Resistive and hybrid control schemes for haptic feedback interface devices

• US 20050151720A1
• Filed: 07/22/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Grant, Danny A., Goldenberg, Alex S., Gomez, Daniel H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,667,687 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 method is disclosed that includes outputting haptic feedback based on a movement of an object in a first direction from a first position to a second position. The haptic feedback is discontinued when the object is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction subsequent to the movement in the first direction. The haptic feedback is output again when the object moves past the second position in the first direction.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

outputting haptic feedback based on a movement of an object in a first direction from a first position to a second position, the haptic feedback being discontinued when the object is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction subsequent to the movement in the first direction; and

outputting the haptic feedback when the object moves past the second position in the first direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a magnitude of the haptic feedback is proportional to a distance between the first position and the second position.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the haptic feedback is a virtual spring force.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the movement of the object is associated with a simulated movement of a graphical object in a graphical display.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting the haptic feedback based on the movement of the object in the second direction when the object is disposed between the first position and the second position.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the haptic feedback output based on the movement of the object to the first position is different from the haptic feedback output based on the movement of the object past the first position.

7. A device, comprising:

an object displaceable in at least one degree of freedom with respect to a first reference point;

a sensor configured to output a position signal associated with a displacement of the object, the displacement being one of a first displacement, a second displacement and a third displacement; and

an actuator configured to output a resistive force based on the position signal, the resistive force being associated with the first displacement of the object in a first direction away from the first reference point until the object is moved to a position, the resistive force being discontinued when the position signal is associated with the second displacement in a second direction opposite the first direction, the resistive force being further output after the third displacement in the first direction past the position, subsequent to the object being moved in the second direction.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the degree of freedom is a rotary degree of freedom.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the actuator is at least one of a resistive actuator and an active actuator.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the resistive force is a simulated spring force.

11. The device of claim 7, the actuator being a resistive actuator, the device further comprising an active actuator configured to output an assistive force based on the displacement of the object in the second direction.

12. A device, comprising:

an active actuator configured to be coupled to an object;

a resistive actuator configured to be coupled to the object; and

a filter configured to output a filtered signal associated with the active actuator and a filtered signal associated with the resistive actuator, the filtered signal associated with the resistive actuator being different from the filtered signal associated with the active actuator.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the filtered signal associated with the active actuator is filtered at a frequency greater than a frequency at which the filtered signal associated with the resistive actuator is filtered.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the filtered signal associated with the active actuator is filtered at a frequency of at least 100 Hz.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the filtered velocity signal associated with the resistive actuator is filtered at a frequency of at least 10 Hz.

16. A method, comprising:

outputting via a sensor a signal associated with an active actuator;

outputting via the sensor a signal associated with a resistive actuator;

filtering the signal associated with the active actuator using a first filter to produce a first filtered signal;

filtering the signal associated with the resistive actuator using a second filter to produce a second filtered signal; and

outputting haptic feedback based on at least one of the first filtered signal and the second filtered signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the filtered signal associated with the active actuator is filtered at a frequency greater than a frequency at which the filtered signal associated with the resistive actuator is filtered.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first filter is configured to filter the first signal at a frequency of at least 100 Hz.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the second filter is configured to filter the second signal at a frequency of at least 10 Hz.

20. A method, comprising:

applying to an actuator of an interface device a first voltage having a polarity, the actuator being configured to simulate a detent in response to the first voltage; and

applying to the actuator a second voltage having a polarity opposite the polarity of the first voltage, the first voltage and the second voltage collectively operative to demagnetize the interface device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first voltage is a positive voltage and the second voltage is a negative voltage.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein a magnitude of the second voltage varies based on the position of an object coupled to the interface device with respect to an origin.

23. A method, comprising:

receiving a signal associated with a movement of an object from a first position associated with a detent to a second position associated with the detent, the detent having a center position;

outputting a resistive force on the object based on the signal, the resistive force operative to simulate the detent;

receiving an indication of no movement of the object; and

defining the second position associated with the detent as the center position of the detent.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the receiving an indication of no movement of the object includes receiving an indication of no movement for a predetermined period of time.