Hybrid Control Of Haptic Feedback For Host Computer And Interface Device

• US 20100039373A1
• Filed: 02/03/2009
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Martin, Kenneth M., Rosenberg, Louis B., Braun, Adam C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,916,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04766 providing feel, e.g. indexing means, means to create counterforce
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/015 Force feedback applied to a joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/28 Simulation of stick forces or the like

Abstract

A hybrid haptic feedback system in which a host computer and haptic feedback device share processing loads to various degrees in the output of haptic sensations, and features for efficient output of haptic sensations in such a system. A haptic feedback interface device in communication with a host computer includes a device microcontroller outputting force values to the actuator to control output forces. In various embodiments, the microcontroller can determine force values for one type of force effect while receiving force values computed by the host computer for a different type of force effect. For example, the microcontroller can determine closed loop effect values and receive computed open loop effect values from the host; or the microcontroller can determine high frequency open loop effect values and receive low frequency open loop effect values from the host. Various features allow the host to efficiently stream computed force values to the device.

Claims

1. A host computer, comprising:

a memory storing an emulation layer, the emulation layer configured to;

receive a haptic command from an application program;

determine whether to transmit the haptic command to a force feedback interface device or to process the haptic command;

if the emulation layer transmits the haptic command to the force feedback interface device, the emulation layer is further configured to;

determine a high level command based at least in part on the haptic command; and

transmit the high level command to the force feedback interface device; and

if the emulation layer processes the haptic command, the emulation layer is further configured to;

determine force values based at least in part on the haptic command, and

stream the force values to the force feedback interface device in real time; and

a processor in communication with the memory and with the force feedback interface device comprising an actuator for outputting forces to the force feedback interface device, the processor configured to execute the emulation layer and the application.

2. The host computer of claim 1, wherein the emulation layer is further configured to store force values in the memory, and receive a play command from the application before streaming the force values to the force feedback interface device.

3. The host computer of claim 1, wherein in determining whether to transmit the haptic command to the force feedback interface device or to process the haptic command the emulation layer is configured to be responsive to whether a frequency of a haptic effect is above a threshold.

4. The host computer of claim 1, wherein the emulation layer is further configured to receive sensor data from the force feedback interface device.

5. The host computer of claim 4, wherein the sensor data is configured to be received from an input stream.

6. The host computer of claim 4, wherein the emulation layer is configured to update force values based at least in part on the sensor data before the force values are streamed to the force feedback interface device.

7. The host computer of claim 1, wherein in streaming the force values to the force feedback interface device in real time, the emulation layer is further configured to:

receive a request for a first set of force values;

determine the first set of force values;

transmit the first set of force values;

determine a second set of force values while the first set of force values is being transmitted;

receiving a request for the second set of force values; and

transmitting the second set of force values.

8. The host computer of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to execute the emulation layer as a driver.

9. The host computer of claim 1, wherein the emulation layer is configured to emulate a force feedback interface device.