Design of force sensations for haptic feedback computer interfaces

• US 20060279538A1
• Filed: 06/20/2006
• Published: 12/14/2006
• 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 7,701,438 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 comprising:

receiving a signal associated with a characteristic for a force feedback sensation from a force feedback design interface;

generating a graphical representation of the force feedback sensation with the characteristic;

outputting a signal associated with the graphical representation;

receiving a signal associated with sound data; and

associating the sound data with the force feedback sensation.