Systems and methods for enhanced haptic effects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10152124-B2
Application number	US-69737407-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2007
Priority date	Apr 6, 2006
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for enhanced haptic effects are described. One described method includes receiving an input signal having haptic information and multimedia data, the input signal formatted in a first format, decoding the haptic information from the input signal, and determining a parameter associated with an actuator in a haptic device. The method further includes generating an actuator signal based at least in part on the parameter and the haptic information, and generating an output signal comprising the multimedia data and the actuator signal, the output signal formatted in a second format.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A method comprising:
receiving an input signal having haptic information and multimedia data, the input signal formatted in a first format, and wherein the multimedia data does not comprise encoded haptic information;
determining haptic information from the input signal;
determining a resonant frequency associated with an actuator in a haptic device;
generating an actuator signal based at least in part on the resonant frequency and the haptic information;
generating an output signal comprising the multimedia data and the actuator signal, the output signal formatted in a second format, wherein the actuator signal portion of the output signal is encoded onto a carrier wave that is then encoded as frequency modulated data on an audio portion of the multimedia data of the output signal, and
transmitting the output signal to an output device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising producing a haptic effect based at least in part on the output signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input signal further includes synchronization data.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multimedia data comprises at least one of audio data or video data.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first format is a multimedia format.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the multimedia format is one of: a WAV format, a MIDI format, an Ogg format, a DIVX format, a QuickTime format, a MP3 format, a MPEG-2 format, a MPEG-4 format, a M4P format, or an AAC format.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a parameter associated with the actuator and generating an actuator signal based at least in part on the parameter.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the parameter associated with the actuator in the haptic device comprises a dynamic response characteristic.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the parameter associated with the actuator in the haptic device comprises a frequency response characteristic.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output signal comprises the same format as the input signal.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which is encoded processor-executable program code, comprising:
program code for receiving an input signal having haptic information and multimedia data, the input signal formatted in a first format, and wherein the multimedia data does not comprise encoded haptic information:
program code for determining haptic information from the input signal;
program code for determining a resonant frequency associated with an actuator in a haptic device;
program code for generating an actuator signal based at least in part on the resonant frequency and the haptic information;
program code for generating an output signal comprising the multimedia data and the actuator signal, the output signal formatted in a second format, wherein the actuator signal portion of the output signal is encoded onto a carrier wave that is then encoded as frequency modulated data on an audio portion of the multimedia data of the output signal, and
program code for transmitting the output signal to an output device.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 further comprising program code for producing a haptic effect based at least in part on the output signal.

13. A system comprising:
a processor configured to:
receive an input signal having haptic information and multimedia data, the input signal formatted in a first format, and wherein the multimedia data does not comprise encoded haptic information;
determine haptic information from the input signal;
determine a haptic drive signal comprising the haptic information based at least in part on a resonant frequency specific to a haptic device;
generate an actuator signal based at least in part on the resonant frequency and the haptic information;
generate an output signal comprising the multimedia data and the actuator signal, the output signal formatted in a second format, wherein the actuator signal portion of the output signal is encoded onto a carrier wave that is then encoded as frequency modulated data on an audio portion of the multimedia data of the output signal, and
transmit the output signal to an output device.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising an actuator configured to produce a haptic effect based at least in part on the output signal.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the system further comprises a local memory in communication with the processor.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the local memory is configured to store a parameter specific to a haptic device.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the local memory is configured to store a multimedia file.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output device comprises a multi-function transducer.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the multi-function transducer is configured to output both sound and vibration.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the output device comprises a multi-function transducer.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the multi-function transducer is configured to output both sound and vibration.

22. The system of claim 13 , wherein the output device comprises a multi-function transducer.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the multi-function transducer is configured to output both sound and vibration.

Assignees

• Lacroix Robert
• Grant Danny
• Immersion Corp

Inventors

• Lacroix Robert
• Grant Danny

Classifications

• A63F2300/204

  the platform being a handheld device · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• H04M1/72522

  Electricity · mapped topic

• A63F2300/1037

  being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback · CPC title

• H04M1/72403

  with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality · CPC title