Method and apparatus for designing force sensations in force feedback computer applications

• US 6,147,674 A
• Filed: 04/25/1997
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Louis B., Chang, Dean C.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRIER, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US08/846,011
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 345/146, 345/156, 345/157, 345/161, 345/163, 345/326, 345/333, 318/568.11, 318/568.25, 74/471 XY, 463/30, 463/37, 463/38, 434/45, 395/99, 244/233
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• 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: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• 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 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/015 Force feedback applied to a joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for designing force sensations for use with a force feedback interface device. A graphical design interface tool displayed on a host computer receives input from a user to select a type of force sensation and to define physical characteristics of a particular force sensation of that type, such as a spring or periodic sensation. A graphical representation of the characterized force sensation is displayed, providing the user with a visual demonstration of a feel of the force sensation. The user can preferably feel the designed force sensation through a force feedback device connected to the computer, and may iteratively modify and update force sensations to achieve a desired feel. The graphical display can also be modified by the user with a cursor or other input to modify the force sensation.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium including program instructions for implementing a force sensation design interface, said program instructions performing steps of:

receiving input from a user on a host computer, said input selecting a type of force sensation to be commanded by a host computer and output by a force feedback interface device, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable by a user and moveable in a degree of freedom;

receiving input from a user defining physical characteristics of a particular force sensation of said selected type; and

displaying a graphical representation of said particular force sensation as characterized by said user, wherein said graphical representation provides said user with a visual demonstration of a feel of said characterized force sensation.

2. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 1 further comprising program instructions for receiving additional changes to said characterized force sensation from said user and displaying said additional changes in said graphical representation.

3. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 1 further comprising program instructions for commanding said characterized force sensation on said force feedback interface device coupled to said host computer such that actuators of said force feedback interface device output said force sensation on said user object.

4. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 3 wherein said force sensation has a duration, and wherein said graphical representation is updated in accordance with a current force output on said user object during said force sensation.

5. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of force sensations are selectable by said user, and wherein said selectable types of force sensations include conditions, effects, and dynamics.

6. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 1 wherein said selected type of force sensation is a spring condition, and wherein said graphical representation is a representation of said user manipulatable object and an image of a spring.

7. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 1 wherein said selected type of force sensation is a periodic force sensation, and wherein said graphical representation is an image of a periodic waveform.

8. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 7 wherein said characterization includes specifying an envelope for said periodic waveform, said envelope being displayed in said graphical representation.

9. A method for providing a force sensation design interface implemented by a computer, said method comprising:

displaying a design interface on a display device of a computer;

receiving input in said design interface from a user, said input selecting a type of force sensation to be commanded by a host computer and output by a force feedback interface device, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable by a user and moveable in a degree of freedom;

receiving input from a user to specify parameters which define characteristics of a particular force sensation of said selected type; and

displaying a graphical representation of said characterized force sensation in said design interface, wherein said graphical representation includes visual representations of said parameters such that said user can view an effect of said parameters on said force sensation.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising:

commanding said characterized force sensation on said force feedback interface device coupled to said host computer such that actuators of said force feedback interface device output said force sensation on said user object; and

updating said graphical representation in accordance with said force sensation being output on said user object.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein said graphical representation includes portions that can be graphically manipulated by said user using a displayed cursor when performing said updating of said graphical representation.

12. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said graphical representation includes a representation of a spring, and wherein said particular force sensation is a spring force sensation.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein said user can modify a size of saturation of said spring sensation and a stiffness of said spring sensation.

14. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein said graphical representation includes an animated graphical representation of a spring that is compressible through user manipulation of said user manipulatable object.

15. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said graphical representation includes a force versus time graph, and wherein said particular force sensation is a periodic force sensation.

16. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said user can modify a size of a deadband of said force sensation.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein said deadband is portrayed in said graphical representation as a space between two spring images.

18. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising receiving additional input from said user to modify at least one of said parameters defining characteristics of said force sensation.

19. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said graphical representation can be associated with a specific axis of said force feedback interface device, said force feedback interface device having multiple axes.

20. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said graphical representation can be associated with said force sensation that is implemented on multiple axes of said force feedback interface device simultaneously.

21. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein said axes include an x-axis and a y-axis.

22. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said force sensation is output in a particular angle in a two axis plane, said angle being selectable by said user.

23. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising receiving inputs from said user to graphically assign said selected force sensation to a button on said force feedback interface device.

24. A method as recited in claim 23 wherein said graphically assigning said selected force sensation to a button includes allowing said user to drag an icon representing said selected force sensation and drop said icon at an icon or area that represents a particular button on said force feedback interface device.

25. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising saving said characterized force sensation as resource file of parameters which can be accessed by other application programs having force feedback functionality.

26. A method for graphically allowing a user to design the feel of a simulated vibration sensation to be output by a force feedback interface device coupled to a host computer, said method comprising:

displaying a graphical profile using said host computer, said graphical profile being representative of the force versus time characteristics of said simulated vibration sensation;

providing points on said graphical profile that can be manipulated by the user to modify the feel of said simulated vibration sensation; and

commanding said simulated vibration sensation to said force feedback interface device coupled to said host computer such that actuators of said force feedback interface device modify a force output by said interface device as a function of time in accordance with requirements of said simulated vibration sensation.

27. A method as recited in claim 26 wherein said graphical profile includes a waveform fitted within an envelope.

28. A method as recited in claim 27 wherein at least one of said points allows said user to modify a magnitude of said waveform.

29. A method as recited in claim 26 wherein at least one of said points allows said user to modify attack characteristics of said waveform.

30. A method as recited in claim 26 wherein at least one of said points allows said user to modify fade parameters of said waveform.

31. A method as recited in claim 26 wherein said graphical profile is associated with a specific direction of a multi axis force feedback device.

32. A method as recited in claim 26 wherein said graphical profile can be displayed at a given angle in a two axis plane, said angle being selectable by said user.

33. A method as recited in claim 26 wherein a basic shape of said waveform can be selected by said user from a set that includes a sine wave and a square wave.

34. A method as recited in claim 26 further comprising assigning said modified vibration sensation to one of a plurality of buttons of said force feedback interface device, wherein said user designates which of said buttons is assigned said modified vibration sensation.

35. A method for graphically allowing a user to design the feel of a simulated force sensation to be output by a force feedback interface device coupled to a host computer, said method comprising:

displaying a graphical profile using said host computer, said graphical profile being representative of the force versus time characteristics of said simulated force sensation;

adjusting a shape of said graphical profile in response to said user manipulating said graphical profile using a user-controlled cursor to modify the feel of said simulated force sensation; and

commanding said modified simulated force sensation to said force feedback interface device coupled to said host computer such that actuators of said force feedback interface device output a force as a function of time in accordance with requirements of said simulated force sensation.

36. A method as recited in claim 35 further comprising receiving inputs from said user to graphically assign said selected force sensation to a button on said force feedback interface device.

37. A method as recited in claim 35 further comprising saving said modified simulated force sensation as resource file of parameters.

38. A method for providing a force sensation design interface implemented by a computer, said method comprising:

displaying a design interface on a display device of a computer;

receiving input in said design interface from a user, said input selecting a spring of force sensation to be commanded by a host computer and output by a force feedback interface device, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable by a user and moveable in a degree of freedom;

receiving input from a user to specify parameters which define characteristics of said spring force sensation, said parameters including a deadband of said spring force sensation; and

displaying a graphical representation of said characterized spring force sensation in said design interface, wherein said graphical representation includes visual representations of said parameters such that said user can view an effect of said parameters on said spring force sensation, wherein said graphical representation includes a representation of a spring including two spring images, wherein said deadband is portrayed in said graphical representation as a space between said two spring images.

39. A method as recited in claim 38 wherein said graphical representation includes an animated graphical representation of a spring that is compressible through user manipulation of said user manipulatable object.

40. A method for providing a force sensation design interface implemented by a computer, said method comprising:

displaying a design interface on a display device of a computer;

receiving input in said design interface from a user, said input selecting a type of force sensation to be commanded by a host computer and output by a force feedback interface device, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable by a user and moveable in a degree of freedom;

receiving input from a user to specify parameters which define characteristics of a particular force sensation of said selected type;

displaying a graphical representation of said characterized force sensation in said design interface, wherein said graphical representation includes visual representations of said parameters such that said user can view an effect of said parameters on said force sensation; and

receiving inputs from said user to graphically assign said particular force sensation to a particular one of a plurality of buttons on said force feedback interface device, wherein said user can test the output of said particular force sensation by pressing said particular button.