Haptic theme framework

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10191546-B2
Application number	US-201113164182-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2011
Priority date	Jun 20, 2011
Publication date	Jan 29, 2019
Grant date	Jan 29, 2019

Abstract

A haptic theme system is provided that can create a haptic theme, where a haptic theme is an installable package that includes one or more haptic effects, and a mapping of the one or more haptic effects to one or more user interface (“UI”) events of a device. The haptic theme can be installed on the device, and the device can then dynamically load and play a haptic theme in real-time. The haptic theme system can display one or more haptic themes within a user interface. Upon receiving a selection, the haptic theme system can generate haptic feedback based on the haptic effect that is mapped to a received user interface event within the mapping.

First claim

We claim:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to provide a haptic theme framework, the instructions comprising:
creating one or more haptic effect definitions;
storing each haptic effect definition of the one or more haptic effect definitions within an effect file;
creating a mapping that maps the one or more haptic effect definitions to one or more user interface events, wherein the mapping is described according to a mapping language;
storing the mapping within a mapping file;
packaging the mapping file and the one or more effect files within a haptic theme, wherein the haptic theme comprises the mapping file, the one or more effect files, and a software layer file that provides a communication protocol between the haptic theme and an operating system of a device to output a haptic effect in response to a user interface event based on the mapping file and the at least one effect file;
dynamically aggregating a plurality of haptic themes comprising the haptic theme;
wherein the dynamically aggregating further comprises dynamically updating the aggregation of the plurality of haptic themes where one or more haptic themes are added or deleted;
selecting the haptic theme from the plurality of haptic themes as an active haptic theme;
creating a haptic theme component from the haptic theme, wherein the haptic theme component comprises at least one effect file of the one or more effect files and the mapping file, and wherein the creating the haptic theme component comprises packaging the at least one effect file and the mapping file within the haptic theme component;
transmitting the haptic theme component to the device;
capturing one or more physical properties over a sensing protocol;
analyzing the one or more physical properties and creating one or more haptic parameters based on the one or more physical properties;
converting the one or more haptic parameters to a new haptic effect definition; and
creating a new haptic theme comprising a new effect file that comprises the new haptic effect definition and a new mapping file that comprises a new mapping that maps the new haptic effect definition to a user interface event.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the dynamically aggregating the plurality of haptic themes comprises presenting the plurality of haptic themes within a user interface of a device.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , the instructions further comprising dynamically loading a haptic theme and generating haptic feedback effects in real-time based on the dynamically loaded haptic theme,
wherein the dynamically loaded haptic theme receives a user interface event, identifies a haptic effect definition that corresponds to the user interface event based on the mapping, and generates a haptic feedback effect based on the haptic effect definition.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , the instructions further comprising:
listening for a request to transfer the haptic theme component over a communication protocol;
receiving the request to transfer the haptic theme component over the communication protocol from a device;
creating a copy of the haptic theme component; and
transmitting the copy of the haptic theme component over the communication protocol to the device.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the device creates a new haptic theme and stores the copy of the haptic theme component within the new haptic theme.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the device stores the copy of the haptic theme component within an existing haptic theme of the device.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the haptic theme component comprises all the effect files and the mapping file of the haptic theme.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , the instructions further comprising storing the new haptic effect definition within an existing haptic theme.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the mapping language comprises an extensible markup language schema, and wherein the mapping file comprises an extensible markup language file.

10. A computer-implemented method for providing a haptic theme framework, the computer-implemented method comprising:
creating, by a processor, one or more haptic effect definitions;
storing, by the processor, each haptic effect definition of the one or more haptic effect definitions within an effect file;
creating, by the processor, a mapping that maps the one or more haptic effect definitions to one or more user interface events, wherein the mapping is described according to a mapping language;
storing, by the processor, the mapping within a mapping file;
packaging, by the processor, the mapping file and the one or more effect files within a haptic theme, wherein the haptic theme comprises the mapping file, the one or more effect files, and a software layer file that provides a communication protocol between the haptic theme and an operating system of instructs a device to output a haptic effect in response to a user interface event based on the mapping file and the at least one effect file;
dynamically aggregating, by the processor, a plurality of haptic themes comprising the haptic theme;
wherein the dynamically aggregating further comprises dynamically updating, by the processor, the aggregation of the plurality of haptic themes where one or more haptic themes are added or deleted
selecting, by the processor, the haptic theme from a plurality of haptic themes as an active haptic theme;
creating a haptic theme component from the haptic theme, wherein the haptic theme component comprises at least one effect file of the one or more effect files and the mapping file, and wherein the creating the haptic theme component comprises packaging the at least one effect file and the mapping file within the haptic theme component;
transmitting the haptic theme component to the device;
capturing one or more physical properties over a sensing protocol;
analyzing the one or more physical properties and creating one or more haptic parameters based on the one or more physical properties;
converting the one or more haptic parameters to a new haptic effect definition; and
creating, by the processor, a new haptic theme comprising a new effect file that comprises the new haptic effect definition and a new mapping file that comprises a new mapping that maps the new haptic effect definition to a user interface event.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising dynamically loading a haptic theme and generating haptic feedback effects in real-time based on the dynamically loaded haptic theme,
wherein the dynamically loaded haptic theme receives a user interface event, identifies a haptic effect definition that corresponds to the user interface event based on the mapping, and generates a haptic feedback effect based on the haptic effect definition.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising:
listening for a request to transfer the haptic theme component over a communication protocol;
receiving the request to transfer the haptic theme component over the communication protocol from a device;
creating a copy of the haptic theme component; and
transmitting the copy of the haptic theme component over the communication protocol to the device.

13. A haptic theme system comprising:
a memory configured to store a haptic theme module;
a processor configur

Assignees

• Gervais Eric
• Heubel Robert
• Immersion Corp

Inventors

• Gervais Eric
• Heubel Robert

Classifications

• G06F3/016 Primary

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