Systems and methods for content- and context specific haptic effects using predefined haptic effects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9891709-B2
Application number	US-201213473050-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2012
Priority date	May 16, 2012
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for content- and/or context-specific haptic effects are disclosed. In one embodiment electronic content is received by an electronic device. A plurality of predefined effects are received. The plurality of predefined effects may be a database of predefined haptic effects, a library of predefined haptic effects, or a list of predefined haptic effects. An association between at least one predefined haptic effect from the plurality of predefined haptic effects and a predefined event is received. An occurrence of the predefined event is identified wherein the occurrence of the predefined event is associated with a portion of the electronic content. In response to identifying the occurrence of the event, the predefined haptic effect can be generated.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more software applications configured to be executed by a processor, the one or more software applications configured to cause the processor to:
receive electronic content;
receive a plurality of predefined haptic effects, the plurality of predefined haptic effects separate and independent from the electronic content;
receive a predefined event, the predefined event separate and independent from the electronic content;
receive an association between at least one predefined haptic effect from the plurality of predefined haptic effects and the predefined event;
associate the predefined event with the electronic content;
present a portion of the electronic content on a display;
detect an occurrence of the predefined event based on the presented portion of the electronic content on the display; and
in response to the detection of the occurrence of the predefined event in the presented portion of the electronic content, generate the at least one predefined haptic effect associated with the predefined event.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the electronic content is received from a storage device or by requesting the electronic content from a remote device.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of predefined haptic effects comprises a library, a database, or an electronic list of predefined haptic effects.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to receive the plurality of predefined haptic effects by querying a database for the plurality of predefined haptic effects.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to receive the plurality of predefined haptic effects by retrieving the plurality of predefined haptic effects from a storage device or by requesting the plurality of predefined haptic effects from a remote device.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to determine the association between the at least one predefined haptic effect from the plurality of predefined haptic effects and the predefined event by analyzing at least the portion of the electronic content.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to determine the association between the at least one predefined haptic effect from the plurality of predefined haptic effects and the predefined event by querying a database for the association.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to determine the association between the at least one predefined haptic effect from the plurality of predefined haptic effects and the predefined event by retrieving the association from a storage device or by requesting the association from a remote device.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to:
receive the predefined event from a storage device or requesting the association from a remote device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to:
receive a library, a database, or an electronic list comprising the predefined event.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to:
query a database for the predefined event.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the predefined event comprises at least one predefined word being displayed on a display, and wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to detect the predefined event by determining that the presented portion of the electronic content comprises the at least one predefined word.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the predefined event comprises an image comprising a predefined object being displayed on a display, and wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to detect the predefined event by determining that the presented portion of the electronic content comprises the image comprising the predefined object.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the predefined event comprises a sound corresponding to a predefined sound being output to a speaker, and wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to detect the predefined event by determining that the presented portion of the electronic content corresponds to the sound corresponding to the predefined sound being output.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the predefined event comprises a sound corresponding to a predefined sound being output to a speaker, and wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to detect the predefined event by determining that the presented portion of the electronic content corresponds to the sound corresponding to the predefined sound being output.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to generate the at least one predefined haptic effect associated with the predefined event by generating a signal configured to cause a haptic output device to output the predefined haptic effect and outputting the signal to the haptic output device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to generate the at least one predefined haptic effect by generating a first haptic output signal, the first haptic output signal configured to cause a first haptic output device to output at least a first portion of the predefined haptic effect and generating a second haptic output signal, the second haptic output signal configured to cause a second haptic output device to output at least a second portion of the predefined haptic effect.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the predefined event is not associated with the predefined haptic effect when received.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the predefined event is generic across different types of electronic content.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to detect the predefined event without user interaction with the presented portion of the electronic content on the display.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more software applications are further configured to cause the processor to detect the predefined event without requiring user interaction with the display.

22. The non-transitory computer-readabl

Assignees

• Heubel Robert
• Immersion Corp

Inventors

• Heubel Robert

Classifications

• G08B6/00

  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