Haptic feedback for opportunistic displays

Abstract

One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a computing device in communication with a sensor configured to detect a display device near the sensor, the computing device, or within a field of view of a user of the computing device. The sensor can also be configured to transmit a signal associated with the display device to a processor in communication with the sensor. The processor is configured to determine an availability of the display device to display or output content (e.g., texts, images, sounds, videos, etc.) and a location of the display device based on the signal. The processor is also configured to determine a haptic effect based on the availability and the location of the display device and transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect. The illustrative system also includes a haptic output device configured to receive the haptic signal and output the haptic effect.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a computing device, a sensor signal indicating a user's field of view;   determining, by the computing device, an availability of a display device within the user's field of view to be communicatively connected to the computing device;   connecting, by the computing device, the computing device to the display device;   determining, by the computing device, a haptic effect indicating the availability of the display device;   sending, by the computing device to the display device, content to be displayed by the display device; and   outputting a haptic signal to cause a haptic output device to output the haptic effect.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising determining a location of the display device, and wherein the haptic effect is based on the location of the display device. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein determining the location of the display device comprises determining a horizontal or vertical position of the display device with respect to the user. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the sensor signal indicates the user's eye-gaze direction. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising receiving one or more signals from the display device indicating an availability of the display device. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the one or more signals indicate a location of the display device. 
     
     
         27 . A system comprising:
 a sensor;   a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and   a processor communicatively coupled to the sensor and the non-transitory computer-readable medium, the processor configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to:
 receive a sensor signal indicating a user's field of view; 
 determine an availability of a display device within the user's field of view to be communicatively connected to the computing device; 
 connect the computing device to the display device; 
 determine a haptic effect indicating the availability of the display device; 
 send content to be displayed by the display device; and 
 output a haptic signal to cause a haptic output device to output the haptic effect. 
   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to determine a location of the display device, and wherein the haptic effect is based on the location of the display device. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the processor is configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to determine a horizontal or vertical position of the display device with respect to the user. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the sensor signal indicates the user's eye-gaze direction. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the processor is configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to receive one or more signals from the display device indicating an availability of the display device. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more signals indicate a location of the display device. 
     
     
         33 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a computing device, one or more signals from a display device indicating an availability of the display device and a user's field of view associated with the display device;   connecting, by the computing device, the computing device to the display device;   determining, by the computing device, a haptic effect indicating the availability of the display device;   sending, by the computing device to the display device, content to be displayed by the display device; and   outputting a haptic signal to cause a haptic output device to output the haptic effect.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the one or more signals indicate the user's eye-gaze direction. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising determining a location of the display device, and wherein the haptic effect is based on the location of the display device. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein determining the location of the display device comprises determining a horizontal or vertical position of the display device with respect to the user. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising receiving one or more signals indicating the location of the display device. 
     
     
         38 . A system comprising:
 a sensor;   a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and   a processor communicatively coupled to the sensor and the non-transitory computer-readable medium, the processor configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to:
 receive, by a computing device, one or more signals from a display device indicating an availability of the display device and a user's field of view associated with the display device; 
 connect the computing device to the display device; 
 determine a haptic effect indicating the availability of the display device; 
 send content to be displayed by the display device; and 
 output a haptic signal to cause a haptic output device to output the haptic effect. 
   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the one or more signal indicates the user's eye-gaze direction. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the processor is configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to determine a location of the display device, and wherein the haptic effect is based on the location of the display device. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the processor is configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to determine a horizontal or vertical position of the display device with respect to the user. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the processor is configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to receive one or more signals indicating the location of the display device.