Systems and methods for object manipulation with haptic feedback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9600076-B2
Application number	US-201414577461-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

One illustrative computing device disclosed herein includes a sensor configured to detect a user interaction with a physical object and transmit a sensor signal associated with the user interaction. The illustrative computing device also includes a processor in communication with the sensor, the processor configured to: receive the sensor signal; determine a characteristic of the physical object based on the sensor signal; determine a haptic effect associated with the characteristic; and transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect. The illustrative computing device further includes a haptic output device in communication with the processor, the haptic output device configured to receive the haptic signal and output the haptic effect.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A computing device comprising:
a sensor configured to detect an interaction with a physical object that is separate from the computing device and transmit a sensor signal associated with the interaction;
a processor in communication with the sensor, the processor configured to:
determine a characteristic of the physical object based on the sensor signal;
responsive to determining that the characteristic of the physical object satisfies a criterion, the criterion based on a characteristic of a user, determine a haptic effect; and
transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect; 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 criterion is generated by an application or is input by a third party.

3. The computing device of claim 2 , wherein the criterion is based on an analysis of a purchasing history of the user.

4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine the characteristic of the physical object based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the interaction.

5. The computing device of claim 4 , wherein the interaction comprises a gesture through real space, and the processor is configured to determine the characteristic of the physical object based at least in part on a type of the gesture.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the physical object comprises a product for sale in a physical location.

7. The computing device of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the characteristic of the physical object by:
communicating, over a network, information associated with the physical object to a server; and
receiving, from the server, the characteristic of the physical object.

8. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is associated with a wearable device comprising a shoe, an armband, a sleeve, a jacket, glasses, a glove, a ring, a watch, a wristband, a bracelet, an article of clothing, a hat, a headband, or jewelry, or wherein the computing device is associated with a graspable device comprising a mobile phone, a tablet, an e-reader, a portable gaming device, a wand, a stylus, or a pen.

9. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is coupled to a shelf, a floor, or a carrying device.

10. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the haptic effect is configured to indicate that the characteristic of the physical object satisfies the criterion, and wherein the characteristic of the user is a preference of the user.

11. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic of the physical object comprises an ingredient, a dimension, a size, a shape, a brand, a manufacturer, a distributer, a producer, a color, a price, a rating, a logo, a label, a barcode, a name, nutritional information, a sale, a weight, a restriction, content, an expiration date, power consumption, a noise level, a return policy, a warranty, an allergen, a material, a chemical, function or utility, quantity, availability, electrical characteristic, a speed, or compatibility information associated with the physical object.

12. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the physical object is a person or an animal.

13. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the characteristic of the physical object by wirelessly communicating with a remote device coupled to the physical object.

14. A method comprising:
receiving, by a processor of a computing device, a sensor signal from a sensor, wherein the sensor signal is associated with an interaction with a physical object that is separate from the computing device;
determining, by the processor, a characteristic associated with the physical object based on the sensor signal;
determining, by the processor, a haptic effect responsive to determining that the characteristic of the physical object satisfies a criterion, the criterion based on a characteristic of a user; and
causing, by the processor, the haptic effect to be output by a haptic output device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the criterion is generated by an application or is input by a third party.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining the characteristic of the physical object based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the interaction.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the physical object comprises a product for sale in a location, and further comprising determining the characteristic by:
communicating information associated with the physical object to a server over a network; and
receiving, from the server, the characteristic of the physical object.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sensor is associated with a wearable device comprising a shoe, an armband, a sleeve, a jacket, glasses, a glove, a ring, a watch, a wristband, a bracelet, an article of clothing, a hat, a headband, or jewelry, or wherein the sensor is associated with a graspable device comprising a mobile phone, a tablet, an e-reader, a portable gaming device, a wand, a stylus, or a pen.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sensor is coupled to a shelf, a floor, or a carrying device.

20. A non-transient computer readable medium comprising program code, which when executed by a processor is configured to cause the processor to:
receive a sensor signal from a sensor, wherein the sensor signal is associated with an interaction with a physical object that is separate from a computing device comprising the processor;
determine a characteristic associated with the physical object based on the sensor signal;
responsive to determining that the characteristic of the physical object satisfies a criterion, the criterion based on a characteristic of a user, determine a haptic effect; and
cause a haptic output device to output the haptic effect.

21. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 20 , further comprising program code, which when executed by the processor is configured to cause the processor to:
determine the characteristic of the physical object based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the interaction.

22. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the sensor is coupled to a shelf, a floor, or a carrying device.

Assignees

• Immersion Corp

Inventors

• Levesque Vincent
• Zhu Wei
• Gervais Eric
• An fengtian
• Lajeunesse Eric
• Maalouf Johnny

Classifications

• G06F3/016 Primary

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

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title

• G06F3/017

  Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883) · CPC title