IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,542,038
Granted Patent B2
US 12,542,038 · App. 18/488,530 · Granted Feb 3, 2026

Apparatus, method, and computer program

Inventors: Harry Cronin (Cambridge, GB); Christopher Wright (London, GB)
Assignee: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
G08B6/00G06F21/32
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,542,038
App. No.
18/488,530
Granted
Feb 3, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure relates to an apparatus comprising means for: generating ( 500 ) a vibrational signal comprising data to be conveyed to another apparatus; modifying ( 502 ) the vibrational signal based on a user biometric model; and outputting ( 504 ) the modified vibrational signal.

Claims (64)

1 . An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

generate a vibrational signal comprising data to be conveyed to another apparatus;

modify the vibrational signal based on a user biometric model; and

output the modified vibrational signal,

wherein:

the user biometric model is a frequency response function with one or more areas of low attenuation and one or more areas of high attenuation; and

modifying the vibrational signal based on the user biometric model comprises at least one of:

(i) selecting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal for outputting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal; and reducing an amplitude of one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of low attenuation;

(ii) only selecting one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of high attenuation for outputting only the one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of high attenuation;

(iii) selecting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal for outputting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal; and increasing the amplitude of one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of high attenuation; or (iv) only selecting one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of low attenuation for outputting only the one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of low attenuation.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein modifying the vibrational signal based on the user biometric model comprises:

modifying the amplitude and/or a frequency spectrum of the vibrational signal.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the data comprises a first data type and a second data type; and

modifying the vibrational signal based on the user biometric model comprises:

modifying a part of the vibrational signal conveying the first data type based on the user biometric model; and

not modifying another part of the vibrational signal conveying the second data type based on the user biometric model.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the data comprises a second data type; and

modifying the vibrational signal based on the user biometric model comprises modifying a part of the vibrational signal conveying the second data type based on the user biometric model.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the user biometric model is a frequency response function with one or more areas of low attenuation and one or more areas of high attenuation.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein modifying the vibrational signal based on the user biometric model comprises:

selecting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal for outputting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal; and

reducing the amplitude of one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of low attenuation.

7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein modifying the vibrational signal based on the user biometric model comprises only selecting one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of high attenuation for outputting only the one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of high attenuation.

8 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein modifying the vibrational signal based on the user biometric model comprises:

selecting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal for outputting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal; and

increasing the amplitude of one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of high attenuation.

9 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein modifying the vibrational signal based on the user biometric model comprises selecting only one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of low attenuation for outputting.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

determine at least one of:

whether a user is touching the other apparatus with a first finger configuration or a second finger configuration; or

whether the user is using a first grip or a second grip while the modified vibrational signal was sent to the other apparatus; and

take a first action when the user touched the other apparatus with the first finger configuration or used the first grip and a second action when the user touched the other apparatus with the second finger configuration or used the second grip.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to determine the likelihood that the modified vibrational signal has been received by the other apparatus based on an amplitude of the modified vibrational signal sent by the apparatus, an amplitude of the modified vibrational signal received by the other apparatus and determined from feedback provided by the other apparatus, and the user biometric model.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

determine that the likelihood that the modified vibrational signal has been received by the other apparatus is lower or greater than a threshold;

modify the vibrational signal based on the user biometric model to increase or decrease the likelihood that the modified vibrational signal will be received by the other apparatus based on the determination; and

re-output the modified vibrational signal to the other apparatus.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to instruct a user to adjust a current grip or change a current finger configuration touching the other apparatus so that the current grip or current finger is the same as a previous grip or previous finger used to build the user biometric model.

14 . A method comprising:

generating a vibrational signal comprising data to be conveyed to another apparatus;

modifying the vibrational signal based on a user biometric model; and

outputting the modified vibrational signal,

wherein:

the user biometric model is a frequency response function with one or more areas of low attenuation and one or more areas of high attenuation; and

modifying the vibrational signal based on the user biometric model comprises at least one of:

(i) selecting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal for outputting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal; and reducing an amplitude of one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of low attenuation;

(ii) only selecting one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of high attenuation for outputting only the one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of high attenuation;

(iii) selecting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal for outputting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal; and increasing the amplitude of one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of high attenuation; or

(iv) only selecting one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of low attenuation for outputting only the one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of low attenuation.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon for performing at least the following:

generating a vibrational signal comprising data to be conveyed to another apparatus;

modifying the vibrational signal based on a user biometric model; and

outputting the modified vibrational signal,

wherein:

the user biometric model is a frequency response function with one or more areas of low attenuation and one or more areas of high attenuation; and

modifying the vibrational signal based on the user biometric model comprises at least one of:

(i) selecting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal for outputting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal; and reducing an amplitude of one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of low attenuation;

(ii) only selecting one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of high attenuation for outputting only the one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of high attenuation;

(iii) selecting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal for outputting all frequency bands of the vibrational signal; and increasing the amplitude of one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of high attenuation; or

(iv) only selecting one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of low attenuation for outputting only the one or more frequency bands of the vibrational signal corresponding to the one or more areas of low attenuation.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SPELLING OF IPROVA SARL PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 66097 FRAME 562. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 6, 2026
From: IPROVA SA
To: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
Reel/Frame 075371/0218 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2024
From: CRONIN, HARRY; WRIGHT, CHRISTOPHER
To: IPROVA SÀRL
Reel/Frame 066097/0515 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2024
From: IPROVA SÀRL
To: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
Reel/Frame 066097/0561 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 22203217 · Oct 24, 2022 · regional
Continuity (2)
Related Publication 20240135791A1 · Apr 25, 2024
Related Publication 20240233500A9 · Jul 11, 2024
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