Control device such as a steering wheel for video vehicle simulator with realistic feedback forces
First Claim
1. An apparatus in a simulated vehicle for simulating in the steering wheel of said simulated vehicle the forces felt in a steering device of a real vehicle comprising:
- a rotatable steering wheel for a simulated vehicle for being manipulated by an operator of said simulated vehicle;
an electric motor means coupled to said steering wheel for driving said steering wheel with an amount of torque controlled by an input signal;
travel limitation safety means coupled to said motor means for limiting the number of revolutions of said steering wheel to a predetermined maximum number such that if said steering wheel is allowed to rotate freely under the influence of said motor means, insufficient turns available for said steering wheel to attain an unsafe RPM that could injure a user;
an amplifier means for driving said electric motor in accordance with a driving signal indicative of the amount of torque to apply to said steering wheel;
sensor means coupled to said steering wheel for sensing the instantaneous position of said steering wheel; and
computer means coupled to said amplifier means and said sensor means for calculating the position and velocity of movement of said steering wheel and for outputting said data, and for receiving model data regarding the forces which would be acting upon said steering wheel if said steering wheel was being used for steering a real vehicle and for calculating from said model data drive signal data necessary to define said driving signal and for generating said driving signal from said driving signal data and outputting said driving signal to cause said amplifier means to drive said motor means such that forces are felt by an operator manipulating said steering wheel which simulate the actual forces which would be felt in an actual steering wheel under similar conditions acting upon said real vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for simulating the forces acting on the steering wheel or other control device of a vehicle. The apparatus uses an electrical motor coupled to a steering wheel in the preferred embodiment. The electrical motor is driven by a computer running software which received data regarding the real world forces which would be acting upon a real steering wheel in a car under similar conditions. A software driver coupled to a position-sensing transducer on the steering wheel calculates the steering wheel position and velocity and sends this data to a model process not forming part of the invention. The model process then calculates the conditions affecting the simulated vehicle and outputs data reflecting the real world forces which would affect the steering wheel of the actual car under similar conditions. This data is used to calculate a force number which in turn drives a driver amplifier and motor combination coupled to the steering wheel of the simulated vehicle to simulate the forces that the driver of a real vehicle would feel.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An apparatus in a simulated vehicle for simulating in the steering wheel of said simulated vehicle the forces felt in a steering device of a real vehicle comprising:
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a rotatable steering wheel for a simulated vehicle for being manipulated by an operator of said simulated vehicle; an electric motor means coupled to said steering wheel for driving said steering wheel with an amount of torque controlled by an input signal; travel limitation safety means coupled to said motor means for limiting the number of revolutions of said steering wheel to a predetermined maximum number such that if said steering wheel is allowed to rotate freely under the influence of said motor means, insufficient turns available for said steering wheel to attain an unsafe RPM that could injure a user; an amplifier means for driving said electric motor in accordance with a driving signal indicative of the amount of torque to apply to said steering wheel; sensor means coupled to said steering wheel for sensing the instantaneous position of said steering wheel; and computer means coupled to said amplifier means and said sensor means for calculating the position and velocity of movement of said steering wheel and for outputting said data, and for receiving model data regarding the forces which would be acting upon said steering wheel if said steering wheel was being used for steering a real vehicle and for calculating from said model data drive signal data necessary to define said driving signal and for generating said driving signal from said driving signal data and outputting said driving signal to cause said amplifier means to drive said motor means such that forces are felt by an operator manipulating said steering wheel which simulate the actual forces which would be felt in an actual steering wheel under similar conditions acting upon said real vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus in a simulated vehicle for simulating the feel of a steering device in a real vehicle, comprising:
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a steering device for the simulated vehicle; means for electrically driving said steering device to apply forces to it in accordance with an input signal; calculation means coupled to said steering device and said means for electrically driving, for calculating the position and velocity of movement of said steering device in response to simulated conditions displayed to an operator of said simulated vehicle and for outputting said position and velocity data, and for receiving input data regarding the forces which would be acting on a real steering device under similar circumstances in the real world, and for generating from said input data an output signal, and for transmitting said output signal to said means for electrically driving so as to cause said means for electrically driving said steering device to generate forces in said steering device which simulate the forces which would be felt in a real steering device in said real vehicle under similar conditions and further comprising safety means in said calculation means for preventing said means for electrically driving from applying forces outside a safe range to said steering device. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for simulating the forces felt in a steering device of a real vehicle comprising:
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a rotatable steering wheel for a simulated vehicle for being manipulated by an operator of said simulated vehicle; an electric motor means coupled to said steering wheel for driving said steering wheel with an amount of torque controlled by an input signal; travel limitation safety means coupled to said motor means for limiting the number of revolutions of said steering wheel to a predetermined number such that if said steering wheel is allowed to rotate freely under the influence of said motor means, insufficient turns are available to build up a high RPM for said steering wheel; an amplifier means for driving said electric motor in accordance with a driving signal indicative of amount of torque to apply to said steering wheel; sensor means coupled to said steering wheel for sensing the instantaneous position of said steering wheel; and computer means coupled to said amplifier means and said sensor means for calculating the position and velocity of movement of said steering wheel and for outputting said data, and for receiving model data regarding the forces which would be acting upon said steering wheel if said steering wheel was being used for steering a real vehicle and for calculating from said model data drive signal data necessary to define said driving signal and for generating said driving signal from said driving signal data and outputting said driving signal to cause said amplifier means to drive said motor means such that forces are felt by an operator manipulating said steering wheel which simulate the actual forces which would be felt in an actual steering wheel under similar conditions; means in said computer means for simulating the mechanical play felt in real steering wheels and for generating said driving signal in such a manner that no resistance to movement of said steering wheel is felt by an operator until said steering wheel has been moved a predetermined distance. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification