DEVICE WITH SPATIALLY UNRESTRICTED FORCE FEEDBACK

• US 20100022300A1
• Filed: 07/06/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Chen, Po-Chang, Liu, Chih-Hao, Lo, Feng-Hsiang
• Application Number:
  US12/498,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20100022300A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• 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 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A device with spatially unrestricted force feedback is disclosed, which comprises: a base, a gyro assembly including a first actuator and a flywheel; the first actuator connecting and driving the flywheel by a first shaft, and a second actuator fixed on the base and connecting and exerting a torque to the gyro assembly by a second shaft; wherein the first shaft and second shaft are perpendicular to each other.

Claims

1. A device with spatially unrestricted force feedback, comprising:

a base;

a gyro assembly, including a first actuator and a flywheel; and

a second actuator;

wherein, the first actuator is connected with the flywheel by a first shaft for driving the same to rotate;

the second actuator is disposed fixedly on the base while connecting to the gyro assembly by a second shaft for exerting a torque to the same; and

the first shaft and second shaft are arranged perpendicular to each other.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a third actuator, fixed on a second base while coupling to the base having the second actuator fixed therein by a rotation shaft, capable of exerting a torque on the base for enabling the same to rotate accordingly as the rotation shaft of the third actuator is disposed orthogonal to the first shaft and the second shaft.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of gyro assemblies and a plurality of second actuators.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the flywheel is formed in any shape capable of generating an angular momentum while rotating.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the flywheel is shaped like a disc or a ball, and the base is substantially a hollow hull or a handle.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first sensor, electrically connected with the first actuator for detecting the outputted torque or the motion of the same.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second sensor, electrically connected with the second actuator for detecting the outputted torque or the motion of the same.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of gyro assemblies and a plurality of second actuators.

9. The device of claim 2, further comprising:

a sensing unit, configured with three sensors in a manner that they are electrically connected to the first, the second and the third actuators in respective for detecting the outputted torques or the motions of the three.

10. A system with spatially unrestricted force feedback, being adapted for receiving an external signal, comprising:

a force feedback device, further comprising;

a base;

a gyro assembly, configured with a first actuator and a flywheel in a manner that the first actuator is connected with the flywheel by a first shaft for driving the same to rotate; and

a second actuator, being disposed fixedly on the base while connecting to the gyro assembly by a second shaft for exerting a torque to the same as the first shaft and second shaft are arranged perpendicular to each other;

a driving circuit, electrically connected with the force feedback device for amplifying control signals of the first and the second actuators; and

a control unit, electrically connected with the driving circuit for calculating an force feedback value according to the received external command so as to direct the driving circuit to drive the force feedback device for generating a feedback torque in accordance with the force feedback value.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a third actuator, fixed on a second base while coupling to the base having the second actuator fixed therein by a rotation shaft and electrically connected to the driving circuit for using the same to amplify the control signal of the third actuator, and thereby capable of exerting a torque on the base for enabling the same to rotate accordingly as the rotation shaft of the third actuator is disposed orthogonal to the first shaft and the second shaft.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a sensing unit, electrically connected to the control unit for detecting physical attributes of the force feedback device and the external input signal.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensing unit is a device selected from the group consisting of:

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, an image based motion detection facility and the combination thereof.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the force feedback device further comprises:

a sensing unit, electrically connected to the control unit for detecting physical attributes of the force feedback device and the external signal.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensing unit is a device selected from the group consisting of:

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, an image based motion detection facility and the combination thereof.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of gyro assemblies and a plurality of second actuators.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the flywheel is formed in any shape capable of generating an angular momentum while rotating.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the flywheel is shaped like a disc or a ball.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the external signal is a signal related to an attribute selected from the group consisting of:

force, speed, acceleration, and displacement.

20. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a first sensor, electrically connected with the first actuator for detecting the outputted torque or the motion of the same.

21. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a second sensor, electrically connected with the second actuator for detecting the outputted torque or the motion of the same.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the driving circuit further comprises:

a rotation control unit, for controlling the rotation speed of the flywheel.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the driving circuit further comprises:

a control unit, for controlling one element selected from the group consisting of;

the output torque of the second actuator, the rotation speed of the second actuator, and the combination thereof.