Force feedback device

• US 20030184518A1
• Filed: 03/27/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Numata, Hidetaka, Onodera, Mikio
• Granted Patent: US 7,187,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A force feedback device comprising an operation unit, an actuator for providing a feel sensation (force) to the operation unit and a control unit for controlling the actuator, wherein the control unit stores a plurality of different unit force patterns, forms composite force patterns by combining the unit force patterns and controls the actuator based on the composite force patterns to provide feel sensations to the operation unit.

Claims

1. A force feedback device comprising an operation unit, an actuator for providing a feel sensation to the operation unit and a control unit for controlling the actuator, wherein the control unit stores a plurality of different unit force patterns, forms composite force patterns by combining the unit force patterns and controls the actuator based on the composite force patterns to provide feel sensations to the operation unit.

2. The force feedback device according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns is a mountain-like one of which force increases from a predetermined value and then decreases or a valley-like one of which force decreases from a predetermined value and then increases to provide a click feel sensation.

3. The force feedback device according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns has an ascent in which force increases from a predetermined value to provide a deceleration feel sensation.

4. The force feedback device according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns has a descent in which force decreases from a predetermined value to provide an acceleration feel sensation.

5. The force feedback device according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns is like a horizontal straight line that force does not change from a predetermined value to provide a fixed force feel sensation.

6. The force feedback device according to claim 2, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns has an ascent in which force increases from a predetermined value to provide a deceleration feel sensation.

7. The force feedback device according to claim 2, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns has a descent in which force decreases from a predetermined value to provide an acceleration feel sensation.

8. The force feedback device according to claim 3, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns has a descent in which force decreases from a predetermined value to provide an acceleration feel sensation.

9. The force feedback device according to claim 6, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns has a descent in which force decreases from a predetermined value to provide an acceleration feel sensation.

10. The force feedback device according to claim 2, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns is like a horizontal straight line that force does not change from a predetermined value to provide a fixed force feel sensation.

11. The force feedback device according to claim 3, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns is like a horizontal straight line that force does not change from a predetermined value to provide a fixed force feel sensation.

12. The force feedback device according to claim 4, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns is like a horizontal straight line that force does not change from a predetermined value to provide a fixed force feel sensation.

13. The force feedback device according to claim 6, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns is like a horizontal straight line that force does not change from a predetermined value to provide a fixed force feel sensation.

14. The force feedback device according to claim 7, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns is like a horizontal straight line that force does not change from a predetermined value to provide a fixed force feel sensation.

15. The force feedback device according to claim 8, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns is like a horizontal straight line that force does not change from a predetermined value to provide a fixed force feel sensation.

16. The force feedback device according to claim 9, wherein one of the plurality of unit force patterns is like a horizontal straight line that force does not change from a predetermined value to provide a fixed force feel sensation.