Abstract: A wearable electronic device and a method of providing haptic output by adjusting a tension or compression exhibited by the wearable electronic device is presented. The wearable electronic device comprises a housing, a processor internal to the housing, and a stretch actuator coupled to the processor. The stretch actuator is configured to, in response to an electronic signal from the processor, adjust a tension or a compression exhibited by the wearable electronic device by adjusting a tension or compression exhibited by the stretch actuator.
Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for using corrugated tessellation to create surface features are disclosed. In embodiments, a device comprises a touch-sensitive surface capable of being in a first configuration and a second configuration different than the first configuration. When the touch-sensitive surface is in the second configuration an input device may be provided that is not present when the touch-sensitive surface is in the first configuration. For example, the touch-sensitive surface can be a flat surface in the first configuration and can be a three-dimensional surface comprising a physical keyboard in the second configuration. In embodiments, a device, such as a mobile phone or a tablet computer, comprises a touch-sensitive display that comprises the touch-sensitive surface.
Abstract: A system includes a flexible display configured to display an image and a sensor connected to the flexible display. The sensor is configured to sense an amount of flexure of the flexible display. A haptic output device is connected to the flexible display and is configured to change a resistance to movement of a first portion of the flexible display relative to a second portion of the flexible display upon receipt of a haptic control signal. The system includes a processor in signal communication with the flexible display, the sensor and the haptic output device. The processor is configured to receive an output signal from the sensor based on the amount of flexure and generate the haptic control signal based on the output signal from the sensor.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 29, 2016
Date of Patent:
May 15, 2018
Assignee:
Immersion Corporation
Inventors:
Ali Modarres, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez
Abstract: One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a processor configured to determine a haptic effect and transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect. The illustrative system also includes a multifunction haptic output device configured to receive the haptic signal and output the haptic effect. The multifunction haptic output device includes a single haptic actuator.
Type:
Application
Filed:
December 18, 2017
Publication date:
May 10, 2018
Applicant:
Immersion Corporation
Inventors:
Vahid Khoshkava, Vincent Levesque, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez
Abstract: One illustrative system disclosed herein includes an enclosure configured to define a boundary of a chamber, the chamber including a material, and a flexible layer coupled overtop of the chamber and configured to enclose the chamber. The illustrative system also includes a first actuation device configured to receive a first haptic signal and responsively output a first haptic effect by changing a characteristic of the material to deform the flexible layer. The illustrative system also includes a second actuation device configured to receive a second haptic signal and responsively output a second haptic effect by applying an electrical signal to the flexible layer. The illustrative system further includes a processor in communication with the first actuation device and the second actuation device. The processor is configured to transmit the first haptic signal to the first actuation device and the second haptic signal to the second actuation device.
Type:
Application
Filed:
January 9, 2018
Publication date:
May 10, 2018
Applicant:
Immersion Corporation
Inventors:
Vahid Khoshkava, Vincent Levesque, Jamal Saboune, Abdelwahab Hamam, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Liwen Wu
Abstract: One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a sensor configured to detect a user input associated with a projected user interface and transmit a sensor signal associated with the user interaction, and a processor in communication with the sensor, the processor configured to: receive the sensor signal, determine a remote haptic effect based at least in part on the user input, generate a haptic signal based at least in part on the remote haptic effect, and transmit the haptic signal. The illustrative system further includes a haptic output device in communication with the processor, the haptic output device configured to receive the haptic signal and output the remote haptic effect.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 30, 2013
Date of Patent:
May 8, 2018
Assignee:
Immersion Corporation
Inventors:
Vincent Levesque, Ali Modarres, Amaya B. Weddle, David M. Birnbaum
Abstract: Systems and methods for enhanced television interaction are disclosed. For example, one disclosed method includes receiving notification information, the notification information indicating an event associated with video content displayed by a television device; determining a haptic effect associated with the notification information; generating and transmitting a haptic signal to a haptic output device, the haptic signal configured to cause the haptic output device to output the haptic effect.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 29, 2017
Publication date:
May 3, 2018
Applicant:
Immersion Corporation
Inventors:
Danny Grant, Pamela Pimentel, Eric Gervais, Vincent Levesque, Aaron Kapelus, Mina Chang, Daniel Parker, David Birnbaum, Li Jiang, Stephen Rank
Abstract: Systems and methods for minimal haptic implementation are disclosed. For example, one disclosed system includes: an actuator; and a control-circuit in communication with the actuator, the control circuit configured to: receive a haptic signal including a first bit indicating a power state; and transmit a power signal based on the haptic signal, the power signal configured to cause the actuator to operate at an actuation state at a fixed power.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 6, 2016
Date of Patent:
May 1, 2018
Assignee:
Immersion Corporation
Inventors:
Erin B. Ramsay, Henrique D. da Costa, Neil Olien, Robert A. Lacroix
Abstract: A system is provided that encodes one or more dynamic haptic effects. The system defines a dynamic haptic effect as including a plurality of key frames, where each key frame includes an interpolant value and a corresponding haptic effect. An interpolant value is a value that specifies where an interpolation occurs. The system generates a haptic effect file, and stores the dynamic haptic effect within the haptic effect file.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 15, 2016
Date of Patent:
May 1, 2018
Assignee:
IMMERSION CORPORATION
Inventors:
Henry Da Costa, Feng Tian An, Christopher J. Ullrich
Abstract: Systems, electronic devices, and methods provide haptic sensations as a function of eye gaze. A system may include a detector configured to determine a direction of an eye gaze of a user of the system, a processor configured to generate signal representative of a haptic effect based on the direction of the eye gaze, and a haptic output device configured to receive the signal from the processor and output the haptic effect to the user. A method for providing a haptic effect to a user of a system may include determining a direction of an eye gaze of the user of the system, generating a haptic effect based on the direction of the eye gaze, and outputting the haptic effect to the user.
Abstract: Systems and methods that dynamically render etching inputs are provided, and include a touch surface having a sensor and configured to detect user input, and a non-transitory memory, wherein the non-transitory memory includes instructions for capturing an etching input that is applied to an image or video file, determining a haptic effect that corresponds to the etching input, the haptic effect depending on a type of etching input, and transmitting a modified image or modified video file that includes the etching input and the haptic effect.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 20, 2016
Date of Patent:
April 24, 2018
Assignee:
IMMERSION CORPORATION
Inventors:
William S. Rihn, David M. Birnbaum, Anthony Chad Sampanes
Abstract: Systems and methods for generating haptic effects associated with audio signals are disclosed. One disclosed system for outputting haptic effects includes a processor configured to: receive an audio signal; determine a haptic effect based in part on the audio signal by: identifying one or more components in the audio signal; and determining a haptic effect associated with the one or more components; and output a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 22, 2017
Date of Patent:
April 17, 2018
Assignee:
Immersion Corporation
Inventors:
Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Jamal Saboune, Vincent Levesque, Ali Modarres
Abstract: A system that generates haptic effects receives input media that includes audio data, video data, or sensory data. The system automatically generates a haptic effect track from the input media. The system then applies at least one filter to the automatically generated haptic effect track to generate a tuned haptic effect track.
Abstract: One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a display configured to receive a display signal and output an image, and an image capture device configured to capture an area image and transmit an image signal. The illustrative system also includes a processor in communication with the image capture device and the display, the processor configured to: receive the image signal; determine a virtual object based in part on the image signal; determine the display signal based in part on the image signal, wherein the display signal includes data associated with the virtual object; determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the virtual object; and transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect. The illustrative system further includes a haptic output device configured to receive the haptic signal and output the haptic effect.
Abstract: An electromagnetic haptic actuator comprises a first planar magnetic layer and a second planar magnetic layer. The first planar magnetic layer comprises a first substrate and a first planar conductive coil formed on the first substrate. The second planar magnetic layer comprises a planar magnet and spaced adjacent to the first planar magnetic layer with a gap in between the first planar magnetic layer and second planar magnetic layer. At least one of the first and second planar magnetic layers is flexible such that a portion of the first planar magnetic layer and a portion of the second planar magnetic layers are movable relative to each other.
Type:
Application
Filed:
October 12, 2016
Publication date:
April 12, 2018
Applicant:
IMMERSION CORPORATION
Inventors:
Vahid Khoshkava, Juan Manuel Cruz Hernandez
Abstract: One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a first haptic output device configured to receive a first haptic signal and output a first haptic effect to a deformable surface and a second haptic output device configured to receive a second haptic signal and output a second haptic effect to the deformable surface. The illustrative system further includes a processor coupled to the first haptic output device and the second haptic output device, the processor configured to: determine an event, determine a first haptic effect and a second haptic effect based at least in part on the event, transmit a first haptic signal associated with the first haptic effect to the first haptic output device, and transmit a second haptic signal associated with the second haptic effect to the second haptic output device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 21, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 10, 2018
Assignee:
Immersion Corporation
Inventors:
Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Danny Grant, Vincent Levesque, Ali Modarres
Abstract: An advanced haptic gamepad is provided. A controller having a plurality of surfaces, and a haptic output device located within its housing and coupled to an isolated deformable region disposed at one of the plurality of surfaces is provided. The isolated deformable region expands and contracts in response to the haptic output device. In addition, a controller having a plurality of isolated surface regions, and a plurality of haptic output devices located within its housing and coupled to respective isolated surface regions is provided. Each of the isolated surface regions is configured to provide localized haptic effects.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 11, 2015
Date of Patent:
April 10, 2018
Assignee:
IMMERSION CORPORATION
Inventors:
Danny Grant, Jean Francois Dionne, Aaron Kapelus, Razmik Mousakhanian, Jamal Saboune, William Rihn
Abstract: One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a sensor configured to detect a user interaction with a touch surface and transmit a sensor signal including data associated with a pressure of the user interaction. The illustrative system also includes a processor in communication with the sensor, the processor configured to: receive the sensor signal; determine, based on the sensor signal, a pressure level; determine a user interface level based at least in part on the pressure level; perform a function associated with the user interface level and the user interaction; determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the user interface level and the user interaction; generate a haptic signal based at least in part on the haptic effect; and transmit the haptic signal. The illustrative system further includes a haptic output device in configured to receive the haptic signal and output the haptic effect.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 17, 2017
Date of Patent:
April 10, 2018
Assignee:
Immersion Corporation
Inventors:
Christopher J. Ullrich, Amaya Weddle, Hua Yu, David Birnbaum
Abstract: Systems and methods for generating haptic effects associated with envelopes in audio signals are disclosed. One disclosed system for outputting haptic effects includes a processor configured to: receive an audio signal; determine an envelope associated with the audio signal; determine a haptic effect based in part on the envelope; and output a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 12, 2017
Date of Patent:
April 3, 2018
Assignee:
Immersion Corporation
Inventors:
Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Jamal Saboune
Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for providing haptic effects based on information complementary to multimedia content. For example, one disclosed method includes the steps of receiving multimedia data comprising multimedia content and complementary data, wherein the complementary data describes the multimedia content, determining a haptic effect based at least in part on the complementary data, and outputting the haptic effect while playing the multimedia content.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 5, 2017
Date of Patent:
March 27, 2018
Assignee:
Immersion Corporation
Inventors:
Vincent Levesque, Ali Modarres, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Jamal Saboune