Systems and methods for optical transmission of haptic display parameters

• US 9,489,048 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Weddle, Amaya, Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suteerawongsa, Jarurat
• Application Number:
  US14/105,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20150169056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• 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: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/60 Analysis of geometric attributes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467

Abstract

Systems and methods for optical transmission of haptic display parameters are disclosed. One disclosed method includes receiving an image signal from an image sensor, the image signal associated with an image, determining a haptic signal based at least in part on the image signal, generating a haptic effect signal based at least in part on the haptic signal, and transmitting the haptic effect signal to a haptic output device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an image signal from an image sensor, the image signal corresponding to an image comprising encoded data;

extracting a haptic type and a haptic magnitude specified in the encoded data;

determining a haptic signal based at least in part on the haptic type and the haptic magnitude by at least evaluating a lower 2 bits of an RGB value to determine the haptic magnitude of a haptic effect;

generating a haptic effect signal configured to cause the haptic effect of the haptic type at the haptic magnitude based at least in part on the haptic signal; and

transmitting the haptic effect signal to a haptic output device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the haptic signal comprises evaluating a color of the image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the haptic signal comprises determining a width of a drawing in the image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the haptic signal further comprises extracting a modulation and a texture specified in the encoded data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a sensor signal from a sensor and wherein the haptic signal is determined based at least in part on the sensor signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the sensor comprises one of an accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, biosensor, or pressure sensor.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the sensor signal is associated with a user'"'"'s writing speed.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the sensor signal is associated with a pressure applied to the sensor by a user.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the sensor signal is associated with a pressure applied to the image.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the image sensor and haptic output device are contained within a stylus.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the haptic output device comprises one or more of a vibrotactile actuator, deforming actuator, or thermal actuator.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded data comprises a pulse-width modulated encoded haptic parameter.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising executable program code configured to cause a processor to:

one or more software programs configured to be executed by a processor, the one or more software applications configured to;

receive an image signal from an image sensor, the image signal corresponding to an image and comprising encoded data;

extract a haptic type and a haptic magnitude specified in the encoded data;

determine a haptic signal based at least in part on the haptic type and the haptic magnitude by at least evaluating a lower 2 bits of an RGB value to determine the haptic magnitude of a haptic effect;

generate a haptic effect signal configured to cause the haptic effect of the haptic type at the haptic magnitude based at least in part on the haptic signal; and

transmit the haptic effect signal to a haptic output device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more software applications is further configured to cause the processor to evaluate a color of the image to determine the haptic signal.

15. An input device, comprising:

an image sensor configured to generate an image signal corresponding to an image comprising encoded data;

a haptic output device configured to receive a haptic effect signal and generate a haptic effect based at least in part on the haptic effect signal; and

a processor in communication with the image sensor and the haptic output device, the processor configured to;

receive the image signal from the image sensor, the image signal comprising the encoded data;

extract a haptic type and a haptic magnitude specified in the encoded data;

determine a haptic signal based at least in part on the haptic type and the haptic magnitude by at least evaluating a lower 2 bits of an RGB value to determine the haptic magnitude of a haptic effect;

generate a haptic effect signal configured to cause the haptic effect of the haptic type at the haptic magnitude based at least in part on the haptic signal; and

transmit the haptic effect signal to the haptic output device.

16. The input device of claim 15, further comprising a receiver for detecting light from a light emitter.

17. The input device of claim 16, wherein the light emitter comprise an infrared (IR) emitter.

18. The input device of claim 15, further comprising a sensor, wherein the sensor comprises one of an accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, biosensor, or pressure sensor.

19. The input device of claim 15, wherein the haptic output device comprises one or more of a vibrotactile actuator, deforming actuator, or thermal actuator.

20. The input device of claim 15, wherein the input device comprises a stylus.

21. The input device of claim 20, wherein the encoded data comprises one or more optical signatures that control what haptic effects are played based at least in part on a location, state, and a movement of the stylus.

22. The input device of claim 20, wherein the haptic effect signal is modulated based on a speed, a location, and an inclination of the stylus across a display surface.

23. The input device of claim 15, wherein the input device receives initiating signals in real-time without reliance on wireless communication signals to initiate haptic effect playback.