Haptic spatialization system

Abstract

A system is provided that controls a haptic effect experienced at a peripheral device. The system receives a haptic effect definition including haptic data. The system further receives spatialization data including: a distance of the haptic effect; a direction of the haptic effect; or a flow of the haptic effect. The system further includes modifying the haptic effect definition based on the received spatialization data. The system further includes sending a haptic instruction and the modified haptic effect definition to the peripheral device. The system further includes causing one or more haptic output devices to produce one or more haptic effects based on the modified haptic effect definition at the peripheral device in response to the haptic instruction.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A wearable haptic device comprising:
 a targeted actuator;   a general actuator;   a memory configured to store a plurality of haptic spatialization instructions; and   a processor configured to execute the haptic spatialization instructions including instructions for
 receiving haptic spatialization data via a wireless connection; 
 dividing the haptic spatialization data into a first haptic effect definition component and a second haptic effect definition component; 
 applying a drive signal to the targeted actuator to cause the wearable haptic device to produce a targeted kinesthetic effect according to the first haptic effect definition component; and 
 applying a drive signal to the general actuator to cause the wearable haptic device to produce a general haptic effect according to the second haptic effect definition component. 
   
     
     
         2 . The wearable haptic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the wearable haptic device includes a wrist band. 
     
     
         3 . The wearable haptic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the wireless connection is infrared, radio, Wi-Fi, cellular network, or Bluetooth. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable haptic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the spatialization data includes at least one of a position of the haptic effect, a distance of the haptic effect, a velocity of the haptic effect, a direction of the haptic effect, or a flow of the haptic effect. 
     
     
         5 . The wearable haptic device according to  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second haptic effect definition components is attenuated based on the haptic spatialization data. 
     
     
         6 . The wearable haptic device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the wearable haptic device further includes a speaker, and   wherein the targeted kinesthetic effect is simultaneously provided with an audio effect.   
     
     
         7 . A method of producing a haptic effect comprising:
 receiving haptic spatialization data at a wearable haptic device via a wireless connection;   dividing the haptic spatialization data into a first haptic effect definition component and a second haptic effect definition component;   applying a drive signal to a targeted actuator to cause the wearable haptic device to produce a targeted kinesthetic effect according to the first haptic effect definition component; and   applying a drive signal to a general actuator to cause the wearable haptic device to produce a general haptic effect according to the second haptic effect definition component.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the wearable haptic device includes a wrist band. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the wireless connection is infrared, radio, Wi-Fi, cellular network, or Bluetooth. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the haptic spatialization data includes at least one of a position of the haptic effect, a distance of the haptic effect, a velocity of the haptic effect, a direction of the haptic effect, or a flow of the haptic effect. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein one of the first and second haptic effect definition components is attenuated based on the haptic spatialization data. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the targeted kinesthetic effect is simultaneously provided with an audio effect. 
     
     
         13 . A haptically-enabled device comprising:
 a targeted actuator;   a general actuator;   a memory configured to store a plurality of haptic spatialization instructions; and   a processor configured to execute the haptic spatialization instructions including instructions for
 receiving haptic spatialization data; 
 dividing the haptic spatialization data into a first haptic effect definition component and a second haptic effect definition component; 
 applying a drive signal to the targeted actuator to cause the haptically-enabled device to produce a targeted kinesthetic effect according to the first haptic effect definition component; and 
 applying a drive signal to the general actuator to cause the haptically-enabled device to produce a general haptic effect according to the second haptic effect definition component. 
   
     
     
         14 . The haptically-enabled device according to  claim 13 , wherein the haptically-enabled device is an automotive control device. 
     
     
         15 . The haptically-enabled device according to  claim 13 , wherein the spatialization data includes at least one of a position of the haptic effect, a distance of the haptic effect, a velocity of the haptic effect, a direction of the haptic effect, or a flow of the haptic effect. 
     
     
         16 . The haptic vehicle control user device according to  claim 13 , wherein one of the first and second haptic effect definition components is attenuated based on the haptic spatialization data. 
     
     
         17 . The haptically-enabled device according to  claim 16 , wherein the attenuating is based on a position of one or more hands of a user located on the haptically-enabled device. 
     
     
         18 . The haptically-enabled device according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the haptically-enabled device further includes a speaker, and   wherein the targeted kinesthetic effect is simultaneously provided with an audio effect.   
     
     
         19 . The haptically-enabled device according to  claim 13 , wherein the targeted kinesthetic effect and the general haptic effect are produced at one or more user input elements of the haptically-enabled device. 
     
     
         20 . The haptically-enabled device according to  claim 13 , wherein the haptically-enabled device is a haptically-enabled vehicle control device.