METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A DYNAMIC HAPTIC EFFECT

• US 20120223880A1
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: CRUZ-HERNANDEZ, Juan Manuel, BIRNBAUM, David, GRANT, Danny, ULLRICH, Chris
• Application Number:
  US13/472,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20120223880A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A system that produces a dynamic haptic effect and generates a drive signal that includes two or more gesture signals. The haptic effect is modified dynamically based on the gesture signals. The haptic effect may optionally be modified dynamically by using the gesture signals and two or more real or virtual device sensor signals such as from an accelerometer or gyroscope, or by signals created from processing data such as still images, video or sound.

Claims

1. A method of producing a haptic effect comprising:

receiving a first gesture signal;

receiving a second gesture signal;

generating an interaction parameter using the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal; and

applying a drive signal to a haptic output device according to the interaction parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first or second gesture signal comprises a vector signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first or second gesture signal comprises an on-screen signal.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an interaction parameter comprises generating an interaction parameter from a difference between the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an interaction parameter comprises generating an interaction parameter using the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal and a physical model.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an interaction parameter comprises generating an interaction parameter using the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal and an animation.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a first device sensor signal;

receiving a second device sensor signal; and

wherein generating an interaction parameter comprises generating an interaction parameter using the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal and the first device sensor signal and the second device sensor signal.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device sensor signal or the second device sensor signal comprises an accelerometer signal.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device sensor signal or the second device sensor signal comprises a gyroscope signal.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device sensor signal or the second device sensor signal comprises an ambient signal.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device sensor signal or the second device sensor signal comprises a virtual sensor signal.

12. A haptic effect enabled system comprising:

a haptic output device;

a drive module electronically coupled to the haptic output device for receiving a first gesture signal, receiving a second gesture signal, and generating an interaction parameter using the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal; and

a drive circuit electronically coupled to the drive module and the haptic output device for applying a drive signal to the haptic output device according to the interaction parameter.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the first or second gesture signal comprises a vector signal.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the first or second gesture signal comprises an on-screen signal.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the drive module comprises a drive module for generating an interaction parameter from a difference between the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the drive module comprises a drive module for generating an interaction parameter using the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal and a physical model.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the drive module comprises a drive module for generating an interaction parameter using the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal and an animation.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the drive module comprises a drive module for receiving a first device sensor signal, receiving a second device sensor signal, and generating an interaction parameter using the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal and the first device sensor signal and the second device sensor signal.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the first device sensor signal or the second device sensor signal comprises an accelerometer signal.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein the first device sensor signal or the second device sensor signal comprises a gyroscope signal.

21. The system of claim 12 wherein the first device sensor signal or the second device sensor signal comprises an ambient signal.

22. The system of claim 12 wherein the first device sensor signal or the second device sensor signal comprises a virtual sensor signal.

23. A 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 first gesture signal;

receiving a second gesture signal;

generating an interaction parameter using the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal; and

applying a drive signal to a haptic output device according to the interaction parameter.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the first or second gesture signal comprises a vector signal.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the first or second gesture signal comprises an on-screen signal.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein generating an interaction parameter comprises generating an interaction parameter from a difference between the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein generating an interaction parameter comprises generating an interaction parameter using the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal and a physical model.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein generating an interaction parameter comprises generating an interaction parameter using the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal and an animation.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a first device sensor signal;

receiving a second device sensor signal; and

wherein generating an interaction parameter comprises generating an interaction parameter using the first gesture signal and the second gesture signal and the first device sensor signal and the second device sensor signal.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the first device sensor signal or the second device sensor signal comprises a signal selected from the list consisting of accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient, or virtual.