System and method for dynamically generating a frequency pattern to realize the tactile sensation in a computing device

Abstract

A system for providing tactile feedback comprising: - an image processing module (304) configured to extract a plurality of features from a visual representation (208) of a physical object, wherein the extraction is performed using at least one image processing technique;and a frequency generation module (306) configured to generate a variable frequency pattern according to the extracted features and to send the variable frequency pattern to a computing device, to assign values ​​within a range to each of the plurality of features, and to weight the values, wherein the values ​​are assigned to features of the physical object based on their actual properties, wherein weights applied to the values ​​are based on an importance of each feature in relation to a correct recognition and presentation of the haptic features of the physical object, and wherein the computing device (310) generates tactile feedback in response to stimulation applied by a user, and the tactile feedback is based on the variable frequency pattern.

Description

Cross-reference to related disclosures

[0001] This application claims priority over the preliminary US patent application No. 61 / 738,005, filed on December 17, 2012, the provisional US patent application No. 13 / 854,220, filed on April 1, 2013, and the US patent application No. 13 / 967,434, filed on August 15, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical application area

[0002] The scope generally refers to a system and method for providing tactile sensation in a computing device, and in particular to a system and method for dynamically generating a frequency pattern to realize tactile sensation through the use of vibration. background

[0003] Online and mobile commerce experience enormous growth every year, primarily due to the increasing prevalence of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Using mobile phone or tablet applications, mobile websites, or a combination thereof, shoppers can search for, compare, review, and purchase items in online stores or shopping websites using their mobile devices.

[0004] Using mobile devices to purchase goods allows customers to make buying decisions anytime, anywhere, at their convenience. However, online shopping or shopping with a mobile device does not allow consumers to personally examine an item or physical object; they cannot touch, feel, or try out the product, which is currently only possible in a store or similar physical environment where both the product and the buyer are physically present.

[0005] Furthermore, when providing medical advice at a remote location or in telemedicine, a doctor is unable to feel a wound without being physically present with the patient.

[0006] Several limitations of mobile and online commerce, or remote medical consultations, have been addressed. For example, high-resolution, full-color screens on higher-end devices, and increasingly on mid-range and lower-end devices, allow for highly realistic images of an item or a medical condition. Audio enables users to hear an object (such as a motor or a musical instrument) or a salesperson explaining an item. Furthermore, videos allow users to see an item in action or in use.

[0007] Haptic technology, or haptics, allows a user to receive tactile feedback from a device to a certain extent through the application of force, vibration, and / or movement. However, with current technology, mobile and online consumers, or doctors in remote locations, are still unable to accurately feel or simulate the sensation of touching a wound, a scar, or a desired product, such as an item of clothing, during a purchase. Overview

[0008] In general, exemplary embodiments of the invention include a system and method for providing a tactile sensation in a computing device, and in particular a system and method for dynamically generating a frequency pattern to realize the tactile sensation by using vibration.

[0009] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a system for providing tactile feedback comprises an image processing module configured to extract a plurality of features from a visual representation of a physical object, wherein the extraction is performed using at least one image processing technique, and a frequency generation module configured to generate a variable frequency pattern according to the extracted features and to send the variable frequency pattern to a computing device, wherein the computing device generates the tactile feedback in response to stimulation applied by a user, and the tactile feedback is based on the variable frequency pattern.

[0010] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method for providing tactile feedback comprises extracting a plurality of features from a visual representation of a physical object, wherein the extraction is performed using at least one image processing technique, generating a variable frequency pattern corresponding to the extracted features, sending the variable frequency pattern to a computing device, and generating the tactile feedback via the computing device in response to stimulation applied by a user, wherein the tactile feedback is based on the variable frequency pattern.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a product comprises a computer-readable storage medium with program code materially embodied thereon, which, when executed by a computer, performs process steps for providing tactile feedback, wherein the process steps comprise extracting a plurality of features from a visual representation of a physical object, wherein the extraction is performed using at least one image processing technique, generating a variable frequency pattern corresponding to the extracted features, sending the variable frequency pattern to a computing device, and generating the tactile feedback via the computing device in response to stimulation applied by a user, wherein the tactile feedback is based on the variable frequency pattern.

[0012] These and other exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in detail in the following description of exemplary embodiments, which must be read in conjunction with the figures in the appendix. Brief description of the drawings

[0013] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the drawings in the appendix, in which

[0014] Fig. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing tactile feedback according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0015] Fig. 2A– Fig. 2C block diagrams are shown illustrating the image processing and frequency generation in a method for providing tactile feedback according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0016] Fig.3 is a higher-level block diagram illustrating a system for providing tactile feedback according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0017] Fig. 4 a computer system according to which one or more components / steps of the techniques of the invention can be implemented according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Detailed description of exemplary embodiments

[0018] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are discussed in more detail below with regard to a system and method for providing tactile sensation in a computing device, and in particular with regard to a system and method for dynamically generating a frequency pattern to realize tactile sensation by using vibration. However, the invention can be implemented in many different forms and should not be considered limited to the embodiments presented here.

[0019] The embodiments of the present invention describe devices, systems, and methods by which computers and mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, can be enhanced to transmit realistic haptic sensations to users. While some embodiments of the present invention are described in connection with mobile devices and commerce, embodiments of the invention are not necessarily limited thereto. For example, the haptic accessories described here can be transferred to other types of computing devices, such as desktop and laptop computers and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), and can be transferred to other fields, such as the medical field.In the medical field, a physician located remotely from a patient may be able to use the facilities, systems, and methods of the embodiments of the present invention to examine patients and simulate the tactile sensations of wounds or scars without being physically present at the patient's location. It is understood that embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the commercial and healthcare sectors.

[0020] Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for dynamically generating frequency patterns that help to realize the tactile sensation in mobile devices or other computing devices at remote locations. This is achieved by using vibrations to simulate, for example, the texture of a product (such as the feel of fabric or leather) or the characteristics of a wound for a specific patient located far from the doctor, by utilizing the vibration capabilities of the mobile device or other computing device. As a result, retail stores can offer their customers a better shopping experience by enabling them to shop from any location worldwide without being physically present in the store, attract more customers to their online shop, and enhance the experience of mobile subscribers by allowing them to feel the merchandise.Furthermore, patients can be provided with remote treatments in a telemedicine scenario.

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for dynamically generating frequency patterns for any of certain objects, using, for example, attributes such as texture, temperature, softness / hardness, stiffness, moisture content, swelling, color, size, etc., by applying techniques such as digital image processing (DIP).

[0022] It will be on Fig. 1 Reference is made where a method for providing tactile feedback to a user according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, a customer / mobile subscriber navigates to an online trading website to purchase an item, such as a T-shirt (Block 102After browsing an online catalog, the customer selects the item, for example the T-shirt, for further viewing and information (Block 104 The selection can lead to a visual representation of the product, which may include an image and / or video displayed to the user. Alternatively, a person can be in a store or next to a patient being examined and take a picture of a product in the store or of a body part of the patient being examined, for example with a camera, and send the captured image to a user at the location of the customer / mobile subscriber described above.

[0023] Online retail websites can allow customers to click on an item's details to obtain further information about the product. For example, in the case of an item of clothing, a customer can obtain the following data: size, color, availability, price, store address, image of the item, delivery time, etc., which are sent as metadata to the mobile device or other computing device. According to embodiments of the present invention, one of several product features (for example, texture, temperature, softness / hardness, stiffness, moisture content, swelling, color, size, etc.) is extracted from the visual representation of the product using, for example, digital image processing (DIP), digital image capture (DIC), and / or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. 106The visual representation (for example, an image) is physically segmented into four areas (block). 108 ), and based on the extracted features, a frequency pattern is assigned to each of the segments (Block 110 ), which can vary based on the differences between the extracted features in each segment. In an alternative embodiment, a frequency pattern can be generated from an image file associated with the element in question and / or a description of the element in question. The frequency pattern is sent as metadata to the mobile device or other computing device (block 112According to one embodiment of the present invention, the extracted features and the segmentation yield time-varying data values ​​(for example, in the form of varying frequency patterns) that are assigned to each physical haptic property of the product. The frequency pattern metadata is not visible to the user of the mobile device or other computing device, but it is processed by the mobile device or other computing device (block 114 ) through, for example, an application, and, for example, to a vibration-generating component of the mobile device or other computing device, which is designed to produce variable frequency patterns (block 116 ) to receive in order to provide the necessary tactile feedback when the user interacts with the mobile or computing device (Block 118According to one embodiment, the mobile device or other computing device responds to pressure applied to it, for example, by a user's finger. According to embodiments of the present invention, a customer can touch a screen at the point where the product is displayed or at another area of ​​the mobile device or other computing device to feel a texture of the product. As a non-limiting example, used only for illustrative purposes and without restriction, embodiments of the present invention can be applied in conjunction with / to the embodiments disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 864,666, filed on April 17, 2013, under attorney file number YOR920130136US1, to International Business Machines Corporation of Armonk, NY., USA, and is entitled “Haptic Accessory And Methods For Using Same”, the full disclosure thereof expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

[0024] The pattern and magnitude of tactile feedback are a time-varying function of time-varying data, so the pattern and magnitude of the tactile feedback may be sufficient to identify the physical object. For example, the tactile feedback may exhibit a multidimensional time-varying vibration pattern, such as a two-dimensional time-varying vibration pattern. The mobile device or other computing device converts the received variable frequency pattern into a vibration.

[0025] It will be on Fig. 2A, Fig. 2B and Fig. 2C is referenced, whereby the regarding Fig. 1 described steps 106 , 108 , 110 and 112This will be described in more detail in relation to a scenario in which an image of a wound / medical condition is captured by a patient using a mobile device. For example, with reference to Block 202 , a patient who wants to show their wound to a doctor who is not physically present takes a picture with a mobile device and sends the image 208 via a network to a remote server, for example an online application server. As in Fig. As shown in section 3, the remote server has a retrieval module. 302 with an image processing module 304 and a frequency generation module 306 on.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the frequency generation module 306 be a dynamic frequency pattern generator.

[0027] It will be applied to the blocks 204 , 206 , 208 , 210 Reference is made where in step 106one or more characteristics of the wound (for example, texture, temperature, softness / hardness, stiffness, moisture content, swelling, color, size, etc.) from the visual representation of the wound 208 through the image processing module 304 extracted using, for example, DIP, DIC and / or MRI techniques. In step 108 will, with reference to the diagram in 212 , using image processing techniques to create the visual representation (for example, an image) 208 Physically, it is divided into areas based on position. For example, the image, viewed from left to right, shows the chin wound. 208 divided into thirds I, II and III.

[0028] It will be shown on the diagram. 212 Referenced and arranged in block in the following Table 1 110 the frequency generation module 306 a frequency pattern 213to which corresponds to each of the extracted features for each of segments I, II, and III. In diagram 212 The numbers 1 to 6 correspond to the numbers of the attributes in Table 1. attribute Area Weighting 1. Soft Softness (0,1) ←... ... ...→ Hardness (1) 0,5 2. Color Light yellow (0.1) ←... ... ...→ Red (1) 0,3 3. Body part Head (0,1) ←... ... ...→ Toes (1) 0,3 4. Humidity Wet (0.1) ←... ... ...→ Dry (1) 0,2 5. Textur Smooth (0.1) ←... ... ...→ Rough (1) 0,5 6. Temperature Cold (0.1) (0.1) ←... Warm ... ...→ Hot (1) 0,3

[0029] Reference is made to Table 1, which maps attributes to values. Attributes such as softness / hardness, color, position on the body, moisture, texture, and temperature are assigned values ​​in a range of 0.1 to 1 according to their actual properties. For example, softer, yellower, moister, smoother, and cooler areas, as well as areas closer to the head, are assigned values ​​closer to 0.1, while areas that are harder, redder, drier, rougher, warmer, and located closer to the toes are assigned values ​​closer to 1. As further described below, the values ​​of the attributes can vary depending on the segment. In other words, attributes or characteristics of the element can vary across different areas of the element and according to the visual representation of the element.Furthermore, each attribute is assigned a weight based on its significance in conjunction with the precise determination and representation of the haptic characteristics of the element in question. The attribute and weight values ​​can be user-defined, dynamically learned (e.g., through learning algorithms based on usage and results, such as historical data, existing knowledge of how tactile feedback was represented in connection with a particular element), and / or a combination thereof. [This is based on...] Fig. Reference is made to 2C. The frequency generation module 306 takes the processed attributes for segments I, II and III 214a , b, c, and determined with reference to block 216the weighting for each of the attributes, calculates the frequency value at each segment I, II and III using the attribute values ​​at each segment, which have been modified accordingly by their weightings, and orders the frequency pattern 213 for each of the segment values. The frequency pattern persistence 217 , on which in Fig. 2C refers to the persistent mechanism, for example a database, in which the generated frequency pattern is stored so that it can be used for pattern learning processes.

[0030] As can be seen, the frequency pattern varies. 213 based on the differences between the extracted features at each segment. For example, with reference to the diagram. 212 In Segment II, the values ​​for wound elements, such as color, hardness, and texture, differ from the values ​​in Segments I and IIIAccordingly, the assigned frequency differs in segment. II from the assigned frequency of segments I and III. In block 112 will the frequency pattern 213 as metadata to the mobile device 310 or another computing device 308 sent.

[0031] It will be on Fig. 3. Referenced. A system 300 According to one embodiment of the present invention, a retrieval module is provided to provide textile feedback to a user. 302 on, which is the image processing module 304It contains one or more features that extract the properties of the product or wound (for example, texture, temperature, softness / hardness, stiffness, moisture content, swelling, color, size, etc.) from a visual representation of an element (for example, a consumer product or a medical condition such as a wound) and segments the visual representation (for example, an image) into areas. The visual representation can be derived, for example, from a product listing on an online retail website or from an image taken of a product or a patient's body part, which is then fed into the retrieval module. 302 uploaded and assigned to a user of the mobile device 310 is being sent.

[0032] The retrieval module 302 It also features a frequency generation module. 306 The module then assigns a frequency pattern to each segment based on the extracted features. 302sends the frequency pattern as metadata to the mobile device 310 or another computing device and sends the visual display to the mobile device 310 According to one embodiment, the retrieval module is located 302 on a remote server, such as an online application server, which can be accessed over a network.

[0033] According to one embodiment of the present invention, extraction and segmentation are performed using DIP, digital image acquisition (DEC), and / or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and mapping is performed by a dynamic frequency generator. The mapped variable frequency pattern exhibits time-varying data values ​​that are assigned to each physical haptic property of the product. The frequency pattern metadata is transmitted to the mobile device. 310 over a network 308transmitted, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a cellular network, a satellite network or the Internet, and processed by a frequency processing module 312 processed, electrically connected to the mobile device 310 is connected and / or integrated therein. According to embodiments, communication between the retrieval module can be established. 302 and the mobile device 310 For example, via multimedia messaging and / or based on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GSM / CDMA, 2G, 3G, 4G technologies, etc. Based on the frequency generation module 306 received frequency patterns, the mobile device can 310 or the other computing device creates the appropriate wave-like vibration patterns and / or controls the temperature so that the mobile device 310 or another computing device provides the necessary tactile feedback when the user interacts with the mobile device 310or interacts with another computing device or an electrically connected accessory. According to one embodiment, the wave-like vibration pattern corresponds to the frequency of each segment, enabling a user to sense the differences in attributes at each corresponding area of ​​the element.

[0034] As those skilled in the art will understand, aspects of the present invention can be implemented as a system, device, method, or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention can take the form of a purely hardware embodiment, a purely software embodiment (including firmware, memory-resident software, microcode, etc.), or an embodiment that combines software and hardware aspects, all of which may generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module,” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention can take the form of a computer program product implemented on one or more computer-readable media containing computer-readable program code.

[0035] Any combination of one or more computer-readable media can be used. The computer-readable medium can be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium can be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, device, or arrangement, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Other specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable storage media include: an electrical connection with one or more cables, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, and a portable compact disc (CD-ROM).

[0036] Compact Disc Read-only Memory), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer-readable storage medium can be any physical medium capable of containing or storing a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, instruction execution device, or instruction execution unit.

[0037] A computer-readable signal medium can include a relayed data signal containing computer-readable program code, for example, in the baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a relayed signal can take any of a plurality of forms, including, but not limited to, an electromagnetic form, an optical form, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer-readable signal medium can be any computer-readable medium that is not a computer-readable storage medium and that can communicate, relay, or transport a program for use with, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, instruction execution device, or instruction execution apparatus.

[0038] Program code contained on a computer-readable medium may be transmitted by any suitable medium, including, but not limited to, radio, cable, fiber optic, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0039] Computer program code for performing operations for aspects of the present invention can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object-oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, or similar languages, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the programming language "C" or similar languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN).Wide Area Network) or the connection can be made to an external computer (for example, via the Internet with an Internet service provider).

[0040] Aspects of the present invention are described in this document with reference to flowchart diagrams and / or block diagrams of methods, devices (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It is understood that each block of the flowchart diagrams and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart diagrams and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or another programmable data processing device to create a machine such that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device provide means for implementing the block(s) in the flowchart and / or block diagram.Create functions / operations specified in blocks.

[0041] These computer program instructions can also be stored on a computer-readable medium that can instruct a computer, other programmable data processing device, or other equipment to operate in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored on the computer-readable medium produce a product containing instructions that implement the function / operation specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block(s).

[0042] The computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing device, or other equipment to cause a series of operational steps to be carried out on the computer, other programmable devices, or other equipment to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions executed on the computer or programmable device provide the processes for implementing the functions / operations specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block(s).

[0043] Fig. 1, Fig. 2A– Fig. 2C and Fig.Figure 3 illustrates the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this respect, each block in a flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, segment, or code section containing one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions specified in the block may not occur in the order shown in the figures. For example, depending on the functionality included, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed concurrently, or blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order.It should also be emphasized that each block of the block diagram and / or flowchart illustration and the combinations of blocks in the block diagram and / or flowchart illustration can be implemented by hardware-based special systems that perform the specified functions or operations, or combinations of special hardware and computer instructions.

[0044] One or more embodiments can use software that runs on a general-purpose computer or workstation. It is based on Fig. 4. Referenced. In a computing node 410 Is there a computer system / server? 412 , which is compatible with various other general or specialized computing system environments or configurations. Examples of known computing systems, environments, and / or configurations suitable for use with the computer system / server. 412Suitable systems may include, but are not limited to, personal computer systems, server computer systems, thin clients, thick clients, handheld or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set-top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputer systems, mainframe computer systems and distributed cloud computing environments containing any of the above systems or devices, and similar items.

[0045] The computer system / server 412 In the general context of computer-executable instructions, a program module can be described as a module that is executed by a computer system. Generally, program modules can contain routines, programs, objects, components, logic, data structures, etc., that perform specific tasks or implement certain abstract data types. The computer system / server 412It can be used in distributed cloud computing environments, where tasks are performed by processing devices at remote locations connected via a communication network. In a distributed cloud computing environment, the program modules can reside on storage media of both local and remote computer systems, including RAM storage devices.

[0046] As in Fig. As shown in 4, a computer system / server is depicted. 412 in the computing node 410 depicted as a general computing device. The components of a computer system / server. 412 may include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units 416 , a system memory 428 and a bus 418 , which includes various system components including system memory 428 with the processor 416 connects.

[0047] The bus 418 Represents one or more of any of several different types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus, using any of several different bus architectures. These architectures include, but are not limited to, the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, the Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, the Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and the Peripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) bus. The computer system / server 412 It typically contains various computer-readable media. These media can be any available media to which a computer system / server has access. 412can access, and this includes both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media.

[0048] The system memory 428 Media that can be read by a computer system can be in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM). 430 and / or cache memory 432 include the computer system / server. 412 It may also include other removable / non-removable, volatile / non-volatile computer system storage media. For example, the storage system may 434for reading from and writing to non-removable, non-volatile magnetic media (not shown and usually referred to as a "hard disk"). Although not shown, a magnetic disk drive may be provided for reading from and writing to a removable, non-volatile magnetic disk medium (such as a "floppy disk") and an optical disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile optical disk medium, such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or other optical medium. In such cases, any of the bus 418 be connected via one or more data media interfaces. As shown and described in this document, a working memory can 428at least one program product comprising a group of (e.g., at least one) program modules configured to perform the functions of the embodiments of the invention. A program / utility 440 with a group of (at least one) program modules 442 can be used as an example, not as a limitation, in working memory 428 These include an operating system, one or more application programs, additional program modules, and program data. Any of the operating system, one or more application programs, additional program modules, program data, or a specific combination thereof, can include an implementation of a network environment. Program modules 442 generally perform the functions and / or methodologies of the embodiments of the invention as described in this document.

[0049] The computer system / server 412can also be used with one or more external devices 414 communicate like a keyboard, a pointing device, a screen 424 etc., one or more devices that allow a user to interact with the computer system / server 412 to interact; and / or any devices (e.g. network card, modem, etc.) that allow a computer system / server to 412 to enable communication with one or more other computing devices. Such communication can take place via input / output (I / O) interfaces. 422 This can be done. Furthermore, a computer system / server can be used. 412 with one or more networks via a network adapter 420 communicate with a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and / or a public network (e.g., the internet). As shown, the network adapter communicates. 420 with the other components of the computer system / server412 via the bus 418 It is understood that, although not shown, further hardware and / or software components may be involved in the computer system / server. 412 can be used. Examples include, but are not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data archiving storage systems, etc.

[0050] Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described in this document with reference to the drawings in the appendix, it is understood that the invention is not limited to these exact embodiments and that various other changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

Claims

[1] A system for providing tactile feedback that features: an image processing module designed to extract a plurality of features from a visual representation of a physical object, wherein the extraction is performed using at least one image processing technique; and a frequency generation module trained to generate a variable frequency pattern according to the extracted features and to send the variable frequency pattern to a computing device, wherein the computing device generates tactile feedback in response to stimulation applied by a user, and the tactile feedback is based on the variable frequency pattern. [2] The system according to claim 1, wherein the frequency generation module is configured to assign values ​​in a range for each of the plurality of features and to weight the values. [3] The system according to claim 2, wherein: the image processing module is designed to segment the visual representation into a plurality of areas; and The frequency generation module is designed to calculate a frequency value for each of the majority of the ranges based on the weighted values. [4] The system according to claim 3, wherein the frequency generation is configured to assign the variable frequency pattern to each frequency value of the plurality of areas. [5] The system according to claim 1, wherein the frequency generation module is configured to send the variable frequency pattern to the computing device as metadata. [6] The system according to claim 1, wherein the tactile feedback has a vibration corresponding to the variable frequency pattern. [7] The system according to claim 1, wherein the extracted features include at least one of a texture, temperature, softness / hardness, moisture content, color and size. [8] The system according to claim 1, wherein the computing device is a mobile device. [9] The system according to claim 1, wherein: the image processing module is designed to segment the visual representation into a plurality of areas; and The frequency generation module is designed to calculate a frequency value for each of the majority of areas according to the extracted features and to assign the variable frequency pattern for each frequency value to the majority of areas. [10] A method for providing tactile feedback which features: Extracting a plurality of features from a visual representation of a physical object, wherein the extraction is performed using at least one image processing technique; Generating a variable frequency pattern according to the extracted features; Sending the variable frequency pattern to a computing device; and Generating tactile feedback via the computing device in response to stimulation applied by a user, with the tactile feedback based on the variable frequency pattern. [11] The method according to claim 10, which further comprises: Assigning values ​​within a range for each of the plurality of features; and Weighting of the values. [12] The method according to claim 11, which further comprises: Segmenting the visual representation into multiple areas; and Calculating a frequency value for each of the plurality of areas based on the weighted values. [13] The method according to claim 12, further comprising: assigning the variable frequency pattern for each frequency value of the plurality of ranges. [14] The method according to claim 10, wherein the variable frequency pattern is sent as metadata to the computing device. [15] The method according to claim 10, wherein the tactile feedback has a vibration corresponding to the variable frequency pattern. [16] The method according to claim 10, wherein the extracted features include at least one of a texture, temperature, softness / hardness, moisture content, color and size. [17] The method according to claim 10, wherein the computing device is a mobile device. [18] The method according to claim 10, wherein the tactile feedback has a multidimensional time-varying vibration pattern. [19] The method according to claim 10, which further comprises: Segmenting the visual representation into a plurality of areas; Calculating a frequency value for each of the plurality of areas according to the extracted features; and Assigning the variable frequency pattern for each frequency value of the plurality of ranges. [20] A manufactured item comprising a computer-readable storage medium containing physically executed program code which, when executed by a computer, provides process steps for providing tactile feedback, wherein the steps of the process comprise: Extracting a plurality of features from a visual representation of a physical object, wherein the extraction is performed using at least one image processing technique; Generating a variable frequency pattern according to the extracted features; Sending the variable frequency pattern to a computing device; and Generating tactile feedback via the computing device in response to stimulation applied by a user, with the tactile feedback based on the variable frequency pattern.