User Interface Device Provided With Surface Haptic Sensations

A method for generating a haptic effect to a user of a user interface device, the method comprising:

• outputting, by a first processor of a host computer, video content to a display configured to display the video content, wherein the video content indicates a user input element of a plurality of user input elements of a user interface device separate from the host computer;
• generating, by the host computer, an output command based on the user input element of the plurality of user input elements;
• transmitting, by the host computer, the output command to the user interface device via a communication channel;
• generating a signal for a haptic effect based on the output command, the haptic effect to be generated by a haptic output device of the user interface device;
• and
• outputting the haptic effect with the haptic output device, wherein the haptic output device is configured to output the haptic effect to the user input element.

A user interface device comprising:

• a housing
• a plurality of user input elements coupled to the housing;
• a haptic output device supported by the housing;
• and
• a first processor disposed within the housing, the first processor configured to:
• receive, via a communication channel, an output command from a host computer separate from the user interface device, wherein the host computer is communicatively coupled to a display configured to display video content, the host computer comprising a second processor separate from the first processor and configured to output the video content to the display and the video content indicates a user input element of the plurality of user input elements and wherein the host computer generates the output command based on the user input element of the plurality of user input elements;
• and
• output a signal to the haptic output device to generate a haptic effect based on the output command, wherein the haptic output device is configured to output the haptic effect to the user input element.