Haptic effects conflict avoidance

• US 9,881,467 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2016
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Levesque, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US15/049,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20170243452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 3404071, 3404072
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions

Abstract

A method and system for avoiding haptic effects conflict is presented. A haptic enabled device configured to generate haptic effects associated with a first signature is used by a user. The system detects an additional source of haptic effects and determines a second signature associated with the haptic effects produced by the source. The system determines a preferred set of haptic configurations and modifies either the first or second signature based on the preferred set of haptic configurations to achieve a minimal conflict between the first and second signatures.

Claims

1. A method of automatically resolving haptic effect conflicts, the method comprising:

using a haptic enabled device configured to generate a first haptic effect associated with a first signature;

detecting a source of second haptic effects;

determining a second signature associated with the second haptic effects produced by the source;

identifying the source of the second haptic effects as a second haptic enabled device; and

modifying either the first or second signature to reduce conflict between the first signature and the second signature.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the second signature based on the identification of the source of the second haptic effects.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the second signature by a measurement.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second signature comprises a vibration.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second signature comprises a frequency, a duration and an amplitude.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a preferred haptic notification by communicating with the source of the second haptic effects.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein communicating with the source of the second haptic effects includes negotiating with the source of the second haptic effects, and modifying either the first or second signature includes modifying the first signature.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein communicating with the source of the second haptic effects includes negotiating with the source of the second haptic effects, and modifying either the first or second signature includes modifying the second signature.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a preferred haptic notification comprising an optimization that includes a modification of parameters to generate the first signature.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the parameters include a frequency, a duration and an amplitude.

11. A haptic effects conflict resolution system comprising:

a haptic enabled device configured to generate a haptic effect associated with a first signature;

wherein the haptic enabled device is configured to;

detect a source of second haptic effects;

determine a second signature associated with the second haptic effects produced by the source;

identify the source of the second haptic effects as a second haptic enabled device; and

modify either the first or second signature to reduce a conflict between the first signature and the second signature.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second signature is determined based on an identification of the second haptic enabled device.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a measurement device configured to determine the second signature by a measurement.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the measurement device is configured to measure a frequency, a duration and an amplitude.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a communications sub-system configured to communicate with the second haptic enabled device.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions for resolving conflicts between multiple haptic effect sources stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

use a haptic enabled device configured to generate a haptic effect associated with a first signature;

detect a source of second haptic effects;

determine a second signature associated with the second haptic effects produced by the source;

identify the source of the second haptic effects as a second haptic enabled device; and

modify either the first or second signature to reduce a conflict between the first signature and the second signature.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine the second signature based on the identification of the source of the second haptic effects.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine the second signature by a measurement.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine a haptic notification comprising communicating with the source of the second haptic effects.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to negotiate with the second haptic enabled device wherein the first signature is modified.