IP Library Granted Patent US 9,423,874
Granted Patent B2
US 9,423,874 · App. 13/957,493 · Granted Aug 23, 2016

Gaming accessory with sensory feedback device

Inventors: Jeffrey Nicholas Mahlmeister (Chicago, IL); Bruce Hawver (Hawthorn Woods, IL); Jacob Wolff-Petersen (Richmond, GB); Kim Rom (San Francisco, CA); Francis Arnold Grever (Palatine, IL); Tino Soelberg (Valby, DK)
Assignee: STEELSERIES ApS
G06F3/016A63F13/211A63F13/214A63F13/22A63F13/285A63F13/42G06F3/03543G06F3/03547
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,423,874
App. No.
13/957,493
Granted
Aug 23, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving, by a device comprising a processor, a first signal from a motion-sensitive component of the device; receiving, by the device, a second signal from a touch-sensitive interface of the device, detecting, by the device, from a combined signal comprising the first signal and the second signal, a selection of a portion of the device; and causing, by the device, a sensory feedback generator to provide a feedback signal in accordance with the combined signal. The feedback signal may comprise an audible sound, a visual effect, a tactile effect, or any combination thereof. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims (52)

1. A device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive interface comprising a plurality of regions, each region bounded at least in part by a boundary defined by a user drawing;

a motion-sensitive component;

a haptic feedback generator;

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor coupled to the touch-sensitive interface, the motion-sensitive component, the haptic feedback generator and the memory, wherein responsive to executing the instructions, the processor performs operations comprising:

receiving a first signal from the motion-sensitive component;

receiving a second signal from the touch-sensitive interface, wherein the second signal is associated with a region of the plurality of regions;

detecting from a combined signal, comprising the first signal and the second signal, a selection of the region; and

causing the haptic feedback generator to provide a haptic signal in accordance with the combined signal.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the motion-sensitive component comprises an actuator of a switch, and the first signal indicates movement of the touch-sensitive interface.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the touch-sensitive interface comprises a capacitive sensor for detecting physical contact of the touch-sensitive interface by a user.

4. The device of claim 1 ,

wherein the second signal comprises a coordinate signal generated by the touch-sensitive interface indicating a location on the device of the selected region, and

wherein the operations further comprise detecting the location in accordance with the coordinate signal.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the haptic signal indicates a location of the selected region.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the boundary is defined by drawing on an image of the touch-sensitive interface using a graphical user interface.

7. The device of claim 1 ,

wherein the haptic signal comprises a vibration in the device, and

wherein the vibration has a frequency, an amplitude, a number of pulses, or a duration in accordance with a location of the selected region.

8. The device of claim 1 ,

wherein the touch-sensitive interface comprises light emitting material, and

wherein the haptic feedback generator provides a visual signal by selectively enabling a portion of the light emitting material corresponding to the selected region.

9. The device of claim 1 ,

wherein the touch-sensitive interface comprises a shape-shifting material, and

wherein the haptic feedback generator provides a tactile haptic signal by selectively causing formation of a shape corresponding to the selected region.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting to a computing device a third signal indicating the selection.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether the selection corresponds to an expected user instruction relative to a use of the device; and

providing an additional haptic signal in accordance with the selection not corresponding to the expected user instruction.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first signal from a motion-sensitive component of a device;

receiving a second signal from a touch-sensitive interface of the device, wherein the second signal is associated with a region of a plurality of regions of the touch-sensitive interface, each region of the plurality of regions bounded at least in part by a boundary defined by a user drawing;

detecting from a combined signal, comprising the first signal and the second signal, a selection of the region; and

causing a haptic feedback generator of the device to provide a haptic signal in accordance with the combined signal.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the first signal indicates movement of the touch-sensitive interface.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the second signal indicates physical contact of the touch-sensitive interface by a user.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 ,

wherein the second signal comprises a coordinate signal generated by the touch-sensitive interface indicating a location on the device of the selected region, and

wherein the operations further comprise detecting the location in accordance with the coordinate signal.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the haptic signal indicates a location of the selected region.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the boundary is defined by drawing on an image of the touch-sensitive interface using a graphical user interface.

18. A method comprising:

receiving, by a device comprising a processor, a first signal from a motion-sensitive component of the device;

receiving, by the device, a second signal from a touch-sensitive interface of the device, wherein the second signal is associated with a region of a plurality of regions of the touch-sensitive interface, each region of the plurality of regions bounded at least in part by a boundary defined by a user drawing;

detecting, by the device, from a combined signal comprising the first signal and the second signal, a selection of the region; and

causing, by the device, a sensory feedback generator to provide a feedback signal in accordance with the combined signal.

19. The method of claim 18 ,

wherein the second signal comprises a coordinate signal generated by the touch-sensitive interface indicating a location on the device of the selected region, and further comprising detecting the location in accordance with the coordinate signal.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the feedback signal indicates a location of the selected region.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the boundary is defined by drawing on an image of the touch-sensitive interface using a graphical user interface.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the feedback signal comprises an audible sound, a visual effect, a tactile effect, or any combination thereof.

Assignments (2)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jan 23, 2025
From: STEELSERIES APS
To: GN STORE NORD A/S
Reel/Frame 069988/0950 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 21, 2014
From: MAHLMEISTER, JEFFREY NICHOLAS; HAWVER, BRUCE; WOLFF-PETERSEN, JACOB; ROM, KIM; GREVER, FRANCIS ARNOLD; SOELBERG, TINO
To: STEELSERIES APS
Reel/Frame 032009/0051 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61792519 · Mar 15, 2013
Related Publication 20150035757A1 · Feb 5, 2015