Patent ID: 8570296

Claim:
A method of producing a haptic effect comprising: receiving a first notification signal; receiving a second notification signal; generating a notification parameter using the first notification signal and the second notification signal; comparing the notification parameter to a foreground haptic threshold; if the notification parameter is greater than or equal to the foreground haptic threshold, generating an interaction parameter using a foreground haptic effect signal; if the notification parameter is less than the foreground haptic threshold, generating an interaction parameter using a background haptic effect signal; and applying a drive signal to a haptic output device according to the interaction parameter; and further comprising: receiving a plurality of haptic effect notifications N over a time period T; generating a notification frequency ratio using N and T; comparing the notification frequency ratio to the foreground haptic threshold; if the notification frequency ratio is less than the foreground haptic threshold, generating an interaction parameter using the background haptic effect signal; if the notification frequency ratio is greater than or equal to the foreground haptic threshold, generating an interaction parameter using the foreground haptic effect signal; and applying a drive signal to the haptic output device according to the interaction parameter.