Systems and Methods For Providing A Haptic Manipulandum

• US 20090073125A1
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Tashijian, George, Bailey, David W., Anastas, George, Yu, Raymond
• Granted Patent: US 9,207,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/167
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a haptic manipulandum are described. In one described system, a lever arm is pivotably coupled to a housing, and configured to apply a processor-controlled force to a substantially-spherical manipulandum to provide a haptic effect. The described system may include a processor in communication with an actuator for providing the haptic effect.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

pivotably applying a first processor-controlled force to a substantially-spherical manipulandum to provide a haptic effect; and

applying a second processor-controlled force to the substantially-spherical manipulandum to provide the haptic effect, wherein the second processor-controlled force comprises a first component normal to a surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum and a second component tangential to the surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein pivotably applying the first processor-controlled force comprises pivotably applying a substantially-normal, processor-controlled force, the substantially-normal, processor controlled force directed substantially normal to a surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second processor-controlled force is associated with the first processor-controlled force.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second processor-controlled force is associated with a force associated with the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein pivotably applying the first processor-controlled force to the substantially-spherical manipulandum comprises applying a pivoting force to a lever arm configured to apply the first processor-controlled force to the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein applying the second processor-controlled force to the substantially-spherical manipulandum comprises applying the second processor-controlled force to a roller rotatably coupled to the lever arm configured to apply the second processor-controlled force to the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising sensing a movement of at least one of the substantially-spherical manipulandum, the lever arm, and the roller, and varying at least one of the first processor-controlled force and second processor-controlled force in response.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the substantially-spherical manipulandum comprises a trackball.

9. A method comprising:

pivotably applying a first processor-controlled force to a contacting surface in communication with a substantially-spherical manipulandum to provide a haptic effect; and

applying a second processor-controlled force to the contacting surface, wherein the second processor-controlled force comprises a first component normal to a surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum and a second component tangential to the surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein pivotably applying the first processor-controlled force comprises pivotably applying a substantially-normal, processor-controlled force, the substantially-normal, processor controlled force directed substantially normal to a surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the second processor-controlled force is associated with the first processor-controlled force.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the second processor-controlled force is associated with a force associated with the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the contacting surface comprises a roller.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein pivotably applying the first processor-controlled force to the contacting surface comprises applying the first processor-controlled force to a lever in communication with the contacting surface.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising sensing a movement of at least one of the substantially-spherical manipulandum and the contacting surface, and varying at least one of the first processor-controlled force and the second processor-controlled force in response.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the substantially-spherical manipulandum comprises a trackball.

17. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code, the program code comprising:

program code for pivotably applying a first processor-controlled force to a substantially-spherical manipulandum to provide a haptic effect; and

program code for applying a second processor-controlled force to the substantially-spherical manipulandum to provide the haptic effect, wherein the second processor-controlled force comprises a first component normal to a surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum and a second component tangential to the surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the program code for pivotably applying the first processor-controlled force comprises program code for pivotably applying a substantially-normal, processor-controlled force, the substantially-normal, processor controlled force directed substantially normal to a surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the second processor-controlled force is associated with the first processor-controlled force.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the second processor-controlled force is associated with a force associated with the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the program code for pivotably applying the first processor-controlled force to the substantially-spherical manipulandum comprises program code for applying a pivoting force to a lever arm configured to apply the first processor-controlled force to the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the program code for applying the second processor-controlled force to the substantially-spherical manipulandum comprises program code for applying the second processor-controlled force to a roller rotatably coupled to the lever arm configured to apply the second processor-controlled force to the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, further comprising program code for sensing a movement of at least one of the substantially-spherical manipulandum, the lever arm, and the roller, and program code for varying at least one of the first processor-controlled force and second processor-controlled force in response.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the substantially-spherical manipulandum comprises a trackball.

25. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code, the program code comprising:

program code for pivotably applying a first processor-controlled force to a contacting surface in communication with a substantially-spherical manipulandum to provide a haptic effect; and

program code for applying a second processor-controlled force to the contacting surface, wherein the second processor-controlled force comprises a first component normal to a surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum and a second component tangential to the surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the program code for pivotably applying the first processor-controlled force comprises program code for pivotably applying a substantially-normal, processor-controlled force, the substantially-normal, processor controlled force directed substantially normal to a surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the second processor-controlled force is associated with the first processor-controlled force.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the second processor-controlled force is associated with a force associated with the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the contacting surface comprises a roller.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the program code for pivotably applying the first processor-controlled force to the contacting surface comprises program code for applying the first processor-controlled force to a lever in communication with the contacting surface.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising program code for sensing a movement of at least one of the substantially-spherical manipulandum and the contacting surface, and program code for varying at least one of the first processor-controlled force and the second processor-controlled force in response.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the substantially-spherical manipulandum comprises a trackball.