HAPTIC EFFECTS WITH PROXIMITY SENSING

• US 20150054768A1
• Filed: 10/31/2014
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: GRANT, Danny A., GREGORIO, Pedro, LACROIX, Robert Andre
• Granted Patent: US 9,600,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method of generating a haptic effect on a device includes detecting a position of an object relative to the device. The method further includes, based at least on the position, determining a gesture indicated by the object, and generating the haptic effect on the device based on the determined gesture, where the haptic effect is generated without the object contacting the device.

Claims

1. A method of generating a haptic effect on a device, the method comprising:

detecting a position of an object relative to the device;

based at least on the position, determining a gesture indicated by the object; and

generating the haptic effect on the device based on the determined gesture, wherein the haptic effect is generated without the object contacting the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is a stylus.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the position comprises a location of the object relative to the device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the position comprises an orientation of the object relative to the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the gesture comprises determining a movement of the object relative to the device based on multiple detecting of positions of the object relative to the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the movement comprises a rotation.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the orientation of the device is above the device.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the orientation of the device is near the device.

9. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to generate a haptic effect on a device, the generating comprising:

detecting a position of an object relative to the device;

based at least on the position, determining a gesture indicated by the object; and

generating the haptic effect on the device based on the determined gesture, wherein the haptic effect is generated without the object contacting the device.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the object is a stylus.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the position comprises a location of the object relative to the device.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the position comprises an orientation of the object relative to the device.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the determining the gesture comprises determining a movement of the object relative to the device based on multiple detecting of positions of the object relative to the device.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the movement comprises a rotation.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the orientation of the device is above the device.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the orientation of the device is near the device.

17. A haptically enabled device comprising:

a sensor;

a processor coupled to the sensor; and

a haptic feedback system coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is adapted to;

detect a position of an object relative to the device based on a signal received from the sensor;

based at least on the position, determine a gesture indicated by the object; and

generate the haptic effect on the device using the haptic feedback system based on the determined gesture, wherein the haptic effect is generated without the object contacting the device.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the object is a stylus.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the position comprises a location of the object relative to the device.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the position comprises an orientation of the object relative to the device.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein the determine the gesture comprises determining a movement of the object relative to the device based on multiple detecting of positions of the object relative to the device.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein the movement comprises a rotation.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the orientation of the device is above the device.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein the orientation of the device is near the device.