# US 9,436,282 B2 · Contactor-based haptic feedback generation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,436,282 B2 - Document ID: US9436282B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/803,103 - Filed: 2013-03-14 - Published: 2014-09-18 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-14 - Assignees: Immersion Corporation - Applicants: Immersion Corporation - Inventors: Vincent Levesque - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436282B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user} - G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means - G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures - G06F 2200/1636: Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing - G06F 2203/04104: Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger - G06F 2203/04106: Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A system that generates haptic effects senses contact on an interface by a contactor/object. The system then determines one or more properties of the contactor and generates a type of haptic effect in response to the contact. The type of haptic effect is based at least on the one or more properties. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of generating haptic effects on a device, the method comprising: sensing a first contact with the device by a contactor, wherein the contactor is associated with a user; determining for the first contact an identity of a first part out of a plurality of possible parts of the contactor that has contacted the device; determining a first tactile sensitivity that corresponds to the first part, wherein the first tactile sensitivity is a first measurement of an ability of the user to feel a haptic effect at the first part; in response to the first contact, generating a first haptic effect and applying the first haptic effect to the first part, wherein the first haptic effect comprises first haptic effect parameters based at least on the first tactile sensitivity; sensing a second contact with the device by the contactor; determining for the second contact an identity of a second part out of a plurality of possible parts of the contactor that has contacted the device, wherein the second part is different than the first part; determining a second tactile sensitivity that corresponds to the second part and is different than the first tactile sensitivity, wherein the second tactile sensitivity is a second measurement of the ability of the user to feel the haptic effect at the second part; and in response to the second contact, generating a second haptic effect and applying the second haptic effect to the second part, wherein the second haptic effect comprises second haptic effect parameters, based at least on the second tactile sensitivity, that are varied in comparison to the first haptic effect parameters to cause the applied second haptic effect to feel approximately the same to the user as the applied first haptic effect. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a distinct type of haptic effect in response to the first contact, wherein the distinct type of haptic effect is generated by determining parameters of the distinct type of haptic effect. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second haptic effects are vibratory haptic effects, and the first and second haptic effect parameters comprise at least one of magnitude, frequency or duration. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the distinct type of haptic effect is generated by selecting a haptic output device from a plurality of haptic output devices for the haptic effect. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of haptic output devices comprise at least one of a vibratory device, an electrostatic friction device, or a deformable surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of possible parts of the contactor comprises a stylus, a fingerpad, a fingernail or a knuckle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the distinct type of haptic effect is further based at least on a confirmation of a correct detection of the contactor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing comprises determining a proximity of the contactor to the device, and the sensing is performed before the contact. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing comprises receiving a signal from a touch surface of the device. ### Claim 10 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to generate haptic effects on a device, the generating comprising: sensing a first contact with the device by a contactor, wherein the contactor is associated with a user; determining for the first contact an identity of a first part out of a plurality of possible parts of the contactor that has contacted the device; determining a first tactile sensitivity that corresponds to the first part, wherein the first tactile sensitivity is a first measurement of an ability of the user to feel a haptic effect at the first part; in response to the first contact, generating a first haptic effect and applying the first haptic effect to the first part, wherein the first haptic effect comprises first haptic effect parameters based at least on the first tactile sensitivity; sensing a second contact with the device by the contactor; determining for the second contact an identity of a second part out of a plurality of possible parts of the contactor that has contacted the device, wherein the second part is different than the first part; determining a second tactile sensitivity that corresponds to the second part and is different than the first tactile sensitivity, wherein the second tactile sensitivity is a second measurement of the ability of the user to feel the haptic effect at the second part; and in response to the second contact, generating a second haptic effect and applying the second haptic effect to the second part, wherein the second haptic effect comprises second haptic effect parameters, based at least on the second tactile sensitivity, that are varied in comparison to the first haptic effect parameters to cause the applied second haptic effect to feel approximately the same to the user as the applied first haptic effect. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising generating a distinct type of first haptic effect in response to the contact, wherein the distinct type of haptic effect is generated by determining parameters of the distinct type of haptic effect. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first and second haptic effects are a vibratory haptic effect, and the first and second haptic effect parameters comprise at least one of magnitude, frequency or duration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the distinct type of haptic effect is generated by selecting a haptic output device from a plurality of haptic output devices for the haptic effect. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the plurality of haptic output devices comprise at least one of a vibratory device, an electrostatic friction device, or a deformable surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality of possible parts of the contactor comprises a stylus, a fingerpad, a fingernail or a knuckle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the distinct type of haptic effect is further based at least on a confirmation of a correct detection of the contactor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the sensing comprises determining a proximity of the contactor to the device, and the sensing is performed before the contact. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the sensing comprises receiving a signal from a touch surface of the device. ### Claim 19 A system comprising: an interface that senses a first contact by a contactor, wherein the contactor is associated with a user; a haptic output device coupled to the interface; a contactor property module that determines for the first contact an identity of a first part out of a plurality of possible parts of the contactor that has contacted the device; determines a first tactile sensitivity that corresponds to the first part, wherein the first tactile sensitivity is a first measurement of an ability of the user to feel a haptic effect at the first part; in response to the first contact, generates a first haptic effect and applying the first haptic effect to the first part using the haptic output device, wherein the first haptic effect comprises first haptic effect parameters based at least on the first tactile sensitivity; senses a second contact with the device by the contactor; determines for the second contact an identity of a second part out of a plurality of possible parts of the contactor that has contacted the device, wherein the second part is different than the first part; determines a second tactile sensitivity that corresponds to the second part and is different than the first tactile sensitivity, wherein the second tactile sensitivity is a second measurement of the ability of the user to feel the haptic effect at the second part; and in response to the second contact, generates a second haptic effect and applies the second haptic effect to the second part using the haptic output device, wherein the second haptic effect comprises second haptic effect parameters, based at least on the second tactile sensitivity, that are varied in comparison to the first haptic effect parameters to cause the applied second haptic effect to feel approximately the same to the user as the applied first haptic effect. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the haptic output device comprises an actuator, and the first and second haptic effects are vibratory haptic effects. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the first and second haptic effect parameters comprise at least one of magnitude, frequency or duration. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the interface comprises a proximity sensor that senses the contact before the contactor contacts the device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the interface comprises a touchscreen. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the interface comprises a doorknob. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, further comprising generating a distinct type of haptic effect in response to the contact, wherein the distinct type of haptic effect is generated by determining parameters of the distinct type of haptic effect. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the contactor property module further determines if the contactor is an inanimate object.