Patents by Inventor Stephen D. Rank

Stephen D. Rank has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9274603
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to systems and methods of providing haptic feedback based on media content and one or more external parameters used to customize the haptic feedback. The system may modify or otherwise alter haptic feedback that is determined using the media content alone. In other words, the system may use both the media content and the external parameters to determine haptic feedback that should be output to the user or others. The external parameters may include, for example, sensor information, customization information, and/or other external parameters that may be used to customize the haptic feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Ali Modarres, Christopher J. Ullrich, Jean Francois Dionne, Loc Phan, Satvir Singh Bhatia, Stephen D. Rank
  • Publication number: 20160026251
    Abstract: A system is provided that controls a haptic effect experienced at a peripheral device. The system receives a haptic effect definition including haptic data. The system further receives spatialization data including: a distance of the haptic effect; a direction of the haptic effect; or a flow of the haptic effect. The system further includes modifying the haptic effect definition based on the received spatialization data. The system further includes sending a haptic instruction and the modified haptic effect definition to the peripheral device. The system further includes causing one or more haptic output devices to produce one or more haptic effects based on the modified haptic effect definition at the peripheral device in response to the haptic instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Henry DA COSTA, Robert LACROIX, Danny GRANT, Stephen D. RANK, David BIRNBAUM, William RIHN
  • Patent number: 9239700
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system and method for automatically converting a plurality of events in a plurality of channels in a structured representation sequence into haptic events. The method comprises calculating an event score for each event of the sequence in one or more channels. The method also comprises calculating a cumulative score based on the event scores in the one or more channels. The method includes selectively designating haptic events to the events based on the event scores in one or more selected channels, wherein the haptic events are output by a haptic actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Ullrich, Stephen D. Rank
  • Patent number: 9213408
    Abstract: A system that generates haptic effects using an actuator receives a haptic effect definition that defines a haptic effect. The system pre-processes the haptic effect definition by determining if the actuator is capable of playing the haptic effect. The system then post-processes the haptic effect definition by adjusting a force value based on an estimate or measurement of a state of the actuator during a playing of the haptic effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Inventors: Kanav Gandhi, Stephen D. Rank, Henry Da Costa, Eric Gervais, Daniel Parker
  • Patent number: 9207764
    Abstract: A system that generates haptic effects on a haptically-enabled device determines an orientation of the haptically-enabled device and obtains one or more haptic effect channels. The system then assigns each of the haptic effect channels to a haptic output device on the haptically-enabled device based on the orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: David Birnbaum, Satvir Singh Bhatia, Stephen D. Rank
  • Patent number: 9164587
    Abstract: A system is provided that controls a haptic effect experienced at a peripheral device. The system receives a haptic effect definition including haptic data. The system further receives spatialization data including: a distance of the haptic effect; a direction of the haptic effect; or a flow of the haptic effect. The system further includes modifying the haptic effect definition based on the received spatialization data. The system further includes sending a haptic instruction and the modified haptic effect definition to the peripheral device. The system further includes causing one or more haptic output devices to produce one or more haptic effects based on the modified haptic effect definition at the peripheral device in response to the haptic instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Henry Da Costa, Robert Lacroix, Danny Grant, Stephen D. Rank, David Birnbaum, William Rihn
  • Publication number: 20150199015
    Abstract: Haptic information in a series of frames of a media file is identified and time stamps corresponding thereto are determined in accordance with information embedded in a tag either preceding or appending the media file. The haptic effect information is automatically synchronized to the media file based on the information in one or more frames of the tag, whereby an actuator outputs the defined haptic effects in the tag in a manner synchronized with corresponding audio and/or video content of the media file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher J. ULLRICH, Stephen D. RANK, Munibe M. BAKIRCIOGLU
  • Publication number: 20150199024
    Abstract: Systems and methods for user generated content authoring are disclosed. One illustrative method disclosure herein includes: receiving a video signal; displaying a user interface associated with haptic authoring; detecting a gesture associated with a haptic effect; determining a haptic effect based in part on the gesture; associating the haptic effect with a location in the video signal; and storing the video signal and the associated haptic effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: David M. Birnbaum, Christopher J. Ullrich, Robert Lacroix, Satvir Singh Bhatia, Michael Powell, Stephen D. Rank, Iva Segalman, Amaya Weddle, Paige Raynes
  • Publication number: 20150130706
    Abstract: A system that controls a haptic effect experienced at a trigger is provided. The system receives a haptic effect definition including haptic data. The system further receives trigger data including at least one of: a position of a trigger of a peripheral device; or a range of the trigger of the peripheral device. The system further determines whether a trigger condition is reached based on the received trigger data. The system further sends a haptic instruction and the haptic effect definition to the peripheral device when the trigger condition is reached. The system further causes a haptic output device (or multiple haptic output devices) to produce haptic effects that are based on the haptic effect definition at the peripheral device in response to the haptic instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Robert LACROIX, Danny GRANT, Henry DA COSTA, Stephen D. RANK, David BIRNBAUM, William RIHN
  • Publication number: 20150130707
    Abstract: A system is provided that controls a haptic effect experienced at a peripheral device. The system receives a haptic effect definition including haptic data. The system further receives spatialization data including: a distance of the haptic effect; a direction of the haptic effect; or a flow of the haptic effect. The system further includes modifying the haptic effect definition based on the received spatialization data. The system further includes sending a haptic instruction and the modified haptic effect definition to the peripheral device. The system further includes causing one or more haptic output devices to produce one or more haptic effects based on the modified haptic effect definition at the peripheral device in response to the haptic instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Henry DA COSTA, Robert LACROIX, Danny GRANT, Stephen D. RANK, David BIRNBAUM, William RIHN
  • Patent number: 9019087
    Abstract: Haptic information in a series of frames of a media file is identified and time stamps corresponding thereto are determined in accordance with information embedded in a tag either preceding or appending the media file. The haptic effect information is automatically synchronized to the media file based on the information in one or more frames of the tag, whereby an actuator outputs the defined haptic effects in the tag in a manner synchronized with corresponding audio and/or video content of the media file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Munibe M. Bakircioglu, Stephen D. Rank, Christopher J. Ullrich
  • Publication number: 20150097657
    Abstract: A system that generates haptic effects using an actuator receives a haptic effect definition that defines a haptic effect. The system pre-processes the haptic effect definition by determining if the actuator is capable of playing the haptic effect. The system then post-processes the haptic effect definition by adjusting a force value based on an estimate or measurement of a state of the actuator during a playing of the haptic effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Kanav GANDHI, Stephen D. RANK, Henry DA COSTA, Eric GERVAIS, Daniel PARKER
  • Publication number: 20150077324
    Abstract: A system that generates haptic effects on a haptically-enabled device determines an orientation of the haptically-enabled device and obtains one or more haptic effect channels. The system then assigns each of the haptic effect channels to a haptic output device on the haptically-enabled device based on the orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: David BIRNBAUM, Satvir Singh BHATIA, Stephen D. RANK
  • Publication number: 20150070152
    Abstract: A system receives a multiplexed signal with two or more different types of haptic signals encoded therein. Each type of haptic signal represents a haptic effect for different types of haptic output devices. The system determines a target haptic output device located on a haptic playback device. The system demultiplexes the multiplexed signal into at least the type of haptic signal corresponding to the target output device. The system provides the demultiplexed haptic signal to the target haptic output device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen D. RANK, Satvir Singh BHATIA, Arnab SEN, Juan Manuel CRUZ-HERNANDEZ
  • Publication number: 20140347176
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to systems and methods of providing haptic feedback based on media content and one or more external parameters used to customize the haptic feedback. The system may modify or otherwise alter haptic feedback that is determined using the media content alone. In other words, the system may use both the media content and the external parameters to determine haptic feedback that should be output to the user or others. The external parameters may include, for example, sensor information, customization information, and/or other external parameters that may be used to customize the haptic feedback.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Ali MODARRES, Christopher J. ULLRICH, Jean Francois DIONNE, Loc PHAN, Satvir Singh BHATIA, Stephen D. RANK
  • Publication number: 20140347177
    Abstract: A method includes receiving digital content data including audio data and/or video data, generating haptic data using at least some of the received digital content data, encoding the haptic data for efficient transmission over a communication network, multiplexing the encoded haptic data with the received digital content data, embedding information for decoding the encoded haptic data in metadata of the multiplexed data stream, and sending the multiplexed data stream over the communication network. The method may include analyzing the haptic data to determine at least one characteristic of the haptic data, and the encoding the haptic data may include encoding, based on the determined characteristic, the haptic data to meet a pre-defined criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: IMMERSION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Loc PHAN, Satvir Singh BHATIA, Stephen D. RANK, Christopher J. ULLRICH, Jean Francois DIONNE, Hugues Antoine OLIVER
  • Publication number: 20140300454
    Abstract: A system is provided that controls an offline haptic conversion. The system receives an input from a source. The system further converts the input into haptic signals. The system further encodes the haptic signals. The system further stores the haptic signals within the source, where the haptic signals are combined with the input within the source. Alternately, rather than encoding the haptic signals and storing the haptic signals within the source, the system handles the haptic signals separately, independent of the source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Robert LACROIX, Satvir Singh BHATIA, Jean-Francois BLANCHARD-DIONNE, Stephen D. RANK, Christopher J. ULLRICH, Loc Tien PHAN
  • Publication number: 20140247120
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system and method for automatically converting a plurality of events in a plurality of channels in a structured representation sequence into haptic events. The method comprises calculating an event score for each event of the sequence in one or more channels. The method also comprises calculating a cumulative score based on the event scores in the one or more channels. The method includes selectively designating haptic events to the events based on the event scores in one or more selected channels, wherein the haptic events are output by a haptic actuator. This may be done by the system by calculating properties of the sound or by taking already existing values associated with those properties to efficiently produce haptic events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. ULLRICH, Stephen D. RANK, Munibe M. BAKIRCIOGLU
  • Publication number: 20140226068
    Abstract: A method for synchronizing haptic effects with at least one media component in a media transport stream includes identifying a series of video frames containing imaging information and/or a series of audio frames containing sound information in the media transport stream; identifying a series of haptic frames containing force feedback information in the media transport stream; and synchronizing the force feedback information in response to the imaging information and/or sound information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: IMMERSION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert A. LACROIX, Andrianaivo RABEMIARISOA, Henrique D. DA COSTA, Herve Thu TIMONE, Stephen D. RANK, Christopher J. ULLRICH
  • Publication number: 20140195906
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and associated software are described herein for enabling a regular user of an end user device, such as a cellular telephone, to customize parameters associated with haptic effects applied to the user by the end user device. In one implementation, among several, a method described herein includes enabling a user of an end user device to access software adapted to design or modify haptic effects of the end user device. The method further includes enabling the user to open a haptic track file and enter or modify parameters associated with the haptic effects of the opened haptic track file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Erin B. RAMSAY, Robert W. HEUBEL, Jason D. FLEMING, Stephen D. RANK