

or

analyzing the video data to detect the occurrence of the event.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting the event within the content stream comprises determining a correspondence between the audio data and the video data.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the content stream comprises a primary program, and the event is not associated with the interruption of the primary program.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code configured to be executed by a processor of a secondary device to cause the processor to:

receive, from a television system component, a query signal requesting information regarding whether a haptic effect library associated with a particular television program is installed on the secondary device, wherein the query signal is transmitted from the television system component in response to detecting that the particular television program is being watched for a first time;

in response to receiving the query signal, transmit a signal to the television system component indicating that the haptic effect library is not installed on the secondary device;

after transmitting the signal to the television system component, receive from the television system component haptic effect data configured to be used by the secondary device to install the haptic effect library on the secondary device;

in response to receiving the haptic effect data, install the haptic effect library using the haptic effect data;

receive a notification signal from the television system component and comprising notification information indicating an event associated with the particular television program;

determine a haptic effect within the haptic effect library and associated with the notification information; and

generate and transmit a haptic signal to a haptic output device, the haptic signal configured to cause the haptic output device to output the haptic effect.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising program code configured to cause the processor to:

generate and transmit a video signal to a display device of the secondary device.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising program code configured to cause the processor to:

receive secondary information that is associated with the particular television program;

monitor the secondary information;

detect another event associated with the secondary information; and

based on detecting the other event, generate and transmit a second haptic signal to the haptic output device, the second haptic signal configured to cause the haptic output device to output the haptic effect.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising program code configured to cause the processor to receive an input from an input device, and wherein the input comprises a sensed physiological condition of a user and the haptic signal is based on the sensed physiological condition.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the haptic signal is based on information associated with video content and information from a social networking account.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the notification information comprises information associated with a status of a user of a social networking site and video content.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising program code configured to cause the processor to generate and transmit an audio signal to a speaker, the audio signal based on the notification information.

28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code configured to be executed by a processor of a television system component to cause the processor to:

detect that a particular television program is being watched for a first time;

in response to detecting that the particular television program is being watched for the first time, transmit a query signal to a secondary device requesting information regarding whether a haptic effect library associated with the particular television program is installed on the secondary device;

after transmitting the query signal, receive from the secondary device a signal indicating that the haptic effect library is not installed on the secondary device;

in response to receiving the signal indicating that the haptic effect library is not installed, transmit to the secondary device haptic effect data configured to be used by the secondary device to install the haptic effect library on the secondary device;

monitor a content stream comprising video and audio data associated with the particular television program;

detect an event within the content stream; and

generate and transmit a notification signal associated with the event to the secondary device, the notification signal configured to cause the secondary device to use the haptic effect library to determine a haptic effect to output.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, further comprising program code configured to cause the processor to transmit secondary information to the secondary device, the secondary information associated with the content stream and configured to be visually displayed by the secondary device.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the secondary device comprises a smartphone or a remote control.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the notification signal comprises the haptic effect or an audio effect.

32. A method comprising:

detecting, by a computing device, that particular video data is being watched for a first time;

in response to detecting that the particular video data is being watched for the first time, transmitting, by the computing device, a query signal to a secondary device requesting information regarding whether a haptic effect library associated with particular video data is installed on the secondary device;

after transmitting the query signal, receiving, by the computing device and from the secondary device, a signal indicating that the haptic effect library is not installed on the secondary device;

in response to receiving the signal indicating that the haptic effect library is not installed, transmitting, by the computing device and to the secondary device, haptic effect data configured to be used by the secondary device to install the haptic effect library on the secondary device;

receiving, by the computing device, a content stream comprising the particular video data, audio data, and event data;

monitoring, by the computing device, the content stream to detect an event associated with the event data in the content stream;

generating, by the computing device, a haptic signal associated with the event, the haptic signal configured to cause a haptic output device to output a haptic effect included within the haptic effect library; and

transmitting, by the computing device, the haptic signal to the secondary device, the haptic signal configured to cause the secondary device to output the haptic effect.

33. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code configured to be executed by a processor of a computing device to cause the processor to:

detect that particular video data is being watched for a first time;

in response to detecting that the particular video data is being watched for the first time, transmit a query signal to a secondary device requesting information regarding whether a haptic effect library associated with particular video data is installed on the secondary device;

after transmitting the query signal, receive, from the secondary device, a signal indicating that the haptic effect library is not installed;

in response to receiving the signal indicating that the haptic effect library is not installed, transmit, to the secondary device, haptic effect data configured to be used by the secondary device to install the haptic effect library on the secondary device;

receive a content stream comprising the particular video data, audio data, and event data;

monitor the content stream to detect an event associated with the event data in the content stream;

generate a haptic signal associated with the event, the haptic signal configured to cause a haptic output device to output a haptic effect included within the haptic effect library; and

transmit the haptic signal to the secondary device, the haptic signal configured to cause the secondary device to output the haptic effect.