Haptic spatialization system

• US 9,891,710 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2015
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Da Costa, Henry, Lacroix, Robert, Grant, Danny, Rank, Stephen D., Birnbaum, David, Rihn, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Renwick, Reginald
• Application Number:
  US14/874,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20160026251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A system is provided that controls a haptic effect experienced at a peripheral device. The system receives a haptic effect definition including haptic data. The system further receives spatialization data including: a distance of the haptic effect; a direction of the haptic effect; or a flow of the haptic effect. The system further includes modifying the haptic effect definition based on the received spatialization data. The system further includes sending a haptic instruction and the modified haptic effect definition to the peripheral device. The system further includes causing one or more haptic output devices to produce one or more haptic effects based on the modified haptic effect definition at the peripheral device in response to the haptic instruction.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a haptic effect experienced at a peripheral device, the system comprising:

a targeted actuator;

a general actuator;

a memory configured to store a plurality of haptic spatialization instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the haptic spatialization instructions including instructions for;

receiving haptic spatialization data;

dividing the haptic spatialization data into a first haptic effect definition component and a second haptic effect definition component;

applying a drive signal to the targeted actuator to produce a targeted kinesthetic effect according to the first haptic effect definition component; and

applying a drive signal to the general actuator to produce a general haptic effect according to the second haptic effect definition component.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the spatialization data includes at least one of a position of the haptic effect, a distance of the haptic effect, a velocity of the haptic effect, a direction of the haptic effect, or a flow of the haptic effect.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein one of the first and second haptic effect definition components is attenuated based on the haptic spatialization data.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the attenuating is based on a position of one or more haptic effects within a gaming application and a position of a user within the gaming application.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the targeted kinesthetic effect and the general haptic effect are produced at one or more user input elements of the peripheral device.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral device comprises a controller or gamepad.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the targeted kinesthetic effect is applied to one of an analog stick, digital stick, button, or trigger.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the targeted kinesthetic effect is simultaneously provided with a video or an audio effect.

9. A method of producing a haptic effect comprising:

receiving haptic spatialization data;

dividing the haptic spatialization data into a first haptic effect definition component and a second haptic effect definition component;

applying a drive signal to a targeted actuator to produce a targeted kinesthetic effect according to the first haptic effect definition component; and

applying a drive signal to a general actuator to produce a general haptic effect according to the second haptic effect definition component.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the haptic spatialization data includes at least one of a position of the haptic effect, a distance of the haptic effect, a velocity of the haptic effect, a direction of the haptic effect, or a flow of the haptic effect.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein one of the first and second haptic effect definition components is attenuated based on the haptic spatialization data.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the attenuating is based on a position of one or more haptic effects within a gaming application and a position of a user within the gaming application.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the targeted kinesthetic effect and the general haptic effect are produced at one or more user input elements of a peripheral device.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the peripheral device comprises a controller or gamepad.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the targeted kinesthetic effect is applied to one of an analog stick, digital stick, button, or trigger.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein the targeted kinesthetic effect is simultaneously provided with a video or an audio effect.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by a processor, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

receiving haptic spatialization data;

dividing the haptic spatialization data into a first haptic effect definition component and a second haptic effect definition component;

applying a drive signal to a targeted actuator to produce a targeted kinesthetic effect according to the first haptic effect definition component; and

applying a drive signal to a general actuator to produce a general haptic effect according to the second haptic effect definition component.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the haptic spatialization data includes at least one of:

a position of the haptic effect, a distance of the haptic effect, a velocity of the haptic effect, a direction of the haptic effect, or a flow of the haptic effect.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein one of the first and second haptic effect definition components is attenuated based on the haptic spatialization data.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the attenuating is based on a position of one or more haptic effects within a gaming application and a position of a user within the gaming application.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the targeted kinesthetic effect and the general haptic effect are produced at one or more user input elements of a peripheral device.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 21, wherein the peripheral device comprises a controller or gamepad.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the targeted kinesthetic effect is applied to one of an analog stick, digital stick, button, or trigger.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the targeted kinesthetic effect is simultaneously provided with a video or an audio effect.