Systems and Methods For Haptic Message Transmission

• US 20100017489A1
• Filed: 07/14/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Ullrich, Chris, Birnbaum, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,019,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 : according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 : Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 : for social networking applications

Abstract

Systems and methods for haptic message transmission are disclosed. For example, one disclosed method includes the steps of receiving a sensor signal from a sensor configured to sense a physical interaction with a messaging device, determining a virtual force based at least in part on the sensor signal, and applying the virtual force to a virtual message object within a virtual message environment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a sensor signal from a sensor configured to sense a physical interaction with a messaging device;

determining a virtual force based at least in part on the sensor signal; and

applying the virtual force to a virtual message object within a virtual message environment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether to transmit the virtual message object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether to transmit the virtual message object is based at least in part on the virtual force and a status of a recipient.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a transmission characteristic of the virtual message object based at least in part on the sensor signal; and

transmitting the virtual message object and the transmission characteristic of the virtual message object.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a recipient signal associated with a recipient of the virtual message object; and

displaying a virtual gateway in the virtual message environment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the virtual gateway is associated with the recipient of the virtual message object.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the sensor signal comprises a gesture directed toward the virtual gateway.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a signal associated with a virtual message object; and

determining a haptic effect based, at least in part, on a transmission characteristic of the virtual message object.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising transmitting a haptic signal to an actuator configured to output the haptic effect.

10. A computer-readable medium comprising program code, the program code comprising:

program code to receive a sensor signal from a sensor configured to sense a physical interaction with a messaging device;

program code to determine a virtual force based at least in part on the sensor signal; and

program code to apply the virtual force to a virtual message object within a virtual message environment.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising program code to determine whether to transmit the virtual message object.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

program code to determine a transmission characteristic of the virtual message object based at least in part on the sensor signal; and

program code to transmit the virtual message object and the transmission characteristic of the virtual message object.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

program code to receive a recipient signal associated with a recipient of the virtual message object; and

program code to display a virtual gateway in the virtual message environment.

14. A computer-readable medium comprising program code to determine a haptic effect based, at least in part, on a transmission characteristic of a virtual message object.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising program code to transmit a haptic signal to an actuator configured to output the haptic effect.

16. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a sensor signal from a sensor configured to sense a physical interaction with a messaging device;

determine a virtual force based at least in part on the sensor signal; and

apply the virtual force to a virtual message object within a virtual message environment; and

a network interface in communication with the processor; and

a display in communication with the processor, the display configured to display the virtual message environment.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether to transmit the virtual message object.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a transmission characteristic of the virtual message object based at least in part on the sensor signal; and

transmit the virtual message object and the transmission characteristic of the virtual message object.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the sensor comprises:

a pressure sensor, a gyroscopic sensor, an accelerometer, or a touch sensitive input device.

21. The recipient device of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a haptic signal to an actuator configured to output a haptic effect.

20. A system comprising a recipient device, the recipient device comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a signal associated with a virtual message object;

receive a signal associated with a transmission characteristic of the virtual message object; and

determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the transmission characteristic of the virtual message object.