Systems and Methods for Force-Based Object Manipulation and Haptic Sensations

Abstract

Systems and methods for force-based object manipulation and haptic sensations are disclosed. One disclosed method includes the steps of receiving a first signal indicating a location of a user interaction and receiving a second signal indicating a first force. The method also includes, if the location of the user interaction corresponds to an object displayed on a display screen: outputting a first haptic signal to a haptic output device to cause a first haptic effect; and outputting a second haptic signal to the haptic output device to cause a second haptic effect if the first force meets or exceeds a first force threshold.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a processor;   a haptic output device communicatively coupled to the processor; and   a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 display a virtual object on a touch-screen display; 
 detect a contact at a location corresponding to the virtual object via the touch-screen display; 
 determine an action to take with respect to the virtual object in response to determining that a force of the contact exceeds a first force threshold; and 
 in response to determining that the force of the contact exceeds a second force threshold that is greater than the first force threshold:
 modify the action to create a modified action, the modified action comprising moving the virtual object in a virtual environment; 
 execute the modified action; and 
 use the haptic output device to output a haptic effect associated with the modified action. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 execute a first action in response to determining that the force of the contact exceeds a third force threshold;   use the haptic output device to output a first haptic effect associated with the first action;   subsequent to executing the first action, execute a second action in response to determining that the force of the contact has fallen below the third force threshold; and   use the haptic output device to output a second haptic effect associated with the second action.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first action comprises virtually grabbing the virtual object in a drag-and-drop operation, and the second action comprises virtually releasing the virtual object in the drag-and-drop operation. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the action is a first action, and wherein the memory further comprises program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 detect a pattern of varying forces applied to the touch-screen display, the pattern of varying forces comprising a plurality of forces with different magnitudes;   in response to detecting each respective force of the plurality of forces, use the haptic output device to output one or more haptic effects configured to convey information about the respective force;   compare the pattern of varying forces to a predefined pattern of varying forces; and   execute a second action in response to determining that the pattern of varying forces matches the predefined pattern of varying forces.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the second action comprises unlocking a device. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 generate a three-dimensional virtual environment in which a cursor can move along an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis;   navigate the cursor along the X axis or the Y axis in response to detecting a lateral movement of an object along a touch-screen display;   navigate the cursor along the Z axis in response to detecting a change in force on the touch-screen display; and   use the haptic output device to output one or more haptic effects in response to the cursor being navigated along the Z axis, the one or more haptic effects being configured to indicate whether the navigation is in a positive direction or a negative direction along the Z axis.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual object is part of a video game, and wherein the memory further comprises program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 manipulate the virtual object and output a first haptic effect in response to determining that the force of the contact exceeds a third force threshold; and   further manipulate the virtual object and output a second haptic effect in response to determining that the force of the contact exceeds a fourth force threshold that is higher than the third force threshold.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the touch-screen display is part of a vehicle, and the virtual object is a control object for controlling an electronic device in the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 use the haptic output device to output haptic effects that are configured to simulate a texture of the virtual object with (i) increasing intensity in response to the force increasing or (ii) decreasing intensity in response to the force decreasing, the haptic effects being generated according to a relationship between the force and the intensity.   
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 displaying, by a processor, a virtual object on a touch-screen display;   detecting, by the processor, a contact at a location corresponding to the virtual object via the touch-screen display;   determining, by the processor, an action to take with respect to the virtual object in response to determining that a force of the contact exceeds a first force threshold; and   in response to determining that the force of the contact exceeds a second force threshold that is greater than the first force threshold:
 modifying, by the processor, the action to create a modified action, the modified action comprising moving the virtual object in a virtual environment; 
 executing, by the processor, the modified action; and 
 using, by the processor, a haptic output device to output a haptic effect associated with the modified action. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 executing a first action in response to determining that the force of the contact exceeds a third force threshold;   using the haptic output device to output a first haptic effect associated with the first action;   subsequent to executing the first action, executing a second action in response to determining that the force of the contact has fallen below the third force threshold; and   using the haptic output device to output a second haptic effect associated with the second action.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the action is a first action, and further comprising:
 detecting a pattern of varying forces applied to the touch-screen display, the pattern of varying forces comprising a plurality of forces with different magnitudes;   in response to detecting each respective force of the plurality of forces, using the haptic output device to output one or more haptic effects configured to convey information about the respective force;   comparing the pattern of varying forces to a predefined pattern of varying forces; and   executing a second action in response to determining that the pattern of varying forces matches the predefined pattern of varying forces.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 generating a three-dimensional virtual environment in which a cursor can move along an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis;   navigating the cursor along the X axis or the Y axis in response to detecting a lateral movement of an object along a touch-screen display;   navigating the cursor along the Z axis in response to detecting a change in force on the touch-screen display; and   using the haptic output device to output one or more haptic effects in response to the cursor being navigated along the Z axis, the one or more haptic effects being configured to indicate whether the navigation is in a positive direction or a negative direction along the Z axis.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the virtual object is part of a video game, and further comprising:
 manipulating the virtual object and output a first haptic effect in response to determining that the force of the contact exceeds a third force threshold; and   further manipulating the virtual object and output a second haptic effect in response to determining that the force of the contact exceeds a fourth force threshold that is higher than the third force threshold.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 using the haptic output device to output haptic effects that are configured to simulate a texture of the virtual object with (i) increasing intensity in response to the force increasing or (ii) decreasing intensity in response to the force decreasing, the haptic effects being generated according to a relationship between the force and the intensity.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code that is executable by a processor to cause the processor to:
 display a virtual object on a touch-screen display;   detect a contact at a location corresponding to the virtual object via the touch-screen display;   determine an action to take with respect to the virtual object in response to determining that a force of the contact exceeds a first force threshold; and   in response to determining that the force of the contact exceeds a second force threshold that is greater than the first force threshold:   modify the action to create a modified action, the modified action comprising moving the virtual object in a virtual environment;   execute the modified action; and   use a haptic output device to output a haptic effect associated with the modified action.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 execute a first action in response to determining that the force of the contact exceeds a third force threshold;   use the haptic output device to output a first haptic effect associated with the first action;   subsequent to executing the first action, execute a second action in response to determining that the force of the contact has fallen below the third force threshold; and   use the haptic output device to output a second haptic effect associated with the second action.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the action is a first action, and further comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 detect a pattern of varying forces applied to the touch-screen display, the pattern of varying forces comprising a plurality of forces with different magnitudes;   in response to detecting each respective force of the plurality of forces, use the haptic output device to output one or more haptic effects configured to convey information about the respective force;   compare the pattern of varying forces to a predefined pattern of varying forces; and   execute a second action in response to determining that the pattern of varying forces matches the predefined pattern of varying forces.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 generate a three-dimensional virtual environment in which a cursor can move along an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis;   navigate the cursor along the X axis or the Y axis in response to detecting a lateral movement of an object along a touch-screen display;   navigate the cursor along the Z axis in response to detecting a change in force on the touch-screen display; and   use the haptic output device to output one or more haptic effects in response to the cursor being navigated along the Z axis, the one or more haptic effects being configured to indicate whether the navigation is in a positive direction or a negative direction along the Z axis.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the virtual object is part of a video game, and further comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 manipulate the virtual object and output a first haptic effect in response to determining that the force of the contact exceeds a third force threshold; and   further manipulate the virtual object and output a second haptic effect in response to determining that the force of the contact exceeds a fourth force threshold that is higher than the third force threshold.   
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 use the haptic output device to output haptic effects that are configured to simulate a texture of the virtual object with (i) increasing intensity in response to the force increasing or (ii) decreasing intensity in response to the force decreasing, the haptic effects being generated according to a relationship between the force and the intensity.