Content-aware haptic system and associated control method

Abstract

A haptic system and an associated control method are provided. The haptic system includes: a processor, and control circuitry. The processor is configured to receive an input signal and perform haptic conversion on the input signal according to content of the input signal to generate a first control signal. The control circuitry is configured to generate a driving signal according to the first control signal so as to provide haptic feedback through a haptic device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A haptic system, comprising:
 a processor, configured to receive an input signal and perform haptic conversion on the input signal according to content of the input signal to generate a first control signal; and   control circuitry, configured to generate a driving signal according to the first control signal so as to provide haptic feedback through a haptic device.   
     
     
         2 . The haptic system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the input signal comprises a video signal, an image signal, an audio signal, a message, a sign, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The haptic system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the haptic feedback comprises vibration, shape deformation, friction change, or volumetric haptic shape. 
     
     
         4 . The haptic system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the haptic conversion performed by the processor comprises operations selected from at least one of decoding, processing, analyzing, converting the content of the input signal, retrieving, transforming, calculating relevant information of the input signal, and any operations in combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The haptic system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the input signal is a video signal, and the processor analyzes the video signal to obtain motion vectors of an image frame of the video signal or obtain foreground object information, and haptic feedback controlled by the driving signal corresponds to the motion vectors or is associated with a position of the foreground object. 
     
     
         6 . The haptic system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is coupled to a sensor and receives a sensor data from the sensor; wherein the processor generates the first control signal according to the content of the input signal and the sensor data. 
     
     
         7 . The haptic system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is coupled to a touch module and receives a touch position information from the touch module; wherein the touch position information indicates location where a user is touching on the haptic device; wherein the processor further generates a second control signal so as to provide an enhanced haptic feedback around the touch position. 
     
     
         8 . The haptic system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: a microphone or a camera, and the processor further modifies the first control signal according to a voice command or an ultrasound signal captured by the microphone or a gesture or pose from the user captured by the camera. 
     
     
         9 . The haptic system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the input signal is an image signal, and the processor analyzes the image signal to identify a material information of the image signal, and generates the first control signal associated with the material shown in the image signal, and the control circuitry generate the driving signal to provide haptic feedback according to the first control signal. 
     
     
         10 . The haptic system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the material has an individual material haptic file, and the processor retrieves the individual material haptic file from a database when the specific material is being identified. 
     
     
         11 . A control method for a haptic system, the method comprising:
 receiving an input signal;   performing haptic conversion on the input signal according to content of the input signal to generate a first control signal; and   generating a driving signal according to the first control signal so as to provide haptic feedback through a haptic device.   
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the haptic feedback comprises vibration, shape deformation, friction change, or volumetric haptic shape. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the haptic conversion comprises operations selected from at least one of decoding, processing, analyzing, converting the content of the input signal, retrieving, transforming, calculating relevant information of the input signal, and any operations in combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving a sensor data from a sensor;   wherein the first control signal is generated according to the content of the input signal and the sensor data.   
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 detecting a touch position information where a user is touching on the haptic device; and   generating a second control signal so as to provide an enhanced haptic feedback around the touch position.   
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the input signal is an image signal, and the method further comprises:
 analyzing the image signal to identify a material information of the image signal;   generating the first control signal associated with the material shown in the image signal; and   generating the driving signal to provide haptic feedback according to the first control signal.   
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the material has an individual material haptic file, and the method further comprises:
 retrieving the individual material haptic file from a database when the specific material is being identified.   
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the input signal is a video signal, and the step of performing haptic conversion further comprises:
 analyzing the video signal to obtain motion vectors of an image frame of the video signal or obtain foreground object information;   wherein the haptic feedback controlled by the driving signal corresponds to the motion vectors or is associated with a position of the foreground object.