Design of force sensations for haptic feedback computer interfaces

• US 20020163498A1
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Louis B., Chang, Dean C., Mallett, Jeffrey R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,091,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/015 Force feedback applied to a joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A design interface tool for designing force sensations for use with a host computer and haptic feedback interface device. A haptic feedback device communicates with a host computer that displays the interface tool. The user selects and characterizes force sensations using the interface tool, and a graphical representation of the characterized force sensation is displayed. The characterized force sensation is output to a user manipulatable object of the force feedback device so that the user can feel the designed force sensation The user can include multiple force sensations in a compound force sensation, where the compound sensation is graphically displayed to indicate the relative start times and duration of each of the force sensations. The user can also associate a sound with the force sensation, such that the sound is output in conjunction with the output of the force sensation.

Claims

1. A method for providing a force sensation design interface implemented by a computer, the method comprising:

enabling a design interface to be displayed on a display device of said computer;

enabling a selection of a force sensation based on input from a user in said design interface, said force sensation to be commanded by a host computer and output by a haptic feedback interface device, said input also specifying characteristics of said force sensation;

enabling a display of a graphical representation of said selected force sensation in said design interface, wherein said graphical representation includes visual representations of said characteristics of said force sensation such that said user can view an effect of said parameters on said force sensation; and

enabling an association of a sound with said selected force sensation by said user in said design interface, such that when said characterized force sensation is commanded to be output by said haptic feedback interface device in communication with said host computer, said sound is output in conjunction with said output of said force sensation to said user and in conjunction with a visual demonstration of said feel of said characterized force sensation.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said characterized force sensation is commanded to be output to said user by said haptic feedback interface device when said user selects a control in said design interface to test said force sensation.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising enabling a reception of additional input from said user to change said characteristics of said force sensation to be in further synchronization with said sound.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein a start of said sound is synchronized with a start of said force sensation when said sound and said force sensation are output.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising storing a plurality of parameters characterizing said force sensation to a storage medium accessible to said host computer.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 further comprising accessing said stored plurality of parameters from an application program different than said design interface, said application program using said plurality of parameters to output said characterized force sensation during execution of said application program.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said characteristic of said force sensation include at least one of a duration, magnitude, frequency, and direction.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said selected force sensation is associated with a control on said force feedback device, such that said force sensation, said visual demonstration, and said sound are output when said control is activated by said user.

9. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said control is a button, and wherein said force sensation and said sound are associated with a graphical icon in said design interface that represents said button.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein when said graphical icon is selected by said user, said user has an option to associate a sound with said icon, disassociate a sound with said icon, or test said icon.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said user can test said sound using said design interface before associating said force sensation with said sound.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of force sensations are selectable by said user, and wherein said selectable force sensations include conditions, temporal effects, and dynamics.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising enabling a command of said compound force sensation to be output by said force feedback interface device coupled to said host computer such that said individual force sensations are output to said manipulandum in conjunction with updating said time-based representation of said compound force sensation, such that said time-based representation provides said user with a visual demonstration of said individual force sensations included in said compound force sensation.

15. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising:

enabling a reception of changes from said user to at least one of said individual force sensations in said compound force sensation, said changes received in said edit display window of said changed individual force sensation, said changes provided after said compound force sensation is output; and

enabling a display of said changes in said time-based representation of said compound force sensation.

16. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising:

enabling a reception of changes from said user to at least one of said individual force sensations in said compound force sensation, said changes received in said a container window of said compound force sensation, said changes provided after said compound force sensation is output; and

enabling said changes to be effected in said edit display windows of said at least one individual force sensation receiving said changes.

17. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising storing said compound force sensation to a storage medium accessible to said host computer.

18. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising accessing said stored compound force sensation from an application program different than said force sensation design interface.

19. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said time-based representation includes a bar graph for each of said individual force sensations in said compound force sensation indicating a start time and duration of each of said individual force sensations relative to each other.

20. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said updating of said time-based demonstration includes moving a marker across a plurality of bar graphs, each indicating a time period during which one of said individual force sensations is output.

21. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein a sound is associated with said compound force sensation, wherein a start of a sound is synchronized with a start of said compound force sensation.

22. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said compound force sensation also includes a lower-level compound force sensation, said lower-level compound force sensation including at least one individual force sensation.

23. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said individual force sensations include conditions, effects, and dynamics.

25. A method as recited in claim 24 further comprising storing a plurality of parameters characterizing said force sensation to a storage medium accessible to said host computer.

26. A method as recited in claim 25 further comprising accessing said stored plurality of parameters from an application program different than said design interface, said application program using said plurality of parameters to output said characterized force sensation during execution of said application program.

27. A method as recited in claim 24 wherein said user may select an advanced mode or a simple mode of graphically representing said force sensation in said force sensation design interface.

28. A method as recited in claim 24 wherein in said advanced mode, a force versus user object motion profile is displayed, wherein said user may adjust parameters of said selected force sensation by dragging displayed control points of said profile.

29. A method as recited in claim 24 further comprising displaying a graphical representation of a second force sensation selected and characterized by said user, wherein both said selected force sensations are commanded to be simultaneously output on said user object.

13. A method for implementing a force sensation design interface, said method comprising:

enabling a display of said force sensation design interface on a display device of a host computer;

enabling a selection of a plurality of individual force sensations to be commanded by said host computer and output by a haptic feedback interface device based on input from a user to said force sensation design interface, wherein each of said individual force sensations is provided with an edit display window displayed in said force sensation design interface and displaying a graphical representation of said individual force sensations;

enabling said plurality of selected force sensations to be included in a compound force sensation based on input received from said user; and

enabling a display of a time-based representation of said compound force sensation, said representation displaying each of said individual force sensations included in said compound force sensation.

24. A method for implementing a force sensation design interface, said method comprising:

enabling a display of said force sensation design interface on a display device of a host computer;

enabling a selection of a type of force sensation to be commanded by said host computer and output by a haptic feedback interface device based on input received from a user to said force sensation design interface;

enabling a setting of physical characteristics of said selected force sensation based on input from a user defining said physical characteristics;

enabling a display of a graphical representation of said selected force sensation as characterized by said user, wherein said graphical representation provides said user with a visual demonstration of a feel of said characterized force sensation; and

enabling a command of said characterized force sensation to said haptic feedback interface device in communication with said host computer such that at least one actuator of said haptic feedback interface device outputs said force sensation to a user contacting said interface device in conjunction with said visual demonstration of said feel of said characterized force sensation; and

enabling a reception of changes to said characterized force sensation from said user in said design interface after said force sensation is output and displaying said additional changes in said graphical representation, wherein a force sensation modified in accordance with said additional changes is output by said at least one actuator.