Interactive painting game and associated controller

• US 8,884,870 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Grant, Danny A., Ramsay, Erin B., Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Birnbaum, David, Heubel, Robert W., Bartel, Hendrik, Ullrich, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): YEN, JASON TAHAI
• Application Number:
  US12/642,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20100160041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 710/62, 434/114
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/34 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

A gaming concept in which each user in a single-player or a multi-player game is enabled to create artwork or graffiti work virtually or on actual surfaces using haptic-enhanced controllers. The controllers can emulate the experience of using a marker, a paint brush, a paint spray-can or the like. The components of various controllers may be modularized for easily interchanging components to extend the art or graffiti creation experience. The real life experience of using ink or paint on a surface is simulated by haptic feedback. When a paint spray-can controller is used, the experience of paint consumption is recreated by various peripheral enhancements including audio and haptic sensations communicated to the user.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a computer configured to run a software program designed to display a graphical simulation on a display, the software program configured to allow a user to generate visual art in the graphical simulation; and

a user graspable controller configured to be freely moveable in a three dimensional space, the user graspable controller comprising a sensor configured to track positional values of the user graspable controller in the three dimensional space and transmit a sensor signal representative of the positional values to the computer, and an actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the user upon receiving a control signal from a processor coupled to the user graspable controller, the user graspable controller being representative of a writing and painting instrument configured to generate the visual art, and the haptic effect being associated with use of the writing and painting instrument when the visual art is generated.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive the sensor signals and provide the sensor signals to the computer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user graspable controller is configured to have an outer shape in a form of a paint spray-can.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the user graspable controller further comprises a nozzle sensor coupled to a nozzle, wherein the nozzle sensor is configured to send a nozzle sensor signal when the nozzle is pressed to indicate operation of the nozzle, the computer configured to update the visual art in response to the nozzle being pressed.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a second actuator coupled to the nozzle of the user graspable controller, wherein the second actuator outputs a haptic effect in response to receiving a control signal from a processor in communication with the computer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user graspable controller is configured to have an outer shape in a form of a paint brush.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the user graspable controller further comprises a tip sensor coupled to the a bristled tip of the paint brush, wherein the tip sensor is configured to send a tip sensor signal when the tip is pressed to indicate operation of the paint brush, the computer configured to update the visual art in response to the tip being pressed.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a second actuator coupled to the bristled tip of the paint brush, wherein the second actuator outputs a haptic effect in response to receiving a control signal from a processor in communication with the computer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the user graspable controller is configured to have an outer shape in a form of a marker.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the user graspable controller further comprises a tip sensor coupled to the a tip of the marker, wherein the tip sensor is configured to send a tip sensor signal when the tip is pressed to indicate operation of the marker, the computer configured to update the visual art in response to the tip being pressed.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a second actuator coupled to the tip of the marker, wherein the second actuator outputs a haptic effect in response to receiving a control signal from a processor in communication with the computer.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the user graspable controller comprises a wireless input/output port configured to communicate with the computer.

13. A game comprising:

a user graspable controller configured to be freely moveable in a three dimensional space by a user, the user graspable controller comprising a position sensor configured to track a physical position of the user graspable controller in the three dimensional space, a processor coupled to the position sensor, and an actuator configured to output a haptic effect upon receiving a control signal from the processor, the user graspable controller configured to place a data tag at a location where the user designates via the controller, the user graspable controller configured to send a signal after the user graspable controller places the data tag, the user graspable controller being representative of a writing and painting instrument configured to generate the data tag, and the haptic effect being associated with use of the writing and painting instrument when the data tag is generated; and

a host computer remote from the user graspable controller and configured to run a software program, wherein the host computer is configured to identify the user from the received signal and to store the location of the data tag, wherein information of the stored data tag and identity of the user is capable of being accessed from the host computer.

14. The game in claim 13, wherein the host computer is configured to store a time when the data tag was placed.

15. The game in claim 13, wherein the user graspable controller is configured to send the position signal wirelessly.

16. The game in claim 13, wherein the user graspable controller is a mobile phone.

17. The game in claim 13, wherein the user graspable controller is a media player.

18. A game comprising:

a plurality of uniquely identifiable controllers configured to be freely moveable in a three dimensional space by respective users, each controller comprising a position sensor configured to track a physical position of the controller in the three dimensional space and a processor coupled to the position sensor, each controller configured to place a data tag on a surface at different user-designed locations, each controller configured to send a corresponding signal upon the controller placing the data tag, at least one controller further comprises an actuator configured to output a haptic effect upon receiving a control signal from the processor, the at least one controller being representative of a writing and painting instrument configured to generate the data tag, and the haptic effect being associated with use of the writing and painting instrument when the data tag is generated; and

a host computer remote from the controllers and configured to run a software program, wherein the host computer is configured to identify each user from each received signal and to store the location of the data tag, wherein information of the stored data tag and identity of the users is capable of being accessed from the host computer.

19. The game in claim 18, wherein the host computer is configured to store a time when the data tag was placed.

20. The game in claim 18, wherein at least one controller is configured to send the position signal wirelessly.

21. The game in claim 18, wherein at least one controller is a mobile phone.

22. The game in claim 18, wherein at least one controller is a media player.