System and method for outputting a haptic effect based on a camera zoom state, camera perspective, and/or a direction in which a user's eyes are directed

Abstract

A haptic peripheral system comprising a display, a haptic peripheral device, and a processor is disclosed. The processor is in communication with the display and the haptic peripheral device. The processor is configured to determine a zoom state of a virtual camera of a virtual environment, and to determine at least one of: (i) a perspective of the virtual camera, wherein the perspective indicates which of a first person point of view and a third person point of view the virtual camera has, and (ii) a direction in which the user's eyes are directed. The processor is further configured to cause the haptic peripheral device to output a haptic effect that depends on the zoom state, and on at least one of: (i) the perspective of the virtual camera and (ii) the direction in which a user's eyes are directed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A haptic peripheral system, comprising:
 a display configured to present a virtual environment;   a haptic peripheral device configured to be controlled by a user; and   a processor in communication with the display and the haptic peripheral device, and configured
 to determine a zoom state of a virtual camera of the virtual environment, 
 to determine at least one of: (i) a perspective of the virtual camera, wherein the perspective indicates which of a first person point of view and a third person point of view the virtual camera has, and (ii) a direction in which the user's eyes are directed, and 
 to cause the haptic peripheral device to output a haptic effect that depends on the zoom state of the virtual camera, and on at least one of: (i) the perspective of the virtual camera and (ii) the direction in which the user's eyes are directed. 
   
     
     
         2 . The haptic peripheral system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the perspective of the virtual camera and to determine a strength level for the haptic effect based on a combination of the zoom state and the perspective of the virtual camera, and to cause the haptic peripheral device to output the haptic effect at the determined strength level. 
     
     
         3 . The haptic peripheral system of  claim 2 , wherein the zoom state is associated with a first haptic effect having first strength level, and the perspective is associated with a second haptic effect having a second strength level, and wherein the processor is configured to determine which haptic effect of the first haptic effect and the second haptic effect has higher priority, and to select the strength level of the haptic effect having the higher priority. 
     
     
         4 . The haptic peripheral system of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to select a haptic effect type for the haptic effect based on at least the perspective of the virtual camera, and to cause the haptic peripheral device to output the haptic effect with the selected haptic effect type. 
     
     
         5 . The haptic peripheral system of  claim 4 , wherein the haptic peripheral device has a plurality of haptic actuators, and wherein the processor is configured to cause the haptic peripheral device to output the haptic effect with one of the plurality of haptic actuators that is associated with the selected haptic effect type. 
     
     
         6 . The haptic peripheral system of  claim 5 , wherein the haptic peripheral device has a user input element, wherein the plurality of haptic actuators includes a rumble actuator configured to generate a haptic effect at a housing of the haptic peripheral device, and includes a targeted actuator configured to directly actuate the user input element, and wherein the rumble actuator is associated with an ambient haptic effect type, and the targeted actuator is associated with a targeted haptic effect type. 
     
     
         7 . The haptic peripheral system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is disposed in a host computer that is in wired or wireless communication with the haptic peripheral device, and wherein the host computer is in wired communication with the display, or the host computer and the display are combined into a single device. 
     
     
         8 . The haptic peripheral system of  claim 1 , wherein the display is part of a portable computer that is coupled to the haptic peripheral device, and the processor is disposed in the portable computer or in the haptic peripheral device. 
     
     
         9 . The haptic peripheral system of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic peripheral system is a head-mounted wearable device, wherein the haptic peripheral device is a wearable part of the head-mounted wearable device, and the processor is disposed in the haptic peripheral device. 
     
     
         10 . The haptic peripheral system of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic effect is caused by a virtual object or event in the virtual environment. 
     
     
         11 . The haptic peripheral system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to determine which zoom state the virtual camera is in by determining a virtual distance between the virtual camera and a virtual object or event in the virtual environment. 
     
     
         12 . The haptic peripheral system of  claim 11 , wherein the system comprises a host computer in communication with the haptic peripheral device, and the virtual distance is based on an actual distance between the haptic peripheral device and the host computer. 
     
     
         13 . The haptic peripheral system of  claim 11 , wherein the haptic peripheral device comprises a proximity sensor, and wherein the processor is configured to determine the virtual distance based on measurements by the proximity sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The haptic peripheral system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to vary a strength level for the haptic effect further based on whether the virtual environment depicts a view that is in focus or a view that is out of focus. 
     
     
         15 . The haptic peripheral system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to increase the strength level for the haptic effect when the view becomes in focus, and to decrease the strength level when the view becomes out of focus. 
     
     
         16 . A method of generating a haptic effect in a haptic peripheral system, comprising:
 a processor causing a display of the haptic peripheral system to present a virtual environment;   the processor determining a zoom state of a virtual camera of the virtual environment;   the processor determining at least one of: (i) a perspective of the virtual camera, wherein the perspective indicates which of a first person point of view and a third person point of view the virtual camera has, and (ii) a direction in which the user's eyes are directed, and   the processor causing a haptic peripheral device of the haptic peripheral system to output a haptic effect that depends on the zoom state of the virtual camera, and on at least one of: (i) the perspective of the virtual camera and (ii) the direction in which the user's eyes are directed.