Force feedback device with safety feature

• US 5,907,487 A
• Filed: 04/02/1997
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Schena, Bruce M., Rosenberg, Louis B., Braun, Adam C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Paul P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garland, Steven R.
• Application Number:
  US08/825,722
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 364/190, 364/578, 364/188, 364/189, 345/156, 345/157, 345/161, 463/30, 463/38, 434/45, 74/471 XY, 318/628, 318/432, 318/568.1, 318/568.11, 244/223, 901/9, 414/5
• US Class Current: 700/85
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04766 providing feel, e.g. indexing means, means to create counterforce
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04777 with additional push or pull action on the handle
• 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 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• 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: G06F 3/0383 : Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/008 : with a haptic or a tactile feedback controlled by electrical means, e.g. a motor or magnetofriction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 : Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A force feedback interface device including a safety feature. The interface device includes a sensor that senses the position of a user object along a degree of freedom and provides a sensor signal indicating the position of the user object to a host computer. An actuator of the device applies a force to the user object in the degree of freedom. A safety switch connected to the user object disables the actuator when the user is not using the interface device and enables the actuator when more than a predetermined amount of weight is placed on the user object.

Claims

1. A force feedback interface device for safe use by a user, said interface device comprising:

a sensor for sensing the position of a user object along a degree of freedom and for providing a sensor signal indicating said position of said user object to a host computer coupled to said interface device;

an actuator for applying a force to said user object along said degree of freedom;

a safety switch coupled to said user object for disabling said actuator when said user is not using said interface device, said safety switch enabling said actuator when more than a predetermined amount of weight is placed on said user object.

2. An interface device as recited in claim 1 wherein said user object includes a joystick.

3. An interface device as recited in claim 2 wherein an amount of weight created by a user grasping said joystick is more than said predetermined amount of weight and enables said actuator.

4. An interface device as recited in claim 3 wherein said joystick includes a handle portion and a base portion, said handle portion being translatably coupled to said base portion.

5. An interface device as recited in claim 4 wherein said safety switch includes a contact on said handle portion and a contact on said base portion such that when said predetermined amount of weight is applied to said user object, said handle portion engages said base portion and said contacts engage to allow electrical current to flow therebetween.

6. An interface device as recited in claim 5 further comprising a spring member positioned between said handle portion and said base portion of said joystick, said spring member forcing said handle portion and said base portion apart from each other when less than said predetermined amount of weight is applied to said joystick.

7. An interface device as recited in claim 2 wherein said actuator is one of a plurality of actuators included in said interface device, wherein said safety switch is operative to enable and disable said plurality of actuators.