System and method for outputting virtual textures in electronic devices

A mobile device capable of producing one or more virtual surface textures that to at least some extent correspond to one or more external surface textures, the mobile device comprising:

• a plurality of haptic components within a housing of the mobile device;
• a memory device at least indirectly in communication with the haptic components, the memory device receiving one or more electrical signals from the haptic components indicative of the one or more external surface textures and storing profile information based upon the one or more electrical signals;
• and
• one or more processing devices coupled at least indirectly to the plurality of haptic components and the memory device, the one or more processing devices configured to at least indirectly cause one or more additional electrical signals based at least indirectly upon at least some of the stored profile information to be provided to the plurality of haptic components,
• wherein the plurality of haptic components upon receiving the one or more additional electrical signals produce the one or more virtual surface textures, which correspond at least indirectly to at least some of the stored profile information and thus to at least some extent correspond to the one or more external surface textures.

A method of producing, on an electronic device, a virtual surface texture that to at least some extent replicates an external surface texture, the method comprising:

• receiving at the electronic device a texture input associated with the external surface texture;
• sending a first signal indicative of the texture input to a memory device on the electronic device;
• storing profile information based upon the first signal at the memory device;
• determining that a condition has occurred;
• providing a further signal based upon at least some of the profile information at least indirectly from the memory device to a first haptic component;
• and
• producing the virtual surface texture by way of the first haptic component, wherein the virtual surface texture is produced in response to the determining that the condition has occurred and based at least partly upon the further signal, whereby the virtual surface texture to at least some extent replicates the external surface texture.