Defining force sensations associated with graphical images
First Claim
1. A method for providing force feedback over a network comprising:
- establishing a connection between a server machine and a client machine over a network, said client machine including a visual display and an interface device providing computer-controlled physical force feedback to a user of said interface device;
receiving web page information from said server machine over said network, said web page information including screen display information representing a visual layout of a web page and force feedback information related to providing a feel sensation correlated with said visual layout;
displaying on said visual display of said client machine said web page based upon said screen display information;
receiving input information from said human computer interface device for positioning a displayed cursor with respect to said visual layout of said web page; and
providing a force feedback signal that is based upon said input information and based upon said web page information received over said network, wherein said force feedback information includes a call to a force feedback program running on said client machine that provides said force feedback signal, said force feedback signal being received by said interface device, wherein said interface device outputs computer-controlled physical force feedback to said user correlated with said visual layout of said web page on said visual display, said force feedback being based upon said force feedback signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Force feedback is provided to a user of a client computer receiving information such as a web page over a network such as the World Wide Web from a server machine. The client machine has a force feedback interface device through which the user experiences physical force feedback. The web page may include force feedback information to provide authored force effects. Force feedback is correlated to web page objects by a force feedback program running on the client and based on input information from the interface device, the web page objects, and the force feedback information. Generic force effects can also be provided, which are applied uniformly at the client machine to all web page objects of a particular type as defined by user preferences at the client machine. A web page authoring interface is also described that includes the ability to add force sensations to a web page. The user may assign force effects to web page objects and immediately feel how the web page will feel to an end user. A web page is output by the interface, including force information to provide the force effects at a client. The authoring tool can include or access a force design interface for creating or modifying force effects.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. A method for providing force feedback over a network comprising:
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establishing a connection between a server machine and a client machine over a network, said client machine including a visual display and an interface device providing computer-controlled physical force feedback to a user of said interface device;
receiving web page information from said server machine over said network, said web page information including screen display information representing a visual layout of a web page and force feedback information related to providing a feel sensation correlated with said visual layout;
displaying on said visual display of said client machine said web page based upon said screen display information;
receiving input information from said human computer interface device for positioning a displayed cursor with respect to said visual layout of said web page; and
providing a force feedback signal that is based upon said input information and based upon said web page information received over said network, wherein said force feedback information includes a call to a force feedback program running on said client machine that provides said force feedback signal, said force feedback signal being received by said interface device, wherein said interface device outputs computer-controlled physical force feedback to said user correlated with said visual layout of said web page on said visual display, said force feedback being based upon said force feedback signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for providing force effects for a web page, the method comprising:
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receiving web page information from a server machine over a network, said web page information including screen display information representing a plurality of web page objects to be displayed in a web page;
determining which of said web page objects are force web page objects to be associated with at least one force effect, wherein said force web page objects are web page objects having a predefined type; and
assigning a generic force effect to each of said force web page objects, said generic force effects being defined by effect information derived from a client machine, wherein said generic force effects cause a force signal to be output by said client machine when a user-controlled cursor interacts with one of said force web page objects, said cursor and said force web page objects being displayed on said web page by said client machine, wherein said force signal is output to an actuator of a force feedback interface device coupled to said client machine to cause a force sensation to a user of said force feedback interface device, and wherein said force signal is based on said effect information. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for providing force effects for a web page, the method comprising:
- receiving web page information on a client machine from a server machine over a network, said web page information including screen display information representing a plurality of web page objects to be displayed in a web page on said client machine;
determining which of said web page objects are associated with authored force effects, wherein effect information specifying said authored force effects is included in said received web page information;
determining which of said web page objects are associated with generic force effects, wherein effect information specifying said generic force effects is stored on said client machine prior to receiving said web page information, and wherein said generic force effects are each applicable to a predefined type of web page object; and
outputting a force signal when a user-controlled cursor interacts with a web page object on said web page having an associated force effect, wherein said force signal is output to an actuator of a force feedback interface device coupled to said client machine, and wherein said force signal is based on said effect information for either one of said authored force effect or one of said generic force effect. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
- receiving web page information on a client machine from a server machine over a network, said web page information including screen display information representing a plurality of web page objects to be displayed in a web page on said client machine;
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27. A method for implementing a web page authoring interface including the ability to add force sensations to a web page, the method comprising:
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displaying said web page authoring interface on a display device of a host computer, said web page authoring interface displaying a web page including a plurality of web page objects;
receiving input from a user to said web page authoring interface, said input selecting one of said web page objects and selecting a force effect to be associated with said selected web page object; and
outputting a web page including said web page objects and including force information to allow said force effect to be implemented when said web page is displayed by a client machine after being received by said client machine from a server machine over a network, wherein said force effect is commanded by said client machine and output as a force sensation by a force feedback interface device coupled to said client machine, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable and moveable by a user of said client machine.
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41. A method for implementing a force-enabled web page authoring interface, the method comprising:
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displaying said force sensation design interface on a display device of a host computer, said force sensation design interface displaying a web page including a plurality of web page objects; and
receiving input from a user to said force sensation design interface, said input spatially designating an area of one of said web page objects to be associated with a selected force effect, said force effect to be commanded by a client machine receiving said web page and output as a force sensation by a force feedback interface device, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable and moveable by a user of said client machine. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for implementing a force sensation design interface for a web page, the method comprising:
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displaying said force sensation design interface on a display device of a host computer, said force sensation design interface displaying a web page including a plurality of web page objects; and
receiving input from a user to said force sensation design interface, said input associating at least one force effect with at least one of said web page objects, said force effect to be commanded by said host computer and output by a force feedback interface device, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable by a user and moveable in a degree of freedom; and
automatically inserting a predefined graphical identifier into said web page, said identifier indicating to a user that said web page provides force effects for use with a force feedback interface device. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53)
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54. An apparatus for implementing a web page authoring interface including the ability to add force sensations to a web page, the apparatus comprising:
means for receiving input from a user in a web page authoring interface displayed on a display device of a host computer, said web page authoring interface displaying a web page including a plurality of web page objects, and wherein said input selects one of said web page objects and selects a force effect to be associated with said selected web page object; and
means for outputting a web page including said web page objects and including force information to allow said force effect to be implemented when said web page is displayed by a client machine after being received by said client machine from a server machine over a network, wherein said force effect is commanded by said client machine and output as a force sensation by a force feedback interface device coupled to said client machine, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable and moveable by a user of said client machine. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
Specification