Haptic Feedback Generation from Prominent Audio Components

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems fail to provide high-quality, relevant haptic feedback for media content, particularly in older games lacking detailed haptic signals, leading to muddled and noisy vibrations when using master audio output, which obscures the intended feedback and does not efficiently utilize modern haptic actuators.

Innovation Solution

A system that identifies the most prominent audio component in media content and generates haptic feedback based on it, using a classification unit to determine the relevant sound and a haptics generation unit to create targeted haptic signals, which can be applied in real-time or pre-processed, allowing for improved immersion and accessibility without manual customization of each environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If haptic feedback is generated from master audio output, then haptic feedback can be provided for any media content, but the feedback becomes muddled and noisy obscuring relevant information

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompatibility with media contentVSAvoidclarity of haptic feedback
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the master audio output into multiple audio components (dialogue, music, sound effects, ambient noise) and processes each component separately to identify and extract prominent signals, thereby resolving the contradiction between universal compatibility and feedback clarity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts the most prominent audio component from the mixed master audio output by analyzing amplitude, frequency, and temporal characteristics, isolating the relevant haptic signal from the muddled mixture to provide clear feedback

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Loss of information

If haptic feedback is generated for every audio component, then comprehensive feedback is provided, but processing cost becomes excessive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompleteness of haptic feedbackVSAvoidprocessing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the most prominent audio component from multiple audio sources, discarding less relevant components, thereby providing comprehensive haptic feedback for important events while maintaining high processing efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes parameters such as amplitude threshold, frequency range, and temporal window to identify prominent components in real-time, enabling efficient processing by adapting to different media content characteristics without exhaustive analysis

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If manual customization is performed for each media environment, then high quality haptic feedback is achieved, but development complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequality of haptic feedbackVSAvoiddevelopment effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically analyzes audio components and generates appropriate haptic feedback without requiring manual customization for each media environment, achieving high quality feedback while eliminating complex development efforts through self-configuration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts haptic parameters based on automatic analysis of audio characteristics, enabling high-quality adaptive haptic feedback across different media content without manual intervention or complex development workflows

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach provides clear, relevant haptic feedback that enhances user immersion and accessibility by focusing on the most prominent audio component, allowing creators to easily generate haptic feedback for various media types, including video games, without excessive processing costs or manual design efforts.

Implementation Method 1

Haptic actuators arranged in direct or indirect communication with the user can be configured to provide rumble, vibration or other tactile feedback

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP4438142A1System and method for providing haptic feedback
Publication Date: 2024.10.02 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
  • EP4438142A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4438142A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4438142A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A system for providing haptic feedback accompanying media content, the system comprising: an input unit configured to obtain one or more audio components of the media content; a classification unit configured to determine, from the one or more audio components, a most prominent audio component representative of a scene in the media content, and a haptics generation unit configured to generate an output haptics signal based on the most prominent audio component.