System and method for providing haptic stimulus based on position

• US 9,987,555 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2013
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Grant, Danny A., Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hall, Shauna-Kay
• Application Number:
  US13/998,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20140043228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 463 37, 345156
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A method of producing a haptic effect includes receiving a sensory content signal from a user interface device, receiving a sensor signal of a body position of a first body part of a user with respect to a second body part of the user, generating the haptic effect using the sensory content signal and the sensor signal, and applying a drive signal to a haptic actuator to produce the haptic effect.

Claims

1. A method of producing a haptic effect comprising:

receiving a sensory content signal from a user interface device;

receiving a sensor signal indicative of a body position of a first body part of a user with respect to a second body part of the user;

generating the haptic effect using the sensory content signal and the sensor signal;

determining, based on the sensor signal, the first body part moving towards the second body part or away from the second body part;

varying the haptic effect based on whether the first body part is moving towards the second body part or is moving away from the second body part; and

applying a drive signal to a haptic actuator to produce the haptic effect.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first body part comprises an arm.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second body part comprises a trunk.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensory content signal comprises a visual content signal or an audio content signal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a second sensor signal indicative of a position of the user with respect to the user interface device, and wherein generating the haptic effect comprises using the sensory content signal, the sensor signal, and the second sensor signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein varying the haptic effect comprises varying the haptic effect based on the sensor signal reflecting a change in the body position of the first body part with respect to the second body part and the second sensor signal reflecting a change in the position of the user based on the position of the second body part with respect to the user interface device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein varying the haptic effect comprises varying the haptic effect based on the second sensor signal reflecting a change in the position of the user with respect to the user interface device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein varying the haptic effect comprises varying the haptic effect based on the sensor signal reflecting the first body part rotating around the second body part.

9. A haptic effect enabled system comprising:

a haptic actuator;

a drive module electronically coupled to the actuator, the drive module configured to

receive a sensory content signal from a user interface device,

receive a sensor signal indicative of a body position of a first body part of a user with respect to a second body part of the user,

receive a second sensor signal indicative of a position of the user with respect to the user interface device,

determine, based on the sensor signal, whether the first body part is moving towards the second body part or is moving away from the second body part,

and generate a haptic effect using the sensory content signal and the sensor signal and the second sensor signal, the drive module further configured to vary the haptic effect based on whether the first body part is moving towards the second body part or is moving away from the second body part, and based on the position of the user with respect to the user interface device; and

a drive circuit electronically coupled to the drive module and the actuator, the drive circuit configured to apply a drive signal to the haptic actuator to produce the haptic effect.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first body part comprises an arm.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second body part comprises a trunk.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensory content signal comprises a visual content signal or an audio content signal.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the drive module is configured to vary the haptic effect based on the first body part rotating around the second body part.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to produce a haptic effect, the instructions comprising:

receiving a sensory content signal from a user interface device;

receiving a sensor signal indicative of a body position of a first body part of a user with respect to a second body part of the user;

determining, based on the sensor signal, whether the first body part is rotating around the second body part,

generating the haptic effect using the sensory content signal and the sensor signal;

varying the haptic effect based on whether the first body part is rotating around the second body part; and

applying a drive signal to a haptic actuator to produce the haptic effect.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the first body part comprises an arm.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the second body part comprises a trunk.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the sensory content signal comprises a visual content signal or an audio content signal.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising receiving a second sensor signal indicative of a position of the user with respect to the user interface device, and wherein generating the haptic effect comprises using the sensory content signal, the sensor signal, and the second sensor signal.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein varying the haptic effect comprises varying the haptic effect based on the position of the second body part with respect to the user interface device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein varying the haptic effect comprises varying the haptic effect based on the second signal reflecting the first body part moving towards or away from the second body part and based on the second sensor signal reflecting a change in the position of the user with respect to the user interface device.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein varying the haptic effect comprises generating an in-motion haptic effect to reflect the first body part moving towards or away from the second body part based on the sensor signal.