Method and apparatus for tactilely responsive user interface
First Claim
1. A user interface device to manipulate a position of a cursor on a screen display in an electronic apparatus, comprising:
- a tracking element actuatable to track the position of said cursor on said screen display;
at least one motor interconnected to said tracking element and having a position sensor connected thereto, each said position sensor generating a motor position signal indicative of the position of a respective motor;
a controller receiving cursor position information from said electronic apparatus and motor position information from a respective sensor;
a store of force-position information accessible to said controller, said controller accessing said store of force-position information in response to at least one of said cursor position information and said motor position signal to generate, using said at least one motor, a positive or negative force in said tracking element as a function of a position of said cursor on said screen display.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus implementing a user interface device, such as a mouse or trackball, having electronically controllable tactile responsiveness which is flexibly programmable. A user interface device effects positioning of a cursor within a limited area, such as on a display screen, with limits imposed by controllable tactile responsiveness. Programmable force-position characteristics relate the tactile responsiveness of the interface device to the position of the cursor within the limited area or on the display screen. In a described embodiment, the interface device includes at least two sets of wheels that move as the interface device is actuated. The at least two sets of wheels are aligned on mutually orthogonal axes. A servo motor is attached to each of the at least two sets of wheels. A position encoder is associated with each servo motor and outputs position information to a controller that has access to force-position relation information that is a function of a screen display on which the cursor is manipulated. The controller outputs a digital signal, in accordance with the force-display position relation information. The digital signal is converted to an analog current signal applied to the servo motor(s) to generate force in the servo motor. The force, presenting a tactile response to a human interacting with the user interface device, is perceived as a resistance, tactile pressure or lack thereof, or as a positive, assisted motion which is indicative of position on a screen display.
511 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A user interface device to manipulate a position of a cursor on a screen display in an electronic apparatus, comprising:
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a tracking element actuatable to track the position of said cursor on said screen display; at least one motor interconnected to said tracking element and having a position sensor connected thereto, each said position sensor generating a motor position signal indicative of the position of a respective motor; a controller receiving cursor position information from said electronic apparatus and motor position information from a respective sensor; a store of force-position information accessible to said controller, said controller accessing said store of force-position information in response to at least one of said cursor position information and said motor position signal to generate, using said at least one motor, a positive or negative force in said tracking element as a function of a position of said cursor on said screen display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of generating tactile responsiveness in a user interface device having a tracking element manipulating a position of a displayed element on a display screen of an electronic device, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning a plurality of drive/position assemblies along mutually orthogonal axes with respect to said tracking element, each of said plurality of drive/position assemblies including a motor and an associated sensor to drive and sense position of said tracking element; interfacing said user interface device to said display screen via a controller that receives information from said associated sensor of each of said plurality of drive/position assemblies and from said electronic device to track movement of said tracking element and the position on said display screen of said displayed element; storing force-position relation information, accessible to said controller, as a function of the position on the display screen of the displayed element; and accessing said force-position information via said controller and generating a signal to each of said plurality of drive/position assemblies to effect a positive or negative force to respectively assist or resist motion of said tracking element depending upon the position of said displayed element on said display screen. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A user interface device having tactile feedback capabilities, comprising:
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an actuatable member for imparting a tactile feedback to a user of said user interface device; a motor interconnected to said actuatable member; a position sensor in communication with said motor, said position sensor providing position information of said motor; a controller receiving said position information from at least said position sensor; a store of force-position relation information accessible to said controller, said controller outputting at least one force value corresponding to said position information in accordance with said store of force-position information; and a drive signal source generating a drive signal to said motor in accordance with said at least one force value, said drive signal causing a force in said motor to provide said tactile feedback to said actuatable member to assist or resist motion of said actuatable member. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A user interface device manipulated by a user and providing electronically controllable and flexibly programmable tactile feel, the user interface device comprising:
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a user manipulatable object grasped by a user and moveable by said user in at least one degree of freedom; a motor coupled to said user manipulatable object and providing force on said user manipulatable object in said degree of freedom, wherein said force is varied as said user manipulatable object changes position in said degree of freedom, said varied force creating a tactile feel perceived by said user when said user manipulatable object is moved by said user in said degree of freedom, said tactile feel defined at least in part by information received by said user interface device from a main CPU running a main software application; a control microprocessor separate from said main CPU, said control microprocessor executing a tactile control process separate from said main software application, said control microprocessor coupled to said main CPU by a communication interface; a sensor apparatus coupled to said control microprocessor and responsive to manipulation of said user manipulatable object, said sensor apparatus providing said control microprocessor with positional information corresponding with said manipulation of said user manipulatable object; and memory accessible to said control microprocessor and storing force profile information enabling a plurality of distinct force profiles, wherein said force profile information informs said control microprocessor how to implement a force profile by modulating said force as a function of a position of said user manipulatable object in said degree of freedom to achieve one of a plurality of tactile feels, wherein a particular force profile is selected and executed by said control microprocessor in accordance with requirements of said main software application. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for providing electronically controllable and programmable tactile feel with a user interface device manipulated by a user, the method comprising:
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providing a force on a user manipulatable object in a degree of freedom using a motor coupled to said user manipulatable object, said user manipulatable object being grasped and moveable by said user, wherein said force is varied as said user manipulatable object is moved in said degree of freedom, thereby creating a tactile feel perceived by said user and defined at least in part by information received by said user interface device from a main CPU running a main software application; executing a tactile control process using a control microprocessor separate from said main software application and in communication with said main CPU; providing position information to said control microprocessor using a sensor apparatus, said position information indicating a position of said user manipulatable object in said degree of freedom; and providing force profile information to said control microprocessor from memory accessible to said control microprocessor, said force profile information enabling a plurality of distinct force profiles, wherein said force profile information informs said control microprocessor how to implement a force profile by modulating said force as a function of a position of said user manipulatable object in said at least one degree of freedom to achieve one of a plurality of tactile feels, wherein a particular force profile is selected and executed by said control microprocessor in accordance with requirements of said main software application. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification