Systems and Methods for Providing Haptic Feedback Via a Case

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019004608-A1
Application number	US-201816123197-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 6, 2018
Priority date	Jun 15, 2016
Publication date	Jan 3, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a case configured to mechanically couple with a mobile device and position the mobile device such that the mobile device serves as a display for the case. The system also includes a processor coupled to the case and configured to generate a haptic signal based at least in part on a characteristic of the case. The system also includes a haptic output device in communication with the processor and configured to receive the haptic signal and output a haptic effect in response to the haptic signal.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A mobile device, comprising:
a processor; and a memory comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
detect an event;
determine a haptic effect based on the event;
detect whether an outer housing of the mobile device is mechanically coupled to a case, the case being configured to removably couple with the outer housing of the mobile device; and
in response to detecting that the outer housing of the mobile device is mechanically coupled to the case, cause the case to output the haptic effect.

22 . The mobile device of claim 21 , wherein the event is a video game event.

23 . The mobile device of claim 22 , wherein the haptic effect is configured to simulate a feeling of the video game event.

24 . The mobile device of claim 21 , wherein the case is a headset configured to receive the mobile device and position the mobile device such that the mobile device serves as a display for the case.

25 . The mobile device of claim 21 , wherein the memory further comprises program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to cause the cause to output the haptic effect by transmitting a signal to the case, the signal being configured to cause a haptic output device positioned on the case to output the haptic effect.

26 . The mobile device of claim 21 , wherein the haptic effect comprises a first haptic effect and a second haptic effect, and wherein the memory further comprises program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
in response to detecting that the outer housing of the mobile device is mechanically coupled to the case, output the haptic effect by:
causing a first haptic output device of the mobile device to output the first haptic effect; and
causing a second haptic output device of the case to output the second haptic effect.

27 . The mobile device of claim 21 , wherein the case is configured to couple the mobile device to a leg, arm, shoulder, back, chest, or foot of a wearer.

28 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code that is executable by a processor of a mobile device to cause the processor to:
detect an event; determine a haptic effect based on the event; detect whether an outer housing of the mobile device is mechanically coupled to a case, the case being configured to removably couple with the outer housing of the mobile device; and in response to detecting that the outer housing of the mobile device is mechanically coupled to the case, cause the case to output the haptic effect.

29 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28 , wherein the event is a video game event.

30 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the haptic effect is configured to simulate a feeling of the video game event.

31 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28 , wherein the case is a headset configured to receive the mobile device and position the mobile device such that the mobile device serves as a display for the case.

32 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28 , further comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
cause the cause to output the haptic effect by transmitting a signal to the case, wherein the signal is configured to cause a haptic output device positioned on the case to output the haptic effect.

33 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28 , wherein the haptic effect comprises a first haptic effect and a second haptic effect, and further comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
in response to detecting that the outer housing of the mobile device is mechanically coupled to the case, output the haptic effect by:
causing a first haptic output device of the mobile device to output the first haptic effect; and
causing a second haptic output device of the case to output the second haptic effect.

34 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28 , further comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
in response to detecting that the outer housing of the mobile device is not mechanically coupled to the case, cause a haptic output device of the mobile device to output the haptic effect.

35 . A method comprising:
detecting, by a processor of a mobile device, an event; determining, by the processor, a haptic effect based on the event; detecting, by the processor, that an outer housing of the mobile device is mechanically coupled to a case, the case being configured to removably couple with the outer housing of the mobile device; and in response to detecting that the outer housing of the mobile device is mechanically coupled to the case, causing the case to output the haptic effect.

36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the event is a video game event.

37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the haptic effect is configured to simulate a feeling of the video game event.

38 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the case is a headset configured to receive the mobile device and position the mobile device such that the mobile device serves as a display for the case.

39 . The method of claim 35 , wherein causing the cause to output the haptic effect comprises transmitting a signal to the case, the signal being configured to cause a haptic output device positioned on the case to output the haptic effect.

40 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the haptic effect comprises a first haptic effect and a second haptic effect, and further comprising:
in response to detecting that the outer housing of the mobile device is mechanically coupled to the case, output the haptic effect by:
causing a first haptic output device of the mobile device to output the first haptic effect; and
causing a second haptic output device of the case to output the second haptic effect.

41 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the case is configured to couple the mobile device to a leg, arm, shoulder, back, chest, or foot of a wearer.

Assignees

• Immersion Corp

Inventors

• Levesque Vincent
• Grant Danny
• Mousakhanian Razmik
• Rabemiarisoa Andry
• Isajanyan Gor
• Zhu Alex

Classifications

• G06F2203/014

  Force feedback applied to GUI · CPC title

• G02B27/017

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

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

• G06F1/1652

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · CPC title

• G06F3/011 Primary

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title