Force feedback interface with selective disturbance filter
First Claim
1. A force feedback interface device implementing a selective disturbance filter for reporting filtered data to a host computer system, said host computer system implementing and displaying a graphical environment, the interface device comprising:
- a user manipulatable object physically contacted by a user and movable in physical space in a degree of freedom with respect to a ground;
a sensor operative to detect said movement of said user manipulatable object in physical space in said degree of freedom with respect to said ground and output sensor signals representative of said movement;
an actuator coupled to said user manipulatable object and operative to apply an output force in said degree of freedom of said user manipulatable object; and
a microprocessor, separate from said host computer, coupled to said sensor and to said actuator, said microprocessor operative to receive host commands from said host computer and output force signals to said actuator for controlling said output force on said user manipulatable object, and operative to receive said sensor signals from said sensors and report locative data to said host computer derived from said sensor signals and indicative of said movement of said user manipulatable object, said host computer updating a position of a user-controlled graphical object based on at least a portion of said locative data, wherein said microprocessor implements a selective disturbance filter for modifying said locative data reported to said host computer when said output force would cause a disturbance to said user-controlled graphical object, wherein said modification of said locative data is performed when said output force on said user manipulatable object affects said position of said user manipulatable object such that said host computer would display said user-controlled graphical object in an undesired location on a display screen coupled to said host computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A force feedback interface and method providing a selective disturbance filter for providing selective reduction or elimination of displayed disturbances associated with output force sensations. A force feedback interface device is connected to a host computer that displays a graphical environment. The interface device includes a user manipulatable object, a sensor for detecting movement of the user object, and an actuator to apply output forces to the user object. A microprocessor outputs controlling force signals to the actuator, receives sensor signals from the sensors and reports locative data to the host computer indicative of the movement of the user object. The host computer updates a position of a displayed user-controlled graphical object in the graphical environment based on the reported data. The microprocessor implements a selective disturbance filter for modifying the locative data reported to the host computer when the output force would cause a disturbance to the user-controlled graphical object, the disturbance occurring when an output force sensation affects the position of the user object such that the host computer would display the user controlled graphical object in an undesired location or with an undesired motion in the graphical environment.
526 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A force feedback interface device implementing a selective disturbance filter for reporting filtered data to a host computer system, said host computer system implementing and displaying a graphical environment, the interface device comprising:
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a user manipulatable object physically contacted by a user and movable in physical space in a degree of freedom with respect to a ground; a sensor operative to detect said movement of said user manipulatable object in physical space in said degree of freedom with respect to said ground and output sensor signals representative of said movement; an actuator coupled to said user manipulatable object and operative to apply an output force in said degree of freedom of said user manipulatable object; and a microprocessor, separate from said host computer, coupled to said sensor and to said actuator, said microprocessor operative to receive host commands from said host computer and output force signals to said actuator for controlling said output force on said user manipulatable object, and operative to receive said sensor signals from said sensors and report locative data to said host computer derived from said sensor signals and indicative of said movement of said user manipulatable object, said host computer updating a position of a user-controlled graphical object based on at least a portion of said locative data, wherein said microprocessor implements a selective disturbance filter for modifying said locative data reported to said host computer when said output force would cause a disturbance to said user-controlled graphical object, wherein said modification of said locative data is performed when said output force on said user manipulatable object affects said position of said user manipulatable object such that said host computer would display said user-controlled graphical object in an undesired location on a display screen coupled to said host computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for selectively filtering visual disturbances associated with forces occurring in a force feedback system, the method comprising:
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receiving a command at a force feedback interface device from a host computer to output a force sensation on a user manipulatable object of said force feedback interface device; determining whether said force sensation is associated with a disturbance filter process stored in a computer readable medium; determining whether said associated disturbance filter process is enabled; filtering input data according to said associated disturbance filter process to provide filtered input data, said filtering being performed if said associated disturbance filter process is enabled, said input data being received from sensors during said output of said force sensation and being representative of a position of said user manipulatable object in a degree of freedom, wherein said filtering reduces a disturbance on a position of a user controlled displayed graphical object, said disturbance existing if said input data were reported to said host computer without said filtering, said disturbance being caused by said output of said force sensation on said user manipulatable object; and reporting said filtered input data to said host computer, said host computer using at least part of said filtered data to update a position of said user controlled displayed graphical object in a displayed graphical environment. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for providing force feedback to a user in conjunction with the display and updating of a graphical environment by a host computer system coupled to the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
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a user manipulatable object physically contacted by a user and movable in physical space in a degree of freedom with respect to a ground; sensor means operative to detect said movement of said user manipulatable object in physical space in said degree of freedom with respect to said ground and output sensor signals representative of said movement; actuator means coupled to said user manipulatable object and operative to output a force in said degree of freedom of said user manipulatable object; means for outputting force signals to said actuator means to control said output force on said user manipulatable object; means for receiving said sensor signals from said sensors and reporting locative data to said host computer derived from said sensor signals and indicative of said movement of said user manipulatable object, said host computer updating a position of a user-controlled graphical object based on at least a portion of said locative data; and means for filtering said locative data and reporting said filtered locative data to said host computer when said output force would affect said position of said user manipulatable object such that said locative data causes a visual disturbance to said user-controlled graphical object. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for selectively decoupling an input channel from an output channel in a force feedback interface device by filtering input data, the method comprising:
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outputting a force sensation in a degree of freedom of a user manipulatable physical object of said force feedback interface device, said force sensation being correlated with an event in a graphical environment implemented by a host computer coupled to said force feedback interface device, said event involving a user-controlled graphical object displayed in said graphical environment; determining whether said force sensation is associated with at least one of a plurality of disturbance filters stored in a computer readable medium; filtering input data according to said at least one associated disturbance filter to reduce a disturbance in displaying said graphical object, said input data being received from sensors during said output of said force sensation and being representative of a position of said physical object in said degree of freedom, wherein said output of said force sensation would cause said disturbance in displaying said graphical object if said input data were unfiltered; and using said filtered input data to update said user controlled graphical object in said displayed graphical environment. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A computer readable medium including program instructions for performing steps of:
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receiving sensor data from sensors on a force feedback interface device, said sensor data representing motion of a user manipulatable object in a degree of freedom; filtering said sensor data if said sensor data has been influenced by a force sensation output by actuators of said force feedback interface device and if said force sensation has been previously specified to require said filtering; reporting said filtered sensor data to a host computer, said host computer implementing a graphical environment and updating a user-controlled graphical object based on said filtered sensor data. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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44. A method for selectively filtering visual disturbances associated with forces occurring in a force feedback system, the method comprising:
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receiving a command at a force feedback interface device from a host computer to output a force sensation on a user manipulatable object of said force feedback interface device; determining whether said force sensation is associated with a disturbance filter process stored in a computer readable medium, wherein said force sensation is one of a plurality of different available force sensations that may be output by said force feedback interface device, wherein at least two of said force sensations are associated with different disturbance filter processes; determining whether said associated disturbance filter process is enabled; filtering input data according to said associated disturbance filter process if said associated disturbance filter process is enabled, said input data being received from sensors during said output of said force sensation and being representative of a position of said user manipulatable object in a degree of freedom; and reporting said filtered input data to said host computer, said host computer using at least part of said filtered data to update a position of a user controlled graphical object in a displayed graphical environment.
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Specification