Systems and Methods For Haptic Remote Control Gaming

• US 20160098085A1
• Filed: 12/14/2015
• Published: 04/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Weddle, Amaya B., Grant, Danny, Birnbaum, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,753,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/005 by providing the operator with signals other than visual, e.g. acoustic, haptic
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for haptic remote control gaming are disclosed. In one embodiment a portable multifunction device receives information from a remotely controllable device. The portable multifunction device can be operable as a remote control for the remotely controllable device. The portable multifunction device may be a smartphone, a tablet computer, or another suitable electronic device. The portable multifunction device can determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the information received from the remotely controllable device. The portable multifunction device may generate a signal configured to cause an actuator to output the determined haptic effect. The portable multifunction device can output the signal.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium comprising program code for:

receiving, by a portable multifunction device, information from a remotely controllable device, the portable multifunction device being operable as a remote control for the remotely controllable device;

determining, by the portable multifunction device, a haptic effect based at least in part on the received information;

generating, by the portable multifunction device, a signal configured to cause an actuator to output the first haptic effect; and

outputting, by the first portable multifunction device, the signal.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the portable multifunction device is a smartphone.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the portable multifunction device is a watch.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the remotely controllable device comprises at least one of a car, a plane, a drone, a robot, or a doll.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the information is received from the remotely controllable device over at least radio frequency.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the information is received from the remotely controllable device via at least one of a cellular network or a Wi-Fi network.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the information comprises sensor information associated with one or more sensors in the remotely controllable device.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the sensor information comprises at least one of a direction, a tilt, or a speed of the remotely controllable device.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the information comprises a request for the portable multifunction device to cede control of at least a portion of the remotely controllable device to a second portable multifunction device.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the information comprises a video feed from at least one camera associated with the remotely controllable device.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising program code for:

overlaying at least a portion of the video feed on one or more graphical images; and

displaying the overlaid view on a display of the portable multifunction device.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the received information comprises environmental information for the remotely controllable device.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the portable multifunction device, information from a second portable multifunction device, the second portable multifunction device being operable as a remote control for the remotely controllable device at the same time as the portable multifunction device.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13,

wherein the information received from the remotely controllable device comprises environmental information for the remotely controllable device,

wherein the information received from the second portable multifunction device comprises an event performed by the second portable multifunction device, and

wherein determining the haptic effect based at least in part on the received information comprises:

determining the haptic effect based at least in part on the environmental information received from the remotely controllable device and the event received from the second portable multifunction device.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the received information comprises information usable to determine an event associated with the remotely controllable device.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the event occurs in an augmented reality.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the portable multifunction device, information from a second portable multifunction device, the second portable multifunction device being operable as a second remote control for a second remotely controllable device.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17,

wherein the first portable multifunction device is in a first location,

wherein the second portable multifunction device is in a second location,

wherein the first location is different from the second location, and

wherein the first portable multifunction device in the first location is configured to communicate with the second portable multifunction in the second location through at least one network.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17,

wherein the information received from the second portable multifunction device is in response to an event that occurred in an augmented related during gameplay, and

wherein the determined haptic effect is based at least in part on the information received form the second portable multifunction device.

20. A method comprising:

receiving, by a portable multifunction device, first information from a remotely controllable device, the portable multifunction device being operable as a remote control for the remotely controllable device;

determining, by the portable multifunction device, a first haptic effect based at least in part on the received first information;

generating, by the portable multifunction device, a first signal configured to cause an actuator to output the first haptic effect; and

outputting, by the first portable multifunction device, the first signal.