Methods and systems for providing a virtual touch haptic effect to handheld communication devices

• US 8,830,161 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2003
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Grant, Danny A., Eid, Jeffrey, Endo, Shoichi, Shahoian, Erik J., Chang, Dean C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moon, Seokyun
• Application Number:
  US10/538,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20060284849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,928 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345173-178
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to methods and systems for providing customized “haptic messaging” to users of handheld communication devices in a variety of applications. In one embodiment, a method of providing virtual touch to a handheld communication device includes: receiving an input signal associated with a virtual touch; outputting a request relating to a contact with a user-interface member coupled to a handheld communication device; and providing a control signal associated with the contact to an actuator coupled to the handheld communication device, the control signal being configured to cause the actuator to output a haptic effect associated with the virtual touch.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first communication device at different times, a first input signal associated with a first virtual touch and a second input signal associated with a second virtual touch, the first communication device including a first user-interface member, a second user-interface member, and an actuator, wherein the first user-interface member and the second user-interface member are hardware, whereby the first and second virtual touches originate from a second communication device operated by a user to communicate the first and second virtual touches to the first communication device;

outputting, at the first communication device, a request to initiate a contact with the first user-interface member when the first virtual touch is received and a second request to initiate a contact with the second user-interface member when the second virtual touch is received;

receiving the contact; and

providing a control signal to the actuator in response to the contact, the control signal configured to cause the actuator to output a first haptic effect associated with the first virtual touch when the first virtual touch is received and a second haptic effect associated with the second virtual touch when the second virtual touch is received.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising extracting a haptic code from the first input signal, the control signal being based at least in part on the haptic code.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first user-interface member includes one of a key, a button, a key pad, a direction pad, a touch screen, a scroll wheel, a mini-joystick, a trackball, and a knob.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first virtual touch is associated with one of a handshake, a high-five, a pat on the back, a pulse sensation, a heartbeat sensation, and a pet purring sensation.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing executable instructions which cause a data processing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first communication device at different times, a first input signal associated with a first virtual and a second input signal associated with a second virtual touch, the first communication device including a first user-interface member, a second user-interface member, and an actuator, wherein the first user-interface member and the second user-interface member are hardware, whereby the first and second virtual touches originate from a second communication device operated by a user to communicate the first and second virtual touches to the first communication device;

outputting, at the first communication device, a request to initiate a contact with the first user-interface member when the first virtual touch is received and a second request to initiate a contact with the second user-interface member when the second virtual touch is received;

receiving the contact; and

providing a control signal in response to the contact, the control signal configured to cause the actuator to output a first haptic effect associated with the first virtual touch when the first virtual touch is received and a second haptic effect associated with the second virtual touch when the second virtual touch is received.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 further comprising extracting a haptic code from the first input signal, the control signal being based at least in part on the haptic code.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 wherein the first virtual touch is associated with one of a handshake, a high-five, a pat on the back, a pulse sensation, a heartbeat sensation, and a pet purring sensation.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a first user-interface member coupled to a body and a second user-interface member coupled to the body, wherein the first user-interface member and the second user-interface member are hardware;

a processor;

an actuator coupled to the body and in communication with the processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing instructions configuring the processor to;

receive, at different times, a first input signal associated with a first virtual touch and a second input signal associated with a second virtual touch at the apparatus, whereby the first and second virtual touches originate from a second apparatus operated by a user to communicate the first and second virtual touches to the apparatus;

output a request to initiate a contact with the first user-interface member when the first virtual touch is received and a second request to initiate a contact with the second user-interface member when the second virtual touch is received;

receive an indication that the contact was made; and

provide a control signal to the actuator in response to the contact, the control signal configured to cause the actuator to output a first haptic effect when the first virtual touch is received and a second haptic effect associated with the second virtual touch when the second virtual touch is received.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the body is included in a handheld communication device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the handheld communication device includes one of a cellular phone, a satellite phone, a cordless phone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a two-way radio, a portable computer, a game console controller, a personal gaming device, and an MP3 player.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first user-interface member includes at least one of a key, a button, a key pad, a direction pad, a touch screen, a scroll wheel, a mini-joystick, a trackball, and a knob.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first virtual touch is associated with one of a handshake, a high-five, a pat on the back, a pulse sensation, a heartbeat sensation, and a pet purring sensation.