NOVEL TACTILE INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICE AND SYSTEM TO REPRESENT AND MANIPULATE COMPUTER-GENERATED SURFACES
First Claim
1. A tactile input/output system for representing, manipulating and editing computer-generated surfaces, said system comprising:
- at least one input device for providing a physical representation of a computer model on a computer display surface; and
a tactile device enabling a user to touch and modify said physical representation on the computer-generated surface, said tactile device being manipulatable to facilitate the entering of new or modified shapes of said physical representation, while the computer controls and maintains the overall representation of the new or modified display surface and concurrently enforce any pre-established constraints.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention discloses a tactile input/output device for representing and manipulating computer-generated surfaces. Also disclosed are a novel system and method for implementing the forgoing aspects. In essence, there is provided an intuitive concept of manipulating and editing a computer-generated surface, by employing a combination of traditional input and output devices (keyboard, mouse, display, etc.) and a novel device that enables users to touch, edit and modify a physical representation of the surface. The tactile device includes an array of displaceable pins, which are driven by a control system having a plurality of micro-actuators operating in combination with a rack-and-pinion assembly.
32 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A tactile input/output system for representing, manipulating and editing computer-generated surfaces, said system comprising:
-
at least one input device for providing a physical representation of a computer model on a computer display surface; and a tactile device enabling a user to touch and modify said physical representation on the computer-generated surface, said tactile device being manipulatable to facilitate the entering of new or modified shapes of said physical representation, while the computer controls and maintains the overall representation of the new or modified display surface and concurrently enforce any pre-established constraints. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method of operating a tactile input/output system for representing and manipulating computer-generated 3-D surfaces, said method comprising:
-
having at least one input device to provide a physical representation of a computer model on a computer display surface; causing a tactile device to enable a user to touch and modify said physical representation on the display surface; and manipulating said tactile device to facilitate the entering of new or modified shapes of said physical representation, while the computer controls and maintains the overall representation of the new or modified display surface and concurrently enforce any pre-established constraints. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A tactile input/output device for representing and manipulating computer-generated 3-D surfaces, employable in operative relationship with at least one input device for providing a physical representation of a computer model on a computer display surface, wherein a software controller of said computer enables said tactile device to manipulate the computer model on the computer display surface;
- said tactile input/output device comprising;
an array of pins having tops matching the computer display surface, said array of pins being displaceable by said software controller responsive to changes in the computer model representation to enable a user to edit the computer model, responsive to a user to touching and modifying said physical representation on the display surface, said tactile device being manipulatable to facilitate the entering of new or modified shapes of said physical representation, while the computer controls and maintains the overall representation of the new or modified display surface and concurrently enforce any pre-established constraints. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
- said tactile input/output device comprising;
-
17. A tactile input/output system readable by a machine tangibly employing a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for representing and manipulating computer-generated 3-D surfaces, said method steps comprising:
-
having at least one input device to provide a physical representation of a computer model on a computer display surface; causing a tactile device to enable a user to touch and modify said physical representation on the display surface, manipulating said tactile device to facilitate the entering of new or modified shapes of said physical representation, while the computer controls and maintains the overall representation of the new or modified display surface and concurrently enforce any pre-established constraints, and wherein said computer model provides for a mathematical model representing surface reflecting a real physical object, or a 2-D array drivable by specified parameters, said tactile device editing, viewing and manipulating said computer model so as to change the physical representation on said computer display surface responsive to operation by said user. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A tactile input/output system for representing, manipulating and editing computer generated surfaces, said system comprising a tactile device enabling the user to touch, edit and modify a computer generated representation of surface data, while the computer controls and maintains the overall representation of the new or modified display surface and concurrently enforce any pre-established constraints.
Specification