Mobile devices and methods employing haptics
A variety of haptic improvements useful in mobile devices are detailed. In one, a smartphone captures image data from a physical object, and discerns an object identifier from the imagery (e.g., using watermark, barcode, or fingerprint techniques). This identifier is sent to a remote data structure, which returns data defining a distinct haptic signature associated with that object. This smartphone then renders this haptic signal to the user. (Related embodiments identify the object using other means, such as location, or NFC chip.) In another arrangement, haptic feedback signals social network information about a product or place (e.g., the user's social network friends “Like” a particular brand of beverage). In yet another arrangement, the experience of watching a movie on a television screen is augmented by tactile effects issued by a tablet computer on the viewer's lap. In still another arrangement, commercial vendors bid for rights to employ different ones of a library of haptic signals on one or more users' smartphones, e.g., to alert such user(s) to their products/services. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
1. A method comprising:
with a sensor in a mobile device, capturing identification data transmitted from an RFID chip;
obtaining additional data that is related to a location of the mobile device, or to a social network;
obtaining haptic information that is dependent, at least in part, on the identification data and the additional data; and
presenting the haptic information to a user of the mobile device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device includes a smartphone.
3. The method of claim 1 in which the additional data is related to the location of the mobile device.
4. The method of claim 1 in which the additional data is related to a social network.
5. A method comprising the acts:
with a sensor in a mobile device, capturing identification data transmitted from a radio frequency transmitter;
obtaining additional data that is related to a location of the mobile device, or to a social network;
obtaining haptic information that is dependent, at least in part, on the identification data and the additional data; and
presenting the haptic information to a user of the mobile device;
wherein capturing identification data comprises capturing identification data associated with a physical object.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the physical object is a beverage container.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein capturing the identification data comprises capturing identification data transmitted from a radio frequency transmitter associated with the physical object.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein capturing the identification data comprises capturing identification data transmitted from a radio frequency transmitter of a near field communication chip.
9. A method comprising the acts:
with a sensor in a mobile device, capturing identification data transmitted from a radio frequency transmitter;
obtaining additional data that is related to a location of the mobile device, or to a social network;
obtaining haptic information that is dependent, at least in part, on the identification data and the additional data; and
presenting the haptic information to a user of the mobile device;
wherein obtaining the haptic information comprises:
transmitting at least some of the identification data captured by the sensor to a remote data store; and
as a consequence of said transmitting, receiving data indicating said haptic information.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising storing, within a memory of the mobile device, the received data indicating the haptic information.
11. A method comprising the acts:
with a sensor in a mobile device, capturing identification data transmitted from a radio frequency transmitter;
obtaining additional data that is related to a location of the mobile device, or to a social network;
obtaining haptic information that is dependent, at least in part, on the identification data and the additional data; and
presenting the haptic information to a user of the mobile device;
wherein the mobile device includes a smartphone, and said act of presenting the haptic information comprises rendering the haptic information from another device equipped with a haptic actuator and spaced apart from the mobile device.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the other device is coupled to the mobile device via a wireless interface.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the wireless interface includes Bluetooth.
14. The method of claim 11 in which the additional data is related to the location of the mobile device.
15. The method of claim 11 in which the additional data is related to a social network.
16. A method comprising:
with a mobile device, capturing location data representing a location of the mobile device;
from a data store, obtaining a haptic signature associated with the location data; and
presenting the haptic signature to a user of the mobile device.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein capturing the location data comprises capturing location data using a GPS sensor.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein obtaining the haptic signature comprises:
transmitting the location data captured by the mobile phone device to a remote data store; and
in response to said transmitting, receiving data indicating the haptic signature associated with the location data.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising storing, within a memory of the mobile device, the received data indicating the haptic signature.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the mobile device includes a smartphone.
21. A method comprising:
receiving data indicating that a mobile device is within a transmission range of a radio frequency transmitter, said data being emitted by an RFID chip;
receiving additional information related to a location of the mobile device or to social network information; and
presenting a haptic signature corresponding to the received data and the additional information to a user of the mobile device.
22. A method using a system including a processor, a memory, and at least one haptic actuator, the method including:
obtaining first haptic data defining nominal haptic feedback;
consulting profile data in the memory to obtain haptic customization data corresponding to a particular user; and
controlling the haptic actuator in a manner responsive to both the first haptic data and also the haptic customization data corresponding to said particular user
wherein the haptic customization data relates to:
(a) a speed with which haptic data is to be rendered to said particular user;
(b) a non-zero amplitude with which haptic data is to be rendered to said particular user; or
(c) a body location at which haptic data is to be rendered to said particular user.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the haptic customization data relates to a speed with which haptic data is to be rendered to said particular user.
24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the haptic customization data relates to a body location at which haptic data is to be rendered to said particular user.
25. The method of claim 22 , wherein the haptic customization data relates to a non-zero amplitude with which haptic data is to be rendered to said particular user.