Method and apparatus for controlling force feedback interface systems utilizing a host computer
First Claim
1. A system for controlling an electromechanical interface apparatus manipulated by a user, the system comprising:
- a host computer system for receiving an input control signal and for providing a host command having at least one command parameter to control forces on a user manipulable object of said interface apparatus, wherein said host computer system updates a process in response to said input control signal;
a processor positioned local to said interface apparatus and separate from said host computer system for receiving said host command from said host computer system and providing a processor output control signal in accordance with said at least one command parameter;
an actuator for receiving said processor output control signal and providing a force along a degree of freedom to said user manipulable object in accordance with said processor output control signal, said object being coupled to said actuator and being graspable and movable by said user; and
a sensor for detecting motion of said manipulable object along said degree of freedom and outputting said input control signal including information representative of the position and motion of said object.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling and providing force feedback using an interface device manipulated by a user. A microprocessor is provided local to the interface device and reads sensor data from sensors that describes the position and/or other information about a user object moved by the user, such as a joystick. The microprocessor controls actuators to provide forces on the user object and provides the sensor data to a host computer that is coupled to the interface device. The host computer sends high level host commands to the local microprocessor, and the microprocessor independently implements a local reflex process based on the high level command to provide force values to the actuators using sensor data and other parameters. A provided host command protocol includes a variety of different types of host commands and associated command parameters. By providing a relatively small set of high level host commands and parameters which are translated into a panoply of forces, the protocol further shifts the computational burden from the host computer to the local microprocessor and allows a software developer to easily create force feedback applications.
32 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for controlling an electromechanical interface apparatus manipulated by a user, the system comprising:
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a host computer system for receiving an input control signal and for providing a host command having at least one command parameter to control forces on a user manipulable object of said interface apparatus, wherein said host computer system updates a process in response to said input control signal;
a processor positioned local to said interface apparatus and separate from said host computer system for receiving said host command from said host computer system and providing a processor output control signal in accordance with said at least one command parameter;
an actuator for receiving said processor output control signal and providing a force along a degree of freedom to said user manipulable object in accordance with said processor output control signal, said object being coupled to said actuator and being graspable and movable by said user; and
a sensor for detecting motion of said manipulable object along said degree of freedom and outputting said input control signal including information representative of the position and motion of said object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for interfacing a force feedback interface device manipulated by a user with a host computer system, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a user manipulable object included in said force feedback interface device, said object having a degree of freedom;
sensing positions of said object along said degree of freedom with a sensor and producing electrical sensor signals therefrom;
utilizing a microprocessor local to said object to communicate with said host computer system to provide said electrical sensor signals to said host computer system and to receive a host command from said host computer system, said host command including a command parameter; and
creating a force on said object along said degree of freedom independently utilizing said microprocessor and said host command to control an actuator coupled to said object. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification