Interactive rotary controller system with tactile feedback

• US 5,189,355 A
• Filed: 04/10/1992
• Issued: 02/23/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ampex Corporation (Delta Information Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ampex Corporation (Delta Information Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Helmers, Thomas L., Yoshida, Glenn T., Larkins, David N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Application Number:
  US07/866,695
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 318/80, 318/126, 318/129, 318/145-147, 318/159, 318/748, 318/799, 318/278, 318/363, 318/368, 318/459, 318/474, 318/500, 318/696, 318/685, 318/63, 318/86, 318/87, 318/703, 388/928.1
• US Class Current: 318/685
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23053 Knob with tactile feedback, representing clicks, detents programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23379 Knob, delivering pulses, digipot, electronic potentiometer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35459 Knob, handle, handwheel delivers pulses, electronic handwheel, digipot
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37023 Step motor used as measuring device and as drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37396 Tactile feedback, operator feels reaction, force reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/026 by using processor, e.g. microcomputer
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/103 electrically operated
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/1875 adaptations for special effects or editing signal processing or indexing therefor G11B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/00 Driving, starting, stopping record carriers not specifically of filamentary or web form, or of supports therefor; Control thereof; Control of operating function ; Driving both disc and head
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/028 with computer assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/008 with a haptic or a tactile feedback controlled by electrical means, e.g. a motor or magnetofriction

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling conditions in response to an operator input, the apparatus including a rotary knob coupled to the shaft of the rotor of a stepper motor having first and second stator windings, in quadrature, with each winding being center tap grounded to provide first and second winding portions for each winding. One pair of first winding portions are used for providing pulse inputs to a microprocessor on rotation of the knob, in either direction, via a pulse control system, with the microprocessor providing command signals to a braking control system, which includes a direct current power control source, which may be either a voltage or current control source. The power control source, in turn is in circuit relation with the pair of second winding portions. On command of the processor, a force or torque is applied to the rotor, by means of energization of the other pair of winding portions, with the force being in opposition to the direction of rotation of the knob, the force being in proportion to the applied power. Under control of a microprocessor, the force may be intermittently applied to simulate a mechanical detent arrangement, or a constant force for braking, either of which provides tactile feedback to the operator.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

motor means having a shaft and first and second windings, each of said windings having first and second portions;

a manually rotatable member coupled for rotation with said shaft;

processor means;

means coupled to given ones of said first and second winding portions and responsive to rotation of said member for providing signals from said motor means to said processor means indicative of parameters of motion of said member; and

output means coupled to said processor means and to the other ones of said first and second winding portions for receiving commands from said processor means and energizing said other ones of said first and second winding portions for providing a force on said shaft in opposition to the direction of the force of rotation of said member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said motor means is a stepper motor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said parameters of motion include at least one speed of movement, direction, and angular rotation,

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said motor means is a stepper motor and the windings are in quadrature.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said manually rotatable member is a control knob coupled to the shaft of the motor means.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means coupled to given ones of said first and second winding portions includes comparator means for receiving said signals from said motor means.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said comparator means includes a comparator for each of said first and second winding portions and said means coupled to given ones of said first and second winding portions includes decoder means for receiving the output of both said comparators for providing information relative to the direction of rotation based on phase differences in said signals from said motor means.

8. In a processor controlled video tape recording system, a method for providing a tactile feedback to an operator on rotation of a control knob, said method comprising:

providing motor means having a shaft and first and second windings, in quadrature, each of said windings being divided into first and second portions;

connecting the control knob for rotating the shaft of said motor means;

decoding signals from a given ones of said first and second winding portions on rotation of the knob to provide information relating to parameters of motion of the knob;

under control of the processor, providing power to the other ones of said first and second winding portions for providing torque on said motor means in opposition to the direction of rotation of the control knob.