Methods and systems for decoding and rendering a haptic effect associated with a 3D environment

A method of providing haptic effects for a three-dimensional (3D) environment that is experienced virtually by a user, the method comprising:

• receiving, by at least one processor, media data that describes the 3D environment, wherein the media data includes:
• haptic data which describes a haptic characteristic associated with at least one object, structure, or event in the 3D environment;
• performing, by the at least one processor, a haptic decoding operation that includes extracting the haptic data from the media data;
• and
• performing, by the at least one processor, a haptic rendering operation that includes:
• (i) generating a drive signal based on the haptic characteristic and based on at least one of a virtual viewpoint location of a user in the 3D environment or a virtual field of view of the user in the 3D environment, wherein the virtual viewpoint location is a location at which the user is virtually located in the 3D environment, or is a location at which a 3D representation of the user is located in the 3D environment, and
• (ii) communicating the drive signal to a haptic output device in a user peripheral device in communication with the at least one processor, to cause the haptic output device to generate a haptic effect at the user peripheral device.