Enhanced dynamic haptic effects

Abstract

A system is provided that generates a dynamic haptic effect that includes one or more key frames, where each key frame includes a first interpolant value and a first haptic effect. The system further receives an interpolant value, where the interpolant value is between at least two interpolant values of at least two key frames. The system further determines the dynamic haptic effect from the interpolant value. The system further distributes the dynamic haptic effect among a plurality of actuators.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to generate a dynamic haptic effect, the generating the dynamic haptic effect comprising:
 receiving a plurality of key frames, where each key frame comprises a key frame interpolant value, a haptic effect, and a direction value;   receiving an interpolant value, wherein the interpolant value is between at least two key frame interpolant values;   determining a direction for the dynamic haptic effect;   selecting one or more key frames from the plurality of key frames, wherein each   selected key frame comprises a direction value that is equal to the direction; and   determining the dynamic haptic effect from the interpolant value and the direction, wherein the determining comprises interpolating the dynamic haptic effect from at least two haptic effects of at least two selected key frames.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein each key frame comprises a category value;
 the generating the dynamic haptic effect further comprising:   determining a category for the dynamic haptic effect;   further selecting one or more key frames from the selected one or more key frames, wherein each further selected key frame comprises a category value equal to the category; and   determining the dynamic haptic effect from the interpolant value, the direction, and the category, wherein the determining comprises interpolating the dynamic haptic effect from at least two haptic effects of at least two further selected key frames.   
     
     
         3 . The computer readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the dynamic haptic effect is a vibratory haptic effect and comprises a plurality of parameters. 
     
     
         4 . The computer readable medium of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprise a duration parameter, a magnitude parameter, a period parameter, and a frequency parameter. 
     
     
         5 . A computer-implemented method for generating a dynamic haptic effect, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a plurality of key frames, where each key frame comprises a key frame interpolant value, a haptic effect, and a direction value;   receiving an interpolant value, wherein the interpolant value is between at least two key frame interpolant values;   determining a direction for the dynamic haptic effect;   selecting one or more key frames from the plurality of key frames, wherein each selected key frame comprises a direction value that is equal to the direction; and   determining the dynamic haptic effect from the interpolant value and the direction, wherein the determining comprises interpolating the dynamic haptic effect from at least two haptic effects of at least two selected key frames.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein each key frame comprises a category value;
 the computer-implemented method further comprising:   determining a category for the dynamic haptic effect.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein the category is determined based on the interpolant value or the category value received along with the interpolant value. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of any of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 further selecting one or more key frames from the one or more selected key frames, wherein each further selected key frame comprises a category value equal to the category; and   determining the dynamic haptic effect from the interpolant value, the direction, and the category, wherein the determining comprises interpolating the dynamic haptic effect from at least two haptic effects of at least two further selected key frames.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the dynamic haptic effect is a vibratory haptic effect and comprises a plurality of parameters. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprise a duration parameter, a magnitude parameter, a period parameter, and a frequency parameter. 
     
     
         11 . A system for generating a dynamic haptic effect, the system comprising:
 a memory configured to store a haptic effect generation module; and   a processor configured to execute the haptic effect generation module stored on the memory;   wherein the haptic effect generation module is configured to receive a plurality of key frames, each key frame comprising a key frame interpolant value, a haptic effect, and a direction value;   wherein the haptic effect generation module is further configured to receive an interpolant value, the interpolant value being between at least two key frame interpolant values;   wherein the haptic effect generation module is further configured to determine a direction for the dynamic haptic effect;   wherein the haptic effect generation module is further configured to select one or more key frames from the plurality of key frames, wherein each selected key frame comprises a direction value that is equal to the direction; and   wherein the haptic effect generation module is further configured to determine the dynamic haptic effect from the interpolant value and the direction, wherein the determining comprises interpolating the dynamic haptic effect from at least two haptic effects of at least two selected key frames.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 ,
 wherein each key frame comprises a category value; and   wherein the haptic effect generation module is further configured to determine a category for the dynamic haptic effect.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the category is determined based on the interpolant value or the category value received along with the interpolant value. 
     
     
         14 . The system of any one of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the haptic effect generation module is further configured to further select one or more key frames from the one or more selected key frames, each further selected key frame comprising a category value equal to the category; and   wherein the haptic effect generation module is further configured to determine the dynamic haptic effect from the interpolant value, the direction, and the category, wherein the determining comprises interpolating the dynamic haptic effect from at least two haptic effects of at least two further selected key frames.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising an actuator configured to output one or more haptic effects based on the dynamic haptic effect.