Force effects for object types in a graphical user interface

A system, comprising:

• means for determining a force effect to be output at least partially based on user preference information, the user preference information including information associated with at least one type of graphical object from a plurality of types of objects, the at least one type of graphical object being associated with a graphical user interface, the user preference information further including information associated with at least one force effect from a plurality of force effects, each force effect from the plurality of force effects being associated with a type of graphical object from the plurality of types of graphical objects;
• means for outputting a signal configured to cause the at least one force effect to be output when a cursor displayed in the graphical user interface interacts with a graphical object having a first type from the at least one type, the graphical object being associated with an application program from a plurality of application programs configured to run simultaneously, each application program from the plurality of application programs being configured to associate a force effect from the plurality of force effects with a graphical object from a plurality of graphical objects associated with that application program, each application program from the plurality of application programs being configured to interact with a background application program, the background application program being configured to associate a force effect from the plurality of force effects with at least one application program from the plurality of application programs.

A processor-readable medium comprising code representing instructions to cause a processor to:

• determine a force effect to be output at least partially based on user preference information, the user preference information including information associated with at least one type of graphical object from a plurality of types of graphical objects, the at least one type of graphical object being associated with a graphical user interface, the user preference information further including information associated with at least one force effect from a plurality of force effects, each force effect from the plurality of force effects being associated with a type of graphical object from the plurality of types of graphical objects;
• output a signal configured to cause the at least one force effect to be output when a cursor displayed in the graphical user interface interacts with a graphical object having a first type from the at least one type, the graphical object being associated with an application program from a plurality of application programs, configured to run simultaneously, each application program from the plurality of application programs being configured to associate a force effect from the plurality of force effects with a graphical object from a plurality of graphical objects associated with that application program, each application program from the plurality of application programs being configured to interact with a background application program, the background application program being configured to associate a force effect from the plurality of force effects with an application program from the plurality of application programs.

A method, comprising:

• receiving a signal associated with a first application program, the first application program running during a first time period;
• receiving a signal associated with a second application program, the second application program running during a second time period that overlaps with the first time period in a multi-tasking environment;
• sending a first signal in response to receiving the signal from the first application program, the first signal configured to cause a force sensation associated with the signal associated with the first application program;
• and
• sending a second signal in response to receiving the signal from the second application program, the second signal configured to cause a force sensation associated with the signal associated with the second application program.

A processor-readable medium comprising code representing instructions to cause a processor to:

• associate a context with a first application program from a plurality of application programs operating in a multi-tasking environment, the context defining at least one force effect corresponding to an event associated with the first application program;
• send a signal associated with the at least one force effect after detecting the corresponding event;
• and
• load the context into memory after the first application program becomes active.

A method, comprising:

• sensing a movement of a device;
• sending relative position information of the device to a processor if force feedback functionality associated with the device is not enabled;
• and
• sending absolute position information of the device to the processor if the force feedback functionality is enabled.