Systems and Methods for Optical Transmission of Haptic Display Parameters

Abstract

Systems and methods for optical transmission of haptic display parameters are disclosed. One disclosed method includes receiving an image signal from an image sensor, the image signal associated with an image, determining a haptic signal based at least in part on the image signal, generating a haptic effect signal based at least in part on the haptic signal, and transmitting the haptic effect signal to a haptic output device.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving an image signal from an image sensor, the image signal associated with an image;   determining a haptic signal based at least in part on the image signal;   generating a haptic effect signal based at least in part on the haptic signal; and   transmitting the haptic effect signal to a haptic output device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the haptic signal comprises evaluating the color of the image. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the haptic signal comprises evaluating the lower 2 bits of each RGB value to determine a magnitude of the haptic effect. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the haptic effect comprises determining a width of a drawing. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the haptic effect comprises determining a width of a drawing. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the haptic effect comprises determining one or more of the magnitude, modulation, or texture based of the haptic effect. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a sensor signal from a sensor and wherein determining the haptic effect further comprises determining the haptic effect based at least in part on the sensor signal. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor comprises one of an accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, biosensor, or pressure sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor signal is associated with a user's writing speed. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor signal is associated with a pressure applied to the sensor by a user. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor signal is associated with a pressure applied to the image. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the image sensor and haptic output device are contained within a stylus. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic output device comprises one or more of a vibrotactile actuator, deforming actuator, or thermal actuator. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising executable program code for:
 receiving an image signal from an image sensor, the image signal associated with an image;   determining a haptic signal based at least in part on the image signal;   generating a haptic effect signal based at least in part on the haptic signal; and   transmitting the haptic effect signal to a haptic output device.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the program code for determining the haptic signal comprises evaluating the color of the image. 
     
     
         16 . An input device, comprising:
 an image sensor configured to generate an image signal associated with an image;   a haptic output device configured to receive a haptic effect signal and generate a haptic effect based at least in part on the haptic effect signal; and   a processor in communication with the image sensor and the haptic output device, the processor configured to:
 determine a haptic signal based at least in part on the image signal; 
 generate a haptic effect signal based at least in part on the haptic signal; and 
   
       transmit the haptic effect signal to the haptic output device. 
     
     
         17 . The input device of  claim 16 , further comprising a receiver for detecting light from a light emitter 
     
     
         18 . The input device of  claim 17 , wherein the light emitter comprise an IR emitter. 
     
     
         19 . The input device of  claim 16 , further comprising a sensor, wherein the sensor comprises one of an accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, biosensor, or pressure sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The input device of  claim 16 , wherein the haptic output device comprises one or more of a vibrotactile actuator, deforming actuator, or thermal actuator. 
     
     
         21 . The input device of  claim 16 , wherein the input device comprises a stylus.