# US 10,311,686 B2 · Automatic and unique haptic notification

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- Number: US 10,311,686 B2
- Document ID: US10311686B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/978,160
- Filed: 2015-12-22
- Published: 2016-06-23
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-23
- Assignees: Immersion Corporation
- Applicants: Immersion Corporation
- Inventors: Christopher Ullrich
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10311686B2

## CPC

- G08B 6/00: Tactile signalling systems, e.g. tactile personal calling systems
- H04M 19/047: {Vibrating means for incoming calls}
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)

## Abstract

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for automatically generating unique haptic effects. An embodiment of the apparatus comprises a haptic actuator. Memory stores a hash function and a haptic control module programmed to generate a haptic control signal related to a hash value generated by the hash function. A controller is communicatively associated with the haptic actuator and the memory. The controller is configured to receive information, execute the hash function on at least a portion of the information to generate the hash value, generate a haptic signal related to the hash value, and control the haptic actuator to generate a haptic effect, the haptic effect related to the hash value and the haptic signal. A method of automatically generating a unique haptic effect also is disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A haptic-enabled apparatus, comprising:
a haptic actuator;
a memory storing a hash function; and
a controller, communicatively coupled to the haptic actuator and the memory, configured to:
receive a plurality of information items,
execute the hash function on the plurality of information items to generate a different hash value for each information item,
synthesize at least two hash values with a digital signal to generate a haptic signal, and
apply the haptic signal to the haptic actuator to generate a haptic effect associated with the haptic signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The haptic-enabled apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of information items are selected from the group consisting of a message, an identifier, metadata, an image, a video signal, and an audio signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The haptic-enabled apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of information items are selected from the group consisting of a name, a telephone number, and an address.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The haptic-enabled apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to execute the hash function on the plurality of information items in real time.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The haptic-enabled apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine if the plurality of information items includes a predetermined information item.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The haptic-enabled apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to synthesize the hash values with the digital signal using granular synthesis.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The haptic-enabled apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital signal is a predetermined digital signal stored in the memory.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The haptic-enabled apparatus of claim 7, wherein the predetermined digital signal corresponds to a periodic signal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The haptic-enabled apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller forms the haptic signal in real time upon receiving the plurality of information items.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The haptic-enabled apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hash function generates different hash values having the same number of digits.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The haptic-enabled apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the hash function generates the same hash value for different information items, the controller is configured to execute a collision avoidance process.

### Claim 12

A method of automatically generating a haptic effect in a programmable apparatus, the programmable apparatus including a haptic actuator, a memory and a controller, the method comprising:
receiving a plurality of information items;
executing a hash function on the plurality of information items to generate a different hash value for each information item;
synthesizing at least two hash values with a digital signal to generate a haptic signal; and
applying the haptic signal to the haptic actuator to generate a haptic effect associated with the haptic signal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of information items are selected from the group consisting of a message, an identifier, metadata, an image, a video signal, an audio signal, a name, a telephone number, and an address.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein executing the hash function and synthesizing the hash values with the digital signal to generate the haptic signal are performed in real time upon the controller receiving the plurality of information items.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein synthesizing the hash values with the digital signal uses granular synthesis.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the digital signal is a predetermined signal stored in the memory.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the hash function generates different hash values having the same number of digits.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein, when the hash function generates the same hash value for different information items, the method further comprises executing a collision avoidance process.