Energy savings mode for silent haptics

• US 10,462,748 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Da Costa, Henry, Date, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yi, Alexander J
• Application Number:
  US15/079,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20170280397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• 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 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0267 by controlling user interface components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and system for energy savings with silent haptics is presented. A haptically-enabled device includes a processor that executes a haptic track containing haptic instructions. The haptic track is analyzed to determine the presence of a zero-force interval, also known as a silent haptic. The duration of the zero-force interval is determined, and if the duration exceeds a pre-determined threshold, then the system or method enters an energy savings mode. An overhead time associated with the terminating of the energy savings mode is determined. And, the energy savings mode is terminated at the conclusion of the zero-force interval less the overhead time.

Claims

1. A method of generating haptic effects, the method comprising:

executing, by a processor, a haptic track for a haptically-enabled device configured to generate a haptic effect;

determining a presence of a first zero-force interval and a second zero-force interval within the haptic track;

determining a first duration of the first zero-force interval and a second duration of the second zero-force interval;

determining if the first duration of the first zero-force interval and the second duration of the second zero-force interval exceeds a pre-determined threshold;

entering, based on the determination that the first duration of the first zero-force interval exceeds the pre-determined threshold, at a start of the first zero-force interval, a first energy savings mode, wherein entering the energy savings mode comprises shutting down a haptic interface logic system that controls an actuator system of the haptically-enabled device including a haptic actuator configured to generate the haptic effect;

terminating the first energy savings mode at a conclusion of the first zero force interval when no haptics call is received during the first duration of the first zero-force interval;

entering, based on the determination that the second duration of the second zero-force interval exceeds the pre-determined threshold, at a start of the second zero-force interval, a second energy savings mode,

terminating the second energy savings mode before the conclusion of the second zero force interval upon receipt of a haptics call;

determining a duration of the second energy savings mode upon the premature termination of the second energy savings mode; and

synchronizing the haptic track with a time of the premature termination of the second energy savings mode based on the duration of the second energy savings mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an overhead time associated with termination of the first energy savings mode; and

terminating the first energy savings mode at a conclusion of the first zero-force interval less the overhead time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based on the duration of the first energy savings mode, synchronizing the haptic track with a time of termination of the first energy savings mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein entering the first energy savings mode or the second energy savings mode further comprises suspending execution of the haptic track.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing the haptic track for a future occurrence of a third zero-force interval.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising generating a haptic pattern that comprises the future occurrence of the third zero-force interval and a non-silent haptic instruction, wherein execution of the haptic pattern occurs during a third energy savings mode.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the haptic pattern comprises a pre-determined number of time intervals.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein shutting down the haptic interface logic system further comprises shutting down the actuator system and the haptic actuator.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein during the first zero-force interval within the haptic track the haptic actuator consumes no power.

8. An energy savings haptic effects system comprising:

a haptically-enabled device configured to generate a haptic effect;

a timer; and

a processor configured to;

execute a haptic track comprising haptic instructions;

identify a first zero-force interval and a second zero-force interval within the haptic track;

determine a first duration of the first zero-force interval and a second duration of the second zero-force interval; and

determine if the first duration of the first zero-force interval and the second duration of the second zero-force interval exceeds a pre-determined threshold;

a power controller configured to;

enter a first energy savings mode at a start of the first zero-force interval if based on the determination that the first duration of the first zero-force interval exceeds the pre-determined threshold, wherein entering the energy savings mode comprises shutting down a haptic interface logic system that controls an actuator system of the haptically-enabled device including a haptic actuator configured to generate the haptic effect,

terminate the first energy savings mode at a conclusion of the first zero force interval when no haptics call is received during the first duration of the first zero-force interval;

enter, based on the determination that the second duration of the second zero-force interval exceeds the pre-determined threshold, at a start of the second zero-force interval, a second energy savings mode,

terminate the second energy savings mode before the conclusion of the second zero force interval upon receipt of a haptics call,

determine a duration of the second energy savings mode upon the premature termination of the second energy savings mode, and

synchronize the haptic track with a time of the premature termination of the second energy savings mode based on the duration of the second energy savings mode.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to determine an overhead time associated with a termination of the first energy savings mode and to terminate, using the timer, the first energy savings mode at a conclusion of the first zero-force interval less the overhead time.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to analyze the haptic track for a future occurrence of a third zero-force interval.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a haptic pattern that comprises the future occurrence of the third zero-force interval and a non-silent haptic instruction, wherein execution of the haptic pattern occurs during a third energy savings mode.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein shutting down the haptic interface logic system further comprises shutting down the actuator system and the haptic actuator.

18. The system of claim 8, wherein during the first zero-force interval within the haptic track the haptic actuator consumes no power.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to enter an energy savings mode, the entry of the energy savings mode comprising:

executing, by a processor, a haptic track for a haptically-enabled device configured to generate a haptic effect;

determining a presence of a first zero-force interval and a second zero-force interval within the haptic track;

determining a first duration of the first zero-force interval and a second duration of the second zero-force interval;

determining if the first duration of the first zero-force interval and the second duration of the second zero-force interval exceeds a pre-determined threshold;

entering, based on the determination that the first duration of the first zero-force interval exceeds the pre-determined threshold, at a start of the first zero-force interval, a first energy savings mode, wherein entering the energy savings mode comprises shutting down a haptic interface logic system that controls an actuator system of the haptically-enabled device including a haptic actuator configured to generate the haptic effect;

terminating the first energy savings mode at a conclusion of the first zero force interval when no haptics call is received during the first duration of the first zero-force interval;

entering, based on the determination that the second duration of the second zero-force interval exceeds the pre-determined threshold, at a start of the second zero-force interval, a second energy savings mode,

terminating the second energy savings mode before the conclusion of the second zero force interval upon receipt of a haptics call;

determining a duration of the second energy savings mode upon the premature termination of the second energy savings mode; and

synchronizing the haptic track with a time of the premature termination of the second energy savings mode based on the duration of the second energy savings mode.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising analyzing the haptic track for a future occurrence of a third zero-force interval.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein shutting down the haptic interface logic system further comprises shutting down the actuator system and the haptic actuator.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein during the first zero-force interval within the haptic track the haptic actuator consumes no power.