Automatic remote sensing and haptic conversion system

• US 9,443,401 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Weddle, Amaya Becvar, Grant, Danny
• Primary Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US14/019,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20150070144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.19, 340/436, 340/407.1, 340/407.2, 340/669, 345/156, 345/173, 345/184, 345/157, 345/161, 345/167, 345/174, 345/177
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system is provided that automatically converts an input into one or more haptic effects in near real-time. The system senses the input in near real-time. The system automatically converts the sensed input into one or more haptic signals in near real-time. The system generates the one or more haptic effects based on the one or more haptic signals.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to convert an input into one or more haptic effects in near real-time, the automatic converting comprising:

sensing the input by a sensor in near-real time as it is being generated by a source and with a first time delay associated with the sensing of the input by the sensor;

automatically converting the sensed input into one or more haptic signals in near-real time as it is being received for the automatically converting and with a second time delay associated with the automatically converting;

modifying a haptic parameter of the one or more haptic signals to have substantially a same numeric value as a parameter of the sensed input, wherein the haptic parameter and the parameter of the sensed input are of a same parameter type, wherein the same parameter type is at least one of an amplitude, a frequency, a duration, an envelope, a density, a magnitude, a time signature, a frequency signature, a frequency band, or a strength; and

generating the one or more haptic effects based on the one or more haptic signals.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the automatically converting further comprises:

identifying one or more characteristics of the sensed input; and

modifying the one or more haptic signals based on the one or more identified characteristics.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the modifying the one or more haptic signals further comprises:

modifying the one or more haptic signals to include the one or more identified characteristics of the sensed input.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 3,

wherein the one or more characteristics of the sensed input comprises at least one of:

an amplitude, a frequency, a duration, an envelope, a density, a magnitude, a time signature, a frequency signature, or a strength; and

wherein the one or more haptic parameters of the one or more haptic signals comprises at least one of;

an amplitude haptic parameter, a frequency haptic parameter, a duration haptic parameter, an envelope haptic parameter, a density haptic parameter, a magnitude parameter, a time signature haptic parameter, a frequency signature haptic parameter, or a strength haptic parameter.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the automatically converting further comprises:

filtering the sensed input.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the automatically converting further comprises:

wirelessly transmitting the sensed input to a controller configured to perform the automatically converting.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the generating the one or more haptic effects is performed by a wearable haptic device.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the generating the one or more haptic effects further comprises:

sending the one or more haptic signals to one or more haptic output devices to generate the one or more haptic effects.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein at least one haptic output device of the one or more haptic output devices comprises an actuator.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the input comprises audio data.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the input comprises video data.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the input comprises acceleration data.

13. A computer-implemented method for converting an input into one or more haptic effects in near real-time, comprising:

sensing the input by a sensor in near-real time as it is being generated by a source and with a first time delay associated with the sensing of the input by the sensor;

automatically converting the sensed input into one or more haptic signals in near-real time as it is being received for the automatically converting and with a second time delay associated with the automatically converting;

modifying a haptic parameter of the one or more haptic signals to have substantially a same numeric value as a parameter of the sensed input, wherein the haptic parameter and the parameter of the sensed input are of a same parameter type, wherein the same parameter type is at least one of an amplitude, a frequency, a duration, an envelope, a density, a magnitude, a time signature, a frequency signature, a frequency band, or a strength; and

generating the one or more haptic effects based on the one or more haptic signals.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

identifying one or more characteristics of the sensed input; and

modifying the one or more haptic signals based on the one or more identified characteristics.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the modifying the one or more haptic signals further comprises:

modifying the one or more haptic signals to include the one or more identified characteristics of the sensed input.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15,

wherein the one or more characteristics of the sensed input comprises at least one of:

an amplitude, a frequency, a duration, an envelope, a density, a magnitude, a time signature, a frequency signature, or a strength; and

wherein the one or more haptic parameters of the one or more haptic signals comprises at least one of;

an amplitude haptic parameter, a frequency haptic parameter, a duration haptic parameter, an envelope haptic parameter, a density haptic parameter, a magnitude parameter, a time signature haptic parameter, a frequency signature haptic parameter, or a strength haptic parameter.

17. The computer-implemented method claim 13, wherein the automatically converting further comprises:

filtering the sensed input.

18. A system for converting an input into one or more haptic effects in near real-time, comprising:

a memory configured to store an automatic haptic conversion module; and

a processor configured to execute the automatic haptic conversion module stored on the memory;

wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is configured to sense the input by a sensor in near-real time as it is being generated by a source and with a first time delay associated with sensing the input by the sensor;

wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is further configured to automatically convert the sensed input into one or more haptic signals in near-real time as it is being received for automatically converting and with a second time delay associated with the automatically converting;

wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is further configured to modify a haptic parameter of the one or more haptic signals to have substantially a same numeric value as a parameter of the sensed input, wherein the haptic parameter and the parameter of the sensed input are of a same parameter type, wherein the same parameter type is at least one of an amplitude, a frequency, a duration, an envelope, a density, a magnitude, a time signature, a frequency signature, a frequency band, or a strength; and

wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is further configured to generate the one or more haptic effects based on the one or more haptic signals.

19. The system of claim 18,

wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is further configured to identify one or more characteristics of the sensed input;

and

wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is further configured to modify the one or more haptic signals based on the one or more identified characteristics.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is further configured to modify the one or more haptic signals to include the one or more identified characteristics of the sensed input.

21. The system of claim 20,

wherein the one or more characteristics of the sensed input comprises at least one of:

an amplitude, a frequency, a duration, an envelope, a density, a magnitude, a time signature, a frequency signature, or a strength; and

wherein the one or more haptic parameters of the one or more haptic signals comprises at least one of;

an amplitude haptic parameter, a frequency haptic parameter, a duration haptic parameter, an envelope haptic parameter, a density haptic parameter, a magnitude parameter, a time signature haptic parameter, a frequency signature haptic parameter, or a strength haptic parameter.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the automatic haptic conversion module is further configured to filter the sensed input.