PROVIDING HAPTIC OUTPUT BASED ON A DETERMINED ORIENTATION OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20150338919A1
• Filed: 05/21/2014
• Published: 11/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Weber, Douglas J., Hatanaka, Motohide
• Granted Patent: US 10,133,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/044 according to the level of ambient noise
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for providing haptic output for an electronic device. In certain embodiments, a type of haptic output is provided based on a determined orientation, position, and/or operating environment of the electronic device. Specifically, the electronic device may receive input from one or more sensors associated with electronic device. Once the input from the one or more sensors is received, an orientation, position and/or operating environment of the electronic device is determined. Based on the determined orientation of the electronic device, a type of haptic output is selected and provided.

Claims

1. A method for providing haptic output for an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving input from at least one sensor associated with the electronic device;

determining, based on the input from the at least one sensor, an orientation of the electronic device; and

outputting a type of haptic output from a plurality of possible types of haptic output based, at least in part, on the determined orientation of the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is an accelerometer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is a microphone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is an ambient light sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving additional input, wherein the additional input is used to alter the type of haptic output.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a location of the electronic device with respect to a user of the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising adjusting one or more properties associated with the type of haptic output based on the determined location of the electronic device with respect to the user of the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting a visual notification, wherein the visual notification is based, at least in part, on the determined orientation of the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting haptic output comprises:

outputting haptic output in a first direction when the determined orientation is a first orientation; and

outputting haptic output in a second direction when the determined orientation is a second orientation that is different than the first orientation.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising instructions for outputting a visual notification, wherein the visual notification is based, at least in part, on the determined orientation of the electronic device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting haptic output comprises:

outputting haptic output in a first direction when the determined orientation is a first orientation; and

outputting haptic output in a second direction when the determined orientation is a second orientation that is different than the first orientation.

10. An electronic device comprising:

at least one sensor;

at least one processor; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory for storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, performs a method for outputting haptic output, the method comprising;

receiving input from the at least one sensor;

determining, based on the input from the at least one sensor, an orientation of the electronic device; and

outputting a type of haptic output from a plurality of possible types of haptic output based, at least in part, on the determined orientation of the electronic device.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor is an accelerometer.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor is a microphone.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor is an ambient light sensor.

14. The device of claim 10, further comprising instructions for receiving additional input, wherein the additional input is used to alter the type of haptic output.

15. The device of claim 10, further comprising instructions for determining a location of the electronic device with respect to a user of the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising instructions for adjusting the type haptic output based on the determined location of the electronic device with respect to the user of the electronic device.

19. A computer-readable storage medium encoding computer executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, performs a method for outputting haptic output, the method comprising:

receiving input from the at least one sensor;

determining, based on the input from the at least one sensor, an orientation of the electronic device; and

outputting a type of haptic output from a plurality of possible types of haptic output based, at least in part, on the determined orientation of the electronic device.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the at least one sensor is an accelerometer.