Systems and Methods for Shape Input and Output for a Haptically-Enabled Deformable Surface

• US 20170228122A1
• Filed: 04/25/2017
• Published: 08/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Levesque, Vincent, Rihn, William, Grant, Danny, Saboune, Jamal, Hamam, Abdelwahab
• Granted Patent: US 10,203,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0383 Remote input, i.e. interface arrangements in which the signals generated by a pointing device are transmitted to a PC at a remote location, e.g. to a PC in a LAN
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• 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 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device

Abstract

One illustrative computing device disclosed herein includes a first sensor configured to detect a position associated with a deformable surface and transmit a sensor signal associated with the position; and a processor in communication with the sensor, the processor configured to: receive the sensor signal; determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the sensor signal; and transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect. The illustrative computing device also includes a haptic output device in communication with the processor, the haptic output device configured to receive the haptic signal and output the haptic effect.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a position associated with a deformable surface and transmit a sensor signal associated with the position;

a processor in communication with the sensor, the processor configured to;

receive the sensor signal;

determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the sensor signal; and

transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect; and

a haptic output device in communication with the processor, the haptic output device configured to receive the haptic signal and output the haptic effect.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

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

execute the function.

3. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the function comprises manipulating a virtual object or communicating with a remote device.

4. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the position is one of:

an amount of deformation in the deformable surface, the position of the deformable surface with respect to a remote device, or the position of the deformable surface in real space.

5. The computing device of claim 4, wherein the amount of deformation in the deformable surface is associated with a user interaction with the deformable surface.

6. The computing device of claim 5, wherein the user interaction comprises bending, folding, flexing, twisting, squeezing, or stretching the deformable surface.

7. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the haptic effect comprises a vibration, a perceptible change in a coefficient of friction on the deformable surface, a simulated texture, or a stroking sensation.

8. The computing device of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a system mode of the computing device; and

determine the function based at least in part on the system mode.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the haptic effect comprises bending, folding, flexing, twisting, squeezing, or stretching the deformable surface.

10. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is associated with a wearable device.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the wearable device comprises a shoe, an armband, a sleeve, a jacket, glasses, a glove, a ring, a watch, a wristband, a bracelet, an article of clothing, a hat, a headband, and/or jewelry.

12. A method comprising:

receiving a sensor signal associated with a position associated with a deformable surface;

determining a haptic effect based at least in part on the sensor signal; and

transmitting a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect to a haptic output device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

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

executing the function.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the position is one of:

an amount of deformation in the deformable surface, the position of the deformable surface with respect to a remote device, or the position of the deformable surface in real space.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the amount of deformation in the deformable surface is associated with a user interaction with the deformable surface, and wherein the user interaction comprises bending, folding, flexing, twisting, squeezing, or stretching the deformable surface.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a system mode of a computing device; and

determining the function based at least in part on the system mode.

17. A non-transient computer readable medium comprising program code, which when executed by a processor is configured to cause the processor to:

receive a sensor signal associated with a position associated with a deformable surface;

determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the sensor signal; and

transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect to a haptic output device.

18. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising program code which when executed by the processor is configured to cause the processor to:

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

execute the function.

19. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising program code which when executed by the processor is configured to cause the processor to:

determine a system mode of a computing device; and

determine the function based at least in part on the system mode.

20. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the position is one of:

an amount of deformation in the deformable surface, the position of the deformable surface with respect to a remote device, or the position of the deformable surface in real space.