Systems and methods for haptically-enabled alarms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9466188-B2
Application number	US-201414582503-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 24, 2014
Priority date	Dec 24, 2014
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

One illustrative computing device disclosed herein includes a processor configured to receive a signal from an alarm device, wherein the signal is associated with an event. The processor is also configured to determine a haptic effect associated with the signal and transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect. The illustrative computing device also includes a haptic output device in communication with the processor. The haptic output device is configured to receive the haptic signal and output the haptic effect.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A computing device comprising:
a processor configured to:
receive a signal from a remote alarm-device, wherein the signal identifies a haptic effect to be output, the haptic effect configured to provide a notification of an event detected by the remote alarm-device; and
in response to the signal received from the remote alarm-device:
determine the haptic effect based on the signal; and
transmit a haptic signal configured to cause the haptic effect to be output; and

a haptic output device in communication with the processor, the haptic output device configured to receive the haptic signal and output the haptic effect.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the remote alarm-device comprises one or more of: a smoke alarm, a fire alarm, a burglar alarm, an alarm clock, or an appliance.

3. The computing device of claim 2 , wherein the remote alarm-device comprises the appliance.

4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a smartphone, a tablet, an e-reader, a stylus, a pen, or a portable gaming device.

5. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a ring, a shoe, an armband, a sleeve, a jacket, glasses, a glove, a watch, a wristband, a bracelet, an article of clothing, a hat, a headband, or jewelry.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the event comprises one or more of: detecting a fire, detecting smoke, detecting an in intruder, completing a particular task, detecting whether a temperature exceeds a threshold, a particular time occurring, or detecting an amount of a substance above another threshold.

7. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the haptic effect is based at least in part on a severity or a type of the event.

8. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the remote alarm-device is configured to:
select a subset of a total number of computing devices to which to transmit the signal; and
transmit the signal to the subset of the total number of computing devices.

9. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the haptic effect is configured to provide a warning of danger.

10. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the haptic effect comprises a plurality of haptic effects, and wherein each haptic effect of the plurality of haptic effects is configured to convey different information about the event.

11. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, a signal from a remote alarm-device, wherein the signal identifies a haptic effect to be output, the haptic effect configured to provide a notification of an event detected by the remote alarm-device; and
in response to the signal from the remote alarm-device:
determining the haptic effect based on the signal; and
transmitting a haptic signal configured to cause a haptic output device to output the haptic effect.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the remote alarm-device comprises one or more of: a smoke alarm, a fire alarm, a burglar alarm, an alarm clock, or an appliance.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the haptic output device is positioned on the computing device, and the computing device comprises a smartphone, a tablet, an e-reader, a stylus, a pen, a portable gaming device, a ring, a shoe, an armband, a sleeve, a jacket, glasses, a glove, a watch, a wristband, a bracelet, an article of clothing, a hat, a headband, or jewelry.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the event comprises one or more of: detecting a fire, detecting smoke, detecting an in intruder, completing a particular task, detecting whether a temperature exceeds a threshold, a particular time occurring, or detecting an amount of a sub stance above another threshold.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the haptic effect is based at least in part on a severity or a type of the event.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the remote alarm-device is configured to transmit the signal to a subset of a total number of computing devices based on one or more characteristics of one or more users associated with the computing devices in the subset.

17. A non-transient computer readable medium comprising program code, which when executed by a processor is configured to cause the processor to:
receive a signal from a remote alarm-device, wherein the signal identifies a haptic effect to be output, the haptic effect configured to provide a notification of an event detected by the remote alarm-device; and
in response to the signal from the remote alarm-device:
determine the haptic effect based on the signal; and
transmit a haptic signal configured to cause a haptic output device to output the haptic effect.

18. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the remote alarm-device comprises one or more of: a smoke alarm, a fire alarm, a burglar alarm, an alarm clock, or an appliance.

19. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the haptic output device is positioned on a smartphone, a tablet, an e-reader, a stylus, a pen, a portable gaming device, a ring, a shoe, an armband, a sleeve, a jacket, glasses, a glove, a watch, a wristband, a bracelet, an article of clothing, a hat, a headband, or jewelry.

20. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the event comprises one or more of: detecting a fire, detecting smoke, detecting an in intruder, completing a particular task, detecting whether a temperature exceeds a threshold, a particular time occurring, or detecting an amount of a substance above another threshold.

21. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the haptic effect is based at least in part on a severity or a type of the event.

Assignees

• Immersion Corp

Inventors

• Hamam Abdelwahab
• Mousakhanian Razmik

Classifications

• G08B6/00 Primary

  Tactile signalling systems, e.g. tactile personal calling systems · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

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

• G06F3/03545

  Pens or stylus · CPC title