High bandwidth force feedback interface using voice coils and flexures
First Claim
1. An interface apparatus, for interfacing motion of a user manipulable object with an electrical system, said interface apparatus comprising:
- a user object being physically contacted by a user;
a gimbal mechanism coupled to said user object and providing at least two degrees of freedom to said user object, said gimbal mechanism including a plurality of members, wherein a selected number of said plurality of members are formed as a unitary member in which flex is provided between said selected number of members;
an actuator coupled to said gimbal mechanism for applying a force along a degree of freedom to said user object through said unitary member, wherein said actuator applies said force in response to electrical signals produced by said electrical system; and
a sensor for detecting a position of said user object along said degree of freedom and outputting sensor signals to said electrical system;
whereby said actuator and said sensor provide an electromechanical interface between said user object and said electrical system.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for interfacing the motion of a user-manipulable object with an electrical or computer system includes a user object physically contacted by a user. A gimbal mechanism is coupled to the user object, such as a joystick or a medical tool, and provides at least two degrees of freedom to the user object. The gimbal mechanism preferably includes multiple members, at least two of which are formed as a unitary member which provides flex between the selected members. An actuator applies a force along a degree of freedom to the user object in response to electrical signals produced by the computer system. A sensor detects a position of the user object along the degree of freedom and outputs sensor signals to the computer system. Another embodiment includes a host computer system and a local microprocessor, separate from the host computer, for communicating with the host computer and controlling the forces output by the actuators according to a processor subroutine selected in accordance with a host command, sensor signals, and timing information. Another embodiment of the interface apparatus uses voice coil actuators that produce forces in either linear or rotary degrees of freedom using currents applied in a magnetic fields. A friction drive mechanism of the present invention can be coupled between an actuator and a gimbal mechanism. Force from the actuator is transmitted to the gimbal mechanism through frictional contact of members of the friction drive mechanism.
740 Citations
79 Claims
-
1. An interface apparatus, for interfacing motion of a user manipulable object with an electrical system, said interface apparatus comprising:
-
a user object being physically contacted by a user; a gimbal mechanism coupled to said user object and providing at least two degrees of freedom to said user object, said gimbal mechanism including a plurality of members, wherein a selected number of said plurality of members are formed as a unitary member in which flex is provided between said selected number of members; an actuator coupled to said gimbal mechanism for applying a force along a degree of freedom to said user object through said unitary member, wherein said actuator applies said force in response to electrical signals produced by said electrical system; and a sensor for detecting a position of said user object along said degree of freedom and outputting sensor signals to said electrical system; whereby said actuator and said sensor provide an electromechanical interface between said user object and said electrical system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. An interface apparatus for interfacing motion of a user manipulable object with a host computer system displaying visual images on a screen, said interface apparatus comprising:
-
a user manipulatable object movable in a degree of freedom by a user and being physically contacted by said user; a gimbal mechanism coupled to said user manipulatable object and providing at least one degree of freedom to said user manipulatable object, said gimbal mechanism including a plurality of members; a microprocessor, separate from said host computer system, for communicating with said host computer system via a communication interface by receiving host commands from said host computer system, said microprocessor being controlled by software instructions; an actuator physically coupled to said user manipulatable object and electrically coupled to said microprocessor for applying a force to said user manipulatable object along a degree of freedom in accordance with a microprocessor command from said microprocessor, said microprocessor command being derived, at least in part, from at least one of said host commands, wherein said actuator includes a coil portion and a magnet portion which move linearly relative to each other and which use a magnetic field in applying said force; and a sensor for detecting a position of said user manipulatable object along said degree of freedom and outputting sensor signals to said host computer system, said sensor signals including information representative of said position of said user manipulatable object. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. An interface apparatus for interfacing motion of a user manipulable object with an electrical system, said interface apparatus comprising:
-
a gimbal mechanism including a plurality of members and providing two degrees of freedom to a user-manipulable object coupled to said gimbal mechanism; a first degree of freedom actuator coupled to said gimbal mechanism, said first degree of freedom actuator including a first voice coil actuator for applying a force to said user-manipulable object in said first degree of freedom using a magnetic field; a second degree of freedom actuator coupled to said gimbal mechanism, said second degree of freedom actuator including a second voice coil actuator for applying a force to said user-manipulable object in said second degree of freedom using a magnetic field; and at least one sensor for detecting motion of said user-manipulable object along said first and second degrees of freedom and outputting sensor signals to said electrical system; whereby said actuators and said sensor provide an electromechanical interface between said user-manipulable object and said electrical system. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
-
-
57. An interface apparatus for interfacing motion of a user manipulable object with an electrical system, said interface apparatus comprising:
-
a user-manipulable object moveable in two degrees of freedom and physically contacted by a user; a first degree of freedom actuator coupled to said user-manipulable object, said first degree of freedom actuator including a first voice coil actuator for applying a force to said user-manipulable object in said first degree of freedom using a magnetic field; a second degree of freedom actuator coupled to said user-manipulable object, said second degree of freedom actuator including a second voice coil actuator for applying a force to said user-manipulable object in said second degree of freedom using a magnetic field; and at least one sensor for detecting motion of said user-manipulable object along said first and second degrees of freedom and outputting sensor signals to said electrical system; whereby said actuators and said sensor provide an electromechanical interface between said object and said electrical system. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
-
-
74. An interface apparatus for interfacing motion of a user manipulable object with a host computer system displaying visual images on a screen, said interface apparatus comprising:
-
a user manipulatable object movable in two degrees of freedom by a user and physically contacted by said user; a microprocessor, separate from said host computer system, for communicating with said host computer system via a communication interface by receiving host commands from said host computer system; a plurality of actuators physically coupled to said user manipulatable object and electrically coupled to said microprocessor for applying a force to said user manipulatable object in said two degrees of freedom in accordance with a microprocessor command from said microprocessor, wherein said actuator includes a coil portion and a magnet portion which move linearly relative to each other and which use a magnetic field in applying said force; and a sensor for detecting a position of said user manipulatable object along said degrees of freedom and outputting sensor signals to said host computer system, said sensor signals including information representative of said position of said user manipulatable object. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
-
Specification