Immersion Corporation

Other

Robert W Heubel

Danny A Grant

Erin B Ramsay

David M Birnbaum

Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez

Hendrik Bartel

Stephen D Rank

Ryan Steger

Muge Bakircioglu

Christopher J Ullrich

Pedro Gregorio

Jason D Fleming

Francis Jose

Henry Da Costa

Herve Thu Timone

Ali Modarres

Neil Thomas Olien

William S Rihn

Robert Lacroix

Christophe Ramstein

Robert A Lacroix

Paige Raynes

Leonard Soskin

A Timothy Vetter

Lauri Olli Matias Impivaara

Vahid Khoshkava

Satoshi Araki

Eric Gervais

Johnny Maalouf

Munibe M Bakircioglu

Sanya Attari

Colin Swindells

Douglas King Swalen

Steve Rank

A system provides haptic surround functionality. The system determines a location of a virtual event in a virtual environment. The system also determines a location of a first virtual body area of a virtual user in the virtual environment based on a location of a first body area of a user, where the first body area corresponds to the first virtual body area. The system then determines a first haptic effect based on the virtual event, the location of the virtual event in the virtual environment, and the location of the first virtual body area of the virtual user in the virtual environment. The system outputs the first haptic effect by a first haptic output device to the first body area of the user.

Haptic surround functionality

Interactive content may be presented to a user that is manipulating a peripheral. One or more state parameters that are related to the position of the peripheral may be determined. The peripheral may be identified from a plurality of possible peripherals. The interactive content may be adjusted based at least in part on the one or more position parameters and/or the identification of the peripheral. Haptic feedback to be provided to the user may be determined based at least in part on the one or more position parameters and/or the identification of the peripheral.

Haptically enhanced interactivity with interactive content

A gaming concept in which each user in a single-player or a multi-player game is enabled to create artwork or graffiti work virtually or on actual surfaces using haptic-enhanced controllers. The controllers can emulate the experience of using a marker, a paint brush, a paint spray-can or the like. The components of various controllers may be modularized for easily interchanging components to extend the art or graffiti creation experience. The real life experience of using ink or paint on a surface is simulated by haptic feedback. When a paint spray-can controller is used, the experience of paint consumption is recreated by various peripheral enhancements including audio and haptic sensations communicated to the user.

User interface device responsive to data tag associated with physical location

A wearable device for providing haptic effects includes a wearable housing configured to be worn on to a portion of a hand of a wearer and an actuator secured to the wearable housing. The wearable housing includes a first digit segment configured to conform to a finger of the hand and a second digit segment configured to conform to another finger or a thumb of the hand. The actuator is configured to receive a command signal indicative of a virtual interaction related to touching or grasping a virtual object. In response to the command signal, the actuator provides a force onto the portion of the hand or provides a force to render a resistance to movement of the first and second digit segments toward each other. The actuator uses the wearable housing to mechanically stabilize the force towards the portion of the hand. The wearable device may further include a sensor configured to sense a dynamic response to a user interaction with a real-world object which corresponds to the virtual object, the sensed dynamic response being used to assess a physical characteristic of the real-world object.

Systems and methods for providing haptic effects related to touching and grasping a virtual object

A video game system records video gameplay by a player interacting with an endpoint, such as a game controller. The recording includes recording a haptic track of haptic effects generated on the endpoint during the gameplay and recording a video track of video generated during the gameplay. The recording further includes encoding the haptic track with the video track.

Video gameplay haptics

A haptic conversion system is provided that analyzes an audio signal, generates a plurality of haptic signals based on the analysis of the audio signal, and plays the generated plurality of haptic signals through a plurality of actuators to produce one or more haptic effects. The haptic conversion system maps the generated plurality of haptic signals to the plurality of actuators based on one or more audio characteristics of the audio signal. Each generated haptic signal includes one or more haptic parameters, and is played at its mapped actuator to generate the one or more haptic effects.

Sound to haptic effect conversion system using multiple actuators

Systems using haptic effect output devices with stretch characteristics are provided. In some embodiments, the stretch haptic effect output devices provide stretch effects responsive to software control. In other embodiments, the stretch haptic effect output devices provide stretch effects responsive to user input as well. Moreover, in some embodiments, the stretch haptic effect output devices provide stretch effects in conjunction and coordination with non-stretch haptic effect output devices as well.

Haptic device incorporating stretch characteristics

A method and apparatus of actuator control mechanisms for haptic effects are disclosed. The apparatus can include an actuator and a controller for controlling a haptic cell. Depending on the type of haptic effect desired, as well as the damping characteristics of the system, the controller can generate a kick-in pulse followed by a main pulse to create an increased acceleration response, and/or a breaking pulse to provide a damping effect for a short mechanical type of haptic effect.

Method and apparatus for generating haptic effects using actuators

A system provides haptic functionality. The system determines a location of a body area of a user relative to a location of a haptic device that includes an ultrasound emitter. The system then determines a haptic effect, and projects the haptic effect to the body area of the user by the ultrasound emitter of the haptic device.

Targeted haptic projection

A device has a user interface that generates a haptic effect in response to user inputs or gestures. In one embodiment, the device receives an indication that the user is scrolling through a list of elements and an indication that an element is selected. The device determines the scroll rate and generates a haptic effect that has a magnitude that is based on the scroll rate.

Haptically enabled user interface

A method and apparatus for generating haptic surface texture with a deformable surface layer are disclosed. The haptic device includes a flexible surface layer, a haptic substrate, and a deforming mechanism. The flexible surface layer is made of elastic materials and is capable of reconfiguring its surface characteristics. The haptic substrate, in one embodiment, provides a first pattern in response to a first activating signal. Alternatively, the haptic substrate is capable of providing a second pattern in accordance with a second activating signal. The deforming mechanism is configured to change the flexible surface from a first surface characteristic to a second surface characteristic in accordance with the first pattern.

Method and apparatus for providing multi-point haptic feedback texture systems

Broadcasting select haptic metadata includes broadcasting a broadcast signal to haptic-enabled devices. In response, haptic playback capability information is received at a host source from a haptic-enabled device when original haptic metadata in the broadcast signal encodes haptic information incompatible with the haptic playback capability information. The select haptic metadata, which is customized for the haptic playback capability information, is generated and sent from the host source to the haptic-enabled device.

Haptic broadcast with select haptic metadata based on haptic playback capability

A method of generating haptic effects includes detecting an input of pressure applied to a device using a gesture and determining a level associated with the gesture based on the pressure input, as well as determining a selection of an item at the level based on the gesture and a context associated with the item at the level, along with generating a contextual haptic effect comprising haptic parameter based on the context of the item at the level.

Contextual pressure sensing haptic responses

A system, method and computer-readable medium for generating haptic effects are provided. Haptic permissions settings are received for a user. The haptic permissions settings are associated with permitted haptic parameter ranges for the user. Haptic parameters are then received. For each haptic parameter that falls outside the permitted haptic parameter ranges, the haptic parameter is modified to create a modified haptic parameter that falls within the permitted haptic parameter ranges. A haptic signal is generated based on the haptic parameters that fall within the permitted haptic parameter ranges and the modified haptic parameters. The haptic signal is then output to a haptic output device to generate the haptic effects for the user.

Growing community of inventors

San Leandro, CA, United States of America

Robert W Heubel