User interface system and method

Abstract

A user interface system and method for providing a vibration signal are provided. The user interface system includes a storage module to store a plurality of graphic objects and attribute information of each of the graphic objects, a control module to receive motion information of an interface object moved a user among the plurality of graphic objects from an interface device and to provide frequency information and amplitude information based on the motion information and the attribute information, and a drive module to generate a vibration signal based on the frequency information and the amplitude information and to transmit the vibration signal to the interface device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and/or other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a user interface system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control module included in a host device, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a drive module included in a host device, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a user interface method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a game device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of a game device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates the amplitude of tactual information in an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a virtual block according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 illustrates a user interface system according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 illustrates a user interface system according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A user interface system comprising: a storage module to store a plurality of graphic objects and attribute information of each of the graphic objects;an interface device to input a user's operation input;a control module to receive motion information of an interface object representing a user among the plurality of graphic objects from the interface device and to provide frequency information and amplitude information based on the motion information and the attribute information; anda drive module to generate a vibration signal based on the frequency information and the amplitude information and to transmit the vibration signal to the interface device.

2. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the attribute information comprises information on a road surface.

3. The user interface system of claim 2, wherein the information on a road surface comprises a difference between a height of a current virtual block from a ground and a height of a previous virtual block from the ground.

4. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the motion information comprises information on a speed at which the interface object moves.

5. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the vibration signal is generated when the interface object is located in a virtual block of another graphic object.

6. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the interface device comprises an input button.

7. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the interface device comprises a touch screen.

8. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the interface device comprises a mouse.

9. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the drive module comprises any of a vibration motor, a solenoid module, a piezo module, and an electroactive polymer.

10. The user interface system of claim 1, further comprising a display module displaying the plurality of graphic objects.

11. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the control module comprises a device information processing module to analyze the operation system information or the interface object and to provide the analysis result to a rendering module;the rendering module to generate a rendering signal based on the motion information of the interface object and the attribute information of the graphic object;a graphic object information processing module to provide a graphic screen; anda graphic processing module to generate a graphic signal.

12. A user interface method comprising: receiving motion information of an interface object representing a user among a plurality of graphic objects from an interface device;providing frequency information and amplitude information based on the motion information and attribute information of each of the graphic;generating a vibration signal based on the frequency information and the amplitude information; andtransmitting the vibration signal to the interface device.

13. The user interface method of claim 12, wherein the attribute information comprises information on a road surface.

14. The user interface method of claim 13, wherein the information on a road surface comprises a difference between a height of a current virtual block from a ground and a height of a previous virtual block from the ground.

15. The user interface method of claim 13, wherein the motion information comprises information on a speed at which the interface object moves.

16. The user interface method of claim 13, wherein the vibration signal is generated when the interface object is located in a virtual block of another graphic object.

17. The user interface method of claim 13, wherein the interface device comprises an input button.

18. The user interface method of claim 13, wherein the interface device comprises a touch screen.

19. The user interface method of claim 13, wherein the interface device comprises a mouse.

20. The user interface method of claim 13, wherein the generating of the vibration signal comprises generating the vibration signal using any one a vibration motor, a solenoid module, a piezo module, and an electroactive polymer.

21. The user interface method of claim 13, further comprising displaying the plurality of graphic objects.

22. A user interface system comprising: a display screen displaying a plurality of graphic objects and an interface object representing a user among the plurality of graphic objects; andan input unit to operate a moving speed of the interface object,wherein vibration is transmitted to the input unit according to the moving speed and/or surface information of a graphic object interacting with the interface object.

23. The user interface system of claim 22, wherein a predetermined block is formed on each of the graphic objects and the vibration is transmitted to the input unit when the interface object is located in the predetermined block.

24. A user interface system comprising: a storage module to store a plurality of graphic objects and attribute information of each of the graphic objects;an interface device to input a user's operation input;a control module to receive motion information of an interface object moved by a user among the plurality of graphic objects from the interface device and to provide frequency information and amplitude information based on the motion information and the attribute information; anda drive module to generate a vibration signal based on the frequency information and the amplitude information and to transmit the vibration signal to the interface device.