Method and apparatus for providing force sensations in virtual environments in accordance with host software
First Claim
1. An input/output device used in conjunction with a host computer for monitoring user manipulations and for enabling the simulation of feel sensations in response to said user manipulations, said feel sensations being generated in accordance with software running on said host computer that provides images on a computer display device, said input/output device comprising:
- a user manipulatable object physically contacted by a user and movable in at least two rotary degrees of freedom by said user;
a gimbal mechanism coupled to said user object and providing said at least two rotary degrees of freedom to said user object with respect to a local ground;
a local microprocessor separate from said host computer for enabling communication with said host computer, wherein said local microprocessor receives commands from said host computer, decodes said commands from said host computer, controls force generators in accordance with one or more of said commands, receives sensor signals, and reports data to said host computer in response to one or more of said commands, said local microprocessor functioning simultaneously with said software on said host computer;
a communication interface coupled between said host computer and said local microprocessor for transmitting signals from said host computer to said local microprocessor and from said local microprocessor to said host computer;
a plurality of force generators for generating feel sensations by providing a force on said user object in at least two degrees of freedom with respect to said local ground, said force generators applying forces to said user object in response to control signals from said local microprocessor;
at least one sensor for detecting the motion of said user object in said degrees of freedom with respect to said local ground, said sensor reporting said sensor signals to said local microprocessor representative of motion of said user object; and
memory coupled to and local to said local microprocessor for storing program instructions, said program instructions including routines for enabling communication between said local microprocessor and said host computer, for decoding said host commands, for reporting data to said host computer, and for generating said feel sensations utilizing said force generators, wherein said feel sensations are generated in accordance with said software running on said host computer and in accordance with images displayed by said host computer on said computer display device.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing force sensations in virtual environments includes a human/computer interface device and method used in conjunction with a host computer and which can provide feel sensations to a user of the device. A user manipulatable object physically contacted by a user, such as a joystick, stylus, pool cue, or other object, is movable in multiple degrees of freedom using a gimbal mechanism. A local microprocessor, separate from the host computer, enables communication with the host computer and receives commands from the host, decodes the commands, outputs actuator signals in accordance with commands, receives sensor signals, and reports data to the host in response to commands. Actuators generate feel sensations by providing a force on the user object in response to actuator signals from the local microprocessor, and sensors detect the motion of the user object and reports sensor signals to the local microprocessor. Memory is included locally to the local microprocessor for storing program instructions and routines enabling feel sensations and host-microprocessor communication. The feel sensation generated on the user is, in one embodiment, a damping sensation simulating a feel of motion through a fluid. In another embodiment, the feel sensation is a wall sensation simulating the feel of impacting a surface or obstruction.
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Citations
71 Claims
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1. An input/output device used in conjunction with a host computer for monitoring user manipulations and for enabling the simulation of feel sensations in response to said user manipulations, said feel sensations being generated in accordance with software running on said host computer that provides images on a computer display device, said input/output device comprising:
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a user manipulatable object physically contacted by a user and movable in at least two rotary degrees of freedom by said user; a gimbal mechanism coupled to said user object and providing said at least two rotary degrees of freedom to said user object with respect to a local ground; a local microprocessor separate from said host computer for enabling communication with said host computer, wherein said local microprocessor receives commands from said host computer, decodes said commands from said host computer, controls force generators in accordance with one or more of said commands, receives sensor signals, and reports data to said host computer in response to one or more of said commands, said local microprocessor functioning simultaneously with said software on said host computer; a communication interface coupled between said host computer and said local microprocessor for transmitting signals from said host computer to said local microprocessor and from said local microprocessor to said host computer; a plurality of force generators for generating feel sensations by providing a force on said user object in at least two degrees of freedom with respect to said local ground, said force generators applying forces to said user object in response to control signals from said local microprocessor; at least one sensor for detecting the motion of said user object in said degrees of freedom with respect to said local ground, said sensor reporting said sensor signals to said local microprocessor representative of motion of said user object; and memory coupled to and local to said local microprocessor for storing program instructions, said program instructions including routines for enabling communication between said local microprocessor and said host computer, for decoding said host commands, for reporting data to said host computer, and for generating said feel sensations utilizing said force generators, wherein said feel sensations are generated in accordance with said software running on said host computer and in accordance with images displayed by said host computer on said computer display device. - 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, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An interface device used in conjunction with a host computer for monitoring user manipulations and for enabling the simulation of feel sensations in response to said user manipulations, said feel sensations generated in accordance with application software running on said host computer and in accordance with images output on a computer display device by said host computer, said interface device comprising:
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a user object being physically contacted by a user and movable in at least two degrees of freedom by said user; a gimbal mechanism coupled to said user object and providing said at least two degrees of freedom to said user object with respect to a local ground; a local microprocessor separate from said host computer for enabling communication with said host computer, for receiving commands from said host computer, for decoding said commands from said host computer, for controlling said feel sensations in accordance with one or more of said commands, for reading sensor signals, and for reporting data back to said host computer in response to one or more of said commands, said local microprocessor functioning simultaneously with said software on said host computer; a communication interface for transmitting signals from said host computer to said local microprocessor and from said local microprocessor to said host computer; a plurality of actuators coupled to said gimbal mechanism for generating at least one of a plurality of feel sensations by providing a force on said user object in two degrees of freedom with respect to said local ground, wherein said actuators apply forces to said user object in response to said local microprocessor; a sensor coupled to said local ground for detecting the motion of said user object along said degrees of freedom with respect to said local ground, wherein said sensors report said sensor signals to said local microprocessor representative of motion of said user object; and memory local to said local microprocessor for storing program instructions, said program instructions including routines for setting communication parameters to enable communication between said local microprocessor and said host, for decoding said host commands, for reporting data to said host, and for generating said feel sensations, wherein said feel sensations are generated in accordance with said software running on said host computer and in accordance with images displayed by said host computer on said computer display device. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. An interface device used in conjunction with a host computer for monitoring user manipulations and for enabling the simulation of feel sensations in response to said user manipulations, said feel sensations generated in accordance with application software running on said host computer, said interface device comprising:
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a user object being physically contacted by a user and movable in at least two rotary degrees of freedom by said user; a gimbal mechanism coupled to said user object and providing said at least two rotary degrees of freedom to said user object with respect to a local ground; at least one local microprocessor separate from said host computer and coupled to said host computer by a communication interface, said local microprocessor contributing to an enablement of communication with said host computer, receiving commands from said host computer, decoding said commands from said host computer, controlling said feel sensations in accordance with one or more of said commands, reading sensor signals, and reporting data back to said host in response to one or more of said commands, said local microprocessor functioning simultaneously with said software on said host computer; a plurality of actuators for generating at least one of a plurality of said feel sensations by providing a force on said user object in two degrees of freedom with respect to said local ground, wherein said actuators apply forces to said user object in response to said actuator signals from said local microprocessor; a sensor coupled to said local ground for detecting the motion of said user object along said degrees of freedom with respect to said local ground, wherein said sensors report said sensor signals to said local microprocessor representative of motion of said user object; and memory local to said local microprocessor for storing program instructions, said program instructions including routines for enabling communication between said local microprocessor and said host and for generating said feel sensations, wherein said feel sensations are generated in accordance with said software running on said host computer and in accordance with images displayed by said host computer on a computer display device. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. An interface device used in conjunction with a host computer for monitoring user manipulations and for providing feel sensations, said feel sensations generated in accordance with application software running on said host computer, said interface device comprising:
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a user object being physically contacted by a user and movable in at least rotary two degrees of freedom by said user; a gimbal mechanism coupled to said user object and providing said at least two rotary degrees of freedom to said user object; a sensor coupled to said device that detects the motion of said user object along said degrees of freedom, wherein said sensors output sensor signals representative of motion of said user object; and at least one actuator coupled to said device that generates at least one of a plurality of said feel sensations to said user by outputting forces in response to said actuator signals from said local microprocessor; at least one local microprocessor separate from said host computer and coupled to said host computer by a communication interface, said microprocessor coupled to said sensor and to said actuator, said local microprocessor receiving commands from said host computer, decoding said commands from said host computer, controlling said feel sensations in accordance with one or more of said commands, reading said sensor signals, and reporting data to said host computer based on said sensor signals, said local microprocessor functioning simultaneously with said software on said host computer; and memory local to said local microprocessor for storing program data, said program data including routines for enabling communication between said local microprocessor and said host and for generating said feel sensations, wherein said feel sensations are generated in accordance with with images displayed by said host computer on a computer display device by said application software running on said host computer. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A controller of an interface device used in conjunction with a host computer for sensing user manipulations and for providing feel sensations, said feel sensations generated in accordance with application software running on said host computer, said controller comprising:
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a local microprocessor separate from said host computer and included in said interface device, said microprocessor coupled to said host computer by a communication interface, said microprocessor coupled to a sensor and to an actuator included in said interface device, said local microprocessor receiving commands from said host computer, decoding said commands from said host computer, controlling said feel sensations in accordance with one or more of said commands by outputting a signal to said actuator, reading sensor signals from said sensor indicating a position of a user manipulatable object coupled to said interface device and physically manipulated by a user of said interface device, and reporting data based on said sensor signals to said host computer, said local microprocessor functioning simultaneously with said software on said host computer, wherein said feel sensations are generated in accordance with said software running on said host computer and in accordance with images displayed by said host computer on a computer display device, and wherein said host computer can provide a command to said microprocessor to perform a function repeatedly until another command is provided from said host to cease performing said function; and memory local to said interface device and accessible by said local microprocessor, said memory storing program instructions for generating said feel sensations and storing data received from said host computer. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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Specification