US 10,198,074 B2Granted

Haptically-enabled modular peripheral device assembly

AssigneeImmersion Corporation

InventorsDanny Grant, William Rihn, Leonard Soskin

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Abstract

A modular peripheral device assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a handheld controller and an assembly base. The handheld controller includes a first haptic actuator configured to generate a haptic effect at the handheld controller. The assembly base includes an attachment component that is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the handheld controller, and a second haptic actuator configured to generate haptic a effect at the assembly base or at the handheld controller when it is attached to the attachment component. The assembly further includes a control unit configured to select, based on whether the handheld controller is attached to or detached from the assembly base, at least one of the first and second haptic actuators to generate a haptic effect.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A modular peripheral device assembly configured to generate a haptic effect, wherein the haptic effect is associated with an event in an application receiving input from the modular peripheral device assembly, the assembly comprising:

a handheld controller configured to sense at least one of motion or orientation of the handheld controller, wherein the handheld controller includes,
a user input component,
a sensor configured to track at least one of motion or orientation of the handheld controller, and
a first haptic actuator or a first set of haptic actuators configured, when activated, to generate the haptic effect at the handheld controller;
an assembly base that includes,
an attachment component that is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the handheld controller, and
a second haptic actuator or a second set of haptic actuators configured, when activated, to generate the haptic effect at the assembly base or, when the handheld controller is attached to the attachment component, at the handheld controller;
and
a control unit located in at least one of the handheld controller or the assembly base, and configured,
in response to a determination that the handheld controller is attached to the assembly base and that the haptic effect is associated with a first type of event in the application:
to select the second haptic actuator or the second set of haptic actuators to generate the haptic effect, and to activate the second haptic actuator or the second set of haptic actuators to generate the haptic effect,
in response to a determination that the handheld controller is attached to the assembly base and the haptic effect is associated with a second type of event in the application:
to select the first haptic actuator or the first set of haptic actuators to generate the haptic effect, and to activate the first haptic actuator or the first set of haptic actuators to generate the haptic effect, and
in response to a determination that the handheld controller is detached from the assembly base, to select only the first haptic actuator or only the first set of haptic actuators to generate the haptic effect, and to activate only the first haptic actuator or only the first set of haptic actuators to generate the haptic effect.

11 more elements

A method of generating haptic effects in a modular peripheral device assembly that includes i) a handheld controller configured to sense at least one of motion or orientation of the handheld controller and having a first haptic actuator or first set of haptic actuators configured, when activated, to generate the haptic effects at the handheld controller, ii) an assembly base that is attachable to and detachable from an end of the handheld controller and that has a second haptic actuator or second set of haptic actuators, wherein the handheld controller is pivotable about the assembly base when attached thereto, such that the modular peripheral device assembly is operable as a joystick when the handheld controller is attached to the assembly base, and wherein the second haptic actuator or second set of haptic actuators, when activated, are configured to generate a kinesthetic haptic effect on the joystick when the handheld controller is attached to the assembly base, and iii) a control unit located in at least one of the handheld controller or the assembly base, the method comprising:

the control unit determining that a first haptic effect needs to be generated for an application receiving input from the peripheral device assembly and determining that the handheld controller is attached to the assembly base;
the control unit selecting, in response to determining that the handheld controller is attached to the assembly base, the second haptic actuator or second set of haptic actuators to generate the first haptic effect as the kinesthetic haptic effect on the joystick;
the control unit activating the second haptic actuator or the second set of haptic actuators to generate the kinesthetic haptic effect;
the control unit determining that a second haptic effect needs to be generated and determining that the handheld controller is detached from the assembly base;
and
the control unit selecting, in response to determining that the handheld controller is detached from the assembly base, only the first haptic actuator or only the first set of haptic actuators to generate the second haptic effect;
and
the control unit activating only the first haptic actuator or only the first set of haptic actuators to generate the second haptic effect.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/350,715Filed 14 Nov 2016 · us provisional application
Priority: 18 Feb 2016
Published: US 2017/0242486 A124 Aug 2017
Granted: 5 Feb 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification21 codes

G06F 3/016
Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer: input arrangements with force or tactile…
A63F 13/211
Characterised by their sensors, purposes or types: using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
A63F 13/24
Input arrangements for video game devices: constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
A63F 13/285
Responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating…