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Force feedback mouse wheel and other control wheels

  • US 6,128,006 A
  • Filed: 03/26/1998
  • Issued: 10/03/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An interface device for interfacing a user'"'"'s input with a host computer and providing force feedback to said user, said interface device comprising:

  • a user manipulandum contacted and manipulated by a user and moveable in two degrees of freedom in a planar workspace with respect to a ground surface;

    a workspace sensor coupled to said user manipulandum for detecting a position of said user manipulandum in said planar workspace and operative to send a position signal to said host computer indicating a position of said user manipulandum in said planar workspace;

    a rotatable wheel coupled to said user manipulandum and rotatable about a wheel axis independently of said position of said user manipulandum in said planar workspace, said wheel rotatable by a digit of said user;

    a wheel sensor coupled to said wheel and providing a wheel signal to said host computer indicating a rotary position of said wheel; and

    a wheel actuator coupled to said rotatable wheel and operative to apply a computer-modulated force to said rotatable wheel about said wheel axis, wherein said force is modulated as a function of time or wheel position about said wheel axis to convey a force sensation to said user through said digit of said user.

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