Haptic effects broadcasting during a group event

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9349264-B2
Application number	US-201514803515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2015
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

A system that produces a haptic effect receives a first type of haptic effect to be broadcast during a group event, where the group event includes a plurality of audio events and a plurality of haptic events. The system transmits the first type of haptic effect to a first set of the users. The system produces the first type of haptic effect on a haptic output device corresponding to each of the first set of users. The first type of haptic effect is synchronized with at least one of the plurality of audio events and at least one of the plurality of haptic events.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of producing a haptic effect comprising:
receiving a first type of haptic effect to be broadcast during a group event, wherein the group event includes a plurality of audio events and a plurality of haptic events;
transmitting the first type of haptic effect to a first set of the users; and
producing the first type of haptic effect on a haptic output device corresponding to each of the first set of users, wherein the first type of haptic effect is synchronized with at least one of the plurality of audio events and at least one of the plurality of haptic events.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the haptic output device comprises a wearable accessory.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wearable accessory comprises a bracelet, a pair of glasses, shoes or a belt.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the haptic output device comprises a car key, a laptop computer or a music player.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitted first type of haptic effect is received by a mobile device corresponding to each of the first set of users.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first type of haptic effect comprises at least one of vibrations, deformation, squeezing, poking, stretching, friction or heat.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of users is a subset of the plurality of users, and the first set of users is determined based on a location of each of each of the first set of users.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of users is the plurality of users.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting comprises filtering, wherein the filtering causes the first type of haptic effect to correspond to less than an entire audio event.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to produce haptic effects, the producing comprising:
receiving a first type of haptic effect to be broadcast during a group event, wherein the group event includes a plurality of audio events and a plurality of haptic events;
transmitting the first type of haptic effect to a first set of the users; and
producing the first type of haptic effect on a haptic output device corresponding to each of the first set of users, wherein the first type of haptic effect is synchronized with at least one of the plurality of audio events and at least one of the plurality of haptic events.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the haptic output device comprises a wearable accessory.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the wearable accessory comprises a bracelet, a pair of glasses, shoes or a belt.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the haptic output device comprises a car key, a laptop computer or a music player.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the transmitted first type of haptic effect is received by a mobile device corresponding to each of the first set of users.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the first type of haptic effect comprises at least one of vibrations, deformation, squeezing, poking, stretching, friction or heat.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the first set of users is a subset of the plurality of users, and the first set of users is determined based on a location of each of each of the first set of users.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the first set of users is the plurality of users.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the transmitting comprises filtering, wherein the filtering causes the first type of haptic effect to correspond to less than an entire audio event.

19. A broadcast system for a group event, the system comprising;
a receiving module that receives a first type of haptic effect to be broadcast during a group event, wherein the group event includes a plurality of audio events and a plurality of haptic events;
a broadcast module that transmits the first type of haptic effect to a first set of the users; and
a generation module that generates the first type of haptic effect on a haptic output device corresponding to each of the first set of users, wherein the first type of haptic effect is synchronized with at least one of the plurality of audio events and at least one of the plurality of haptic events.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the generation comprises filtering, wherein the filtering causes the first type of haptic effect to correspond to less than an entire audio event.

Assignees

• Immersion Corp

Inventors

• Heubel Robert W

Classifications

• H04W56/00

  Synchronisation arrangements · CPC title

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

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

• H04W4/08 Primary

  User group management · CPC title