Automatic and unique haptic notification

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for automatically generating unique haptic effects. An embodiment of the apparatus comprises a haptic actuator. Memory stores a hash function and a haptic control module programmed to generate a haptic control signal related to a hash value generated by the hash function. A controller is communicatively associated with the haptic actuator and the memory. The controller is configured to receive information, execute the hash function on at least a portion of the information to generate the hash value, generate a haptic signal related to the hash value, and control the haptic actuator to generate a haptic effect, the haptic effect related to the hash value and the haptic signal. A method of automatically generating a unique haptic effect also is disclosed.

The claims are: 
     
         1 . A haptic-enabled system, comprising:
 at least one haptic-enabled device; and   one or more remote devices coupled to said at least one haptic-enabled device via a network,   wherein said at least one haptic-enabled device comprises
 a haptic actuator; 
 a memory storing a hash function; 
 a network interface coupled to said network; and 
 a controller, communicatively coupled to the haptic actuator and the memory, configured to 
 receive a plurality of information items, 
 execute the hash function on the plurality of information items to generate a different hash value for each information item, 
 synthesize at least two hash values with a digital signal to generate a haptic signal, and 
 apply the haptic signal to the haptic actuator to generate a haptic effect associated with the haptic signal, 
   wherein each said remote device comprises
 a processor; 
 a memory coupled to said processor via a bus; and 
 a network interface coupled to said network and to said processor via the bus, and 
   wherein each said remote device is configured to output information via said network interface to said at least one haptic-enabled device for delivering said haptic effect.   
     
     
         2 . The haptic-enabled system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said one or more remote device comprises a sending device configured to communicate information to said at least one haptic-enabled device, and   wherein said at least one haptic-enabled device is configured to generate said haptic effect based on said information received from said sending device.   
     
     
         3 . The haptic-enabled system of  claim 2 , wherein said sending device comprises one of a phone, a computer, and a game console. 
     
     
         4 . The haptic-enabled system of  claim 2 , wherein said sending device comprises a server. 
     
     
         5 . The haptic-enabled system of  claim 4 ,
 wherein said server comprises a central haptic server which stores haptic information comprising:
 one or more hash functions; 
 haptic data; and 
 tables mapping hash values to the haptic data, and 
   wherein at least one of said haptic-enabled device and said remote device is configured to obtain said haptic information from said central haptic server via said network.   
     
     
         6 . The haptic-enabled system of  claim 5 , wherein said haptic information further comprises waveforms for synthesizing hash values or predefined information. 
     
     
         7 . The haptic-enabled system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein at least one said haptic-enabled device is linked to one of said remote devices independently from said network, and   wherein said linked haptic-enabled device is configured to generate said haptic effect based on said information received from said linked remote device.   
     
     
         8 . The haptic-enabled system of  claim 7 , wherein said linked haptic-enabled device is a smart watch and said linked remote device is a smartphone. 
     
     
         9 . The haptic-enabled system of  claim 7 , wherein said linked haptic-enabled device is and said linked remote device are linked through a Bluetooth communication link. 
     
     
         10 . A method for automatically generating haptic effects comprising:
 receiving information by a haptic-enabled device;   determining, by a processor of said haptic-enabled device, predetermined information corresponding to a haptic effect being contained in said received information; and   generating a unique haptic signal associated with a unique haptic effect based on said predetermined information.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said receiving, determining, and generating are performed in real-time. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said determining predetermined information comprises determining whether said predetermined information falls within a predetermined class of information. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 executing a hash function on the predetermined information to generate a different hash value for each of a plurality of items of said predetermined information; and   synthesizing at least two hash values with a digital signal to generate said unique haptic signal.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 applying the unique haptic signal to a haptic actuator to generate said unique haptic effect.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein said generating a unique haptic signal comprises varying one or more of waveform frequency or amplitude parameters such that each said unique haptic effect can be readily and uniquely distinguished by a user with respect to any other haptic effect.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said synthesized unique haptic signal comprises a superposition of multiple waveforms. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said synthesizing comprises:
 creating a plurality of waveforms based on said predetermined information;   combining each said waveform with an envelope to form a grain;   combining a plurality of said envelopes to generate a cloud; and   generating said synthesized unique haptic signal based on said cloud.   
     
     
         18 . A haptic-enabled apparatus, comprising:
 a haptic actuator;   memory storing a plurality of predetermined items of information; and   a controller, communicatively coupled to the haptic actuator and the memory, configured to:   receive information,   determine whether the received information includes at least two predetermined items of information,   automatically synthesize the at least two predetermined items of information with a waveform to form a synthesized haptic signal,   convert the synthesized haptic signal to a drive signal, and   communicate the drive signal to the haptic actuator.   
     
     
         19 . The haptic-enabled apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to synthesize the at least two predetermined items of information with the waveform using granular synthesis.