Multiple Actuation Handheld Device

Abstract

A device includes a housing, a processor that is coupled to the housing, the processor is configured to process a software program stored in a memory. A touch screen is coupled to the housing and configured to display graphical objects, wherein a sensor signal associated with a user's interaction with the touch screen is provided to the processor. A first actuator is coupled to the touch screen and positioned within the housing. The first actuator is configured to output a first haptic effect to the touch screen upon receiving a first activating signal from the processor. A second actuator is coupled to the housing and configured to output a second haptic effect to the housing upon receiving a second activating signal from the processor. The first activating signal is associated with a foreground event and the second activating signal is associated with a background event occurring in the software program.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A computing device comprising:
 a housing;   a touch screen coupled to the housing;   a sensor configured to detect a contact with the touch screen and transmit a sensor signal associated with the contact;   a processor; and   a memory on which instructions executable by the processor are stored to cause the processor to:
 transmit a display signal to the touch screen, the display signal being configured to cause the touch screen to display a graphical object; 
 detect, based on the sensor signal, a physical object contacting the touch screen at a first location associated with the graphical object; 
 cause a first actuator to output a first haptic effect in response to detecting the physical object contacting the touch screen at the first location; 
 detect, based on the sensor signal, a movement of the physical object along the touch screen from the first location to a second location associated with the graphical object; and 
 cause a second actuator to output a second haptic effect in response to detecting, during the movement, at least one of (i) the physical object contacting the touch screen at the second location, or (ii) an amount of pressure with which the physical object is contacting the touch screen decreasing. 
   
     
     
         21 . The computing device of  claim 20 , wherein the memory comprises instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to cause the second actuator to output the second haptic effect in response to detecting, during the movement, that the physical object is contacting the touch screen at the second location. 
     
     
         22 . The computing device of  claim 21 , wherein the graphical object is a virtual guitar comprising a plurality of strings, the first location is associated with a string of the plurality of strings, and wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to determine the first haptic effect according to the string associated with the first location. 
     
     
         23 . The computing device of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the second location is a predetermined distance from the first location;   the first haptic effect is configured to simulate plucking the string of the virtual guitar; and   the second haptic effect is configured to simulate releasing the string.   
     
     
         24 . The computing device of  claim 20 , wherein the memory comprises instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to cause the second actuator to output the second haptic effect in response to detecting, during the movement, that the amount of pressure with which the physical object is contacting the touch screen is decreasing. 
     
     
         25 . The computing device of  claim 24 , wherein the memory comprises instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to cause the second actuator to output the second haptic effect in response to detecting, during the movement, that the amount of pressure with which the physical object is contacting the touch screen has decreased to an amount below a threshold but above another threshold. 
     
     
         26 . The computing device of  claim 20 , wherein the first actuator is a screen actuator coupled to the touch screen and the second actuator is a housing actuator coupled to the housing, and wherein the first haptic effect is different from the second haptic effect. 
     
     
         27 . The computing device of  claim 20 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to cause an actuator to output a third haptic effect configured to mimic an audio note being output. 
     
     
         28 . The computing device of  claim 20 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to cause an actuator to output a third haptic effect that is discordant with an audio note being output. 
     
     
         29 . The computing device of  claim 20 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to cause an actuator to output a third haptic effect that is configured to distract a user from an event occurring in a video game. 
     
     
         30 . A method comprising:
 displaying, by a computing device, a graphical object on a touch screen;   detecting, by the computing device, a physical object contacting the touch screen at a first location associated with the graphical object;   causing, by the computing device, a first actuator to output a first haptic effect in response to detecting the physical object contacting the touch screen at the first location;   detecting, by the computing device, a movement of the physical object along the touch screen from the first location to a second location associated with the graphical object; and   causing, by the computing device, a second actuator to output a second haptic effect in response to detecting, during the movement, at least one of (i) the physical object contacting the touch screen at the second location, or (ii) an amount of pressure with which the physical object is contacting the touch screen decreasing.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the computing device causes the second actuator to output the second haptic effect in response to detecting, during the movement, that the physical object contacting the touch screen at the second location. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the graphical object is a virtual guitar comprising a plurality of strings, the first location is associated with a string of the plurality of strings, and further comprising determining the first haptic effect according to the string associated with the first location. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the computing device causes the second actuator to output the second haptic effect in response to detecting, during the movement, that the amount of pressure with which the physical object is contacting the touch screen has decreased to an amount below a threshold but above another threshold. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 detecting three or more inputs in a predetermined pattern; and   causing an actuator to output a haptic effect in response to detecting the three or more inputs in the predetermined pattern.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the first actuator is a screen actuator coupled to the touch screen and the second actuator is a housing actuator coupled to a housing of the computing device, and wherein the first haptic effect is different from the second haptic effect. 
     
     
         36 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code executable by a processor to cause the processor to:
 transmit a display signal to a touch screen, the display signal being configured to cause the touch screen to display a graphical object;   detect, based on a sensor signal from a sensor, a physical object contacting the touch screen at a first location associated with the graphical object;   cause a first actuator to output a first haptic effect in response to detecting the physical object contacting the touch screen at the first location;   detect, based on the sensor signal from the sensor, a movement of the physical object along the touch screen from the first location to a second location associated with the graphical object; and   cause a second actuator to output a second haptic effect in response to detecting, during the movement, at least one of (i) the physical object contacting the touch screen at the second location, or (ii) an amount of pressure with which the physical object is contacting the touch screen decreasing.   
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 36 , further comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to cause the second actuator to output the second haptic effect in response to detecting, during the movement, that the physical object is contacting the touch screen at the second location. 
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the graphical object is a virtual guitar comprising a plurality of strings, the first location is associated with a string of the plurality of strings, and further comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to determine the first haptic effect according to the string associated with the first location. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 36 , further comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to cause the second actuator to output the second haptic effect in response to detecting, during the movement, that the amount of pressure with which the physical object is contacting the touch screen has decreased to an amount below a threshold but above another threshold. 
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 36 , wherein the first actuator is a screen actuator coupled to the touch screen and the second actuator is a housing actuator coupled to a housing of the computing device, and wherein the first haptic effect is different from the second haptic effect.