Method and apparatus for designing force sensations in force feedback applications
First Claim
1. A method for implementing a force sensation design interface, said method comprising:
- displaying said force sensation design interface on a display device of a host computer;
receiving input from a user to said force sensation design interface, said input selecting a type of force sensation to be commanded by said host computer and output by a force feedback interface device, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable by a device user and moveable in a degree of freedom;
receiving input from said user defining physical characteristics of said selected force sensation;
displaying a graphical representation of said selected 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;
commanding said characterized force sensation to 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 manipulatable object in conjunction with said visual demonstration of said feel of said characterized force sensation; and
receiving additional changes to said characterized force sensation from said user after said force sensation is output and displaying said additional changes in said graphical representation, wherein a force sensation modified in accordance with said additional changes is output by said actuators on said user manipulatable object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A design interface tool for designing force sensations for use with a host computer and force feedback interface device. A force feedback device is connected to a host computer that displays the interface tool. Input from a user is received in the interface to select a type of force sensation to be commanded by a host computer and output by a force feedback interface device. Input, such as parameters, is then received from the user which designs and defines physical characteristics of the selected force sensation. A graphical representation of the characterized force sensation is displayed on the host computer which provides a visual demonstration of a feel of the characterized force sensation so that the user can view an effect of parameters on said force sensation. The characterized force sensation is output to a user manipulatable object of the force feedback device so that the user can feel the designed force sensation, where the graphical representation is updated in conjunction with the output of the force sensation. The user can iteratively modify force sensation characteristics and feel the results, and store the characterized force sensations.
334 Citations
74 Claims
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1. A method for implementing a force sensation design interface, said method comprising:
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displaying said force sensation design interface on a display device of a host computer;
receiving input from a user to said force sensation design interface, said input selecting a type of force sensation to be commanded by said host computer and output by a force feedback interface device, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable by a device user and moveable in a degree of freedom;
receiving input from said user defining physical characteristics of said selected force sensation;
displaying a graphical representation of said selected 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;
commanding said characterized force sensation to 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 manipulatable object in conjunction with said visual demonstration of said feel of said characterized force sensation; and
receiving additional changes to said characterized force sensation from said user after said force sensation is output and displaying said additional changes in said graphical representation, wherein a force sensation modified in accordance with said additional changes is output by said actuators on said user manipulatable object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for implementing a force sensation design interface for designing a slope condition, the method comprising:
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displaying said force sensation design interface on a display device of a host computer, said force sensation design interface including a graphical representation of a slope condition;
receiving input from a user to said force sensation design interface, said input defining physical characteristics of said slope condition to be commanded by said host computer and output by a force feedback interface device, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable by a device user and moveable in a degree of freedom;
adjusting said graphical representation of said slope condition in accordance with said input from said user; and
receiving input from said force feedback interface device indicating said user is moving said user manipulatable object, and commanding said characterized slope condition to said force feedback interface device such that actuators of said force feedback interface device output forces of said slope condition on said user manipulatable object in conjunction with updating said graphical representation to reflect a current position of said user manipulatable object, said graphical representation providing said user with a visual demonstration of a feel of said characterized slope condition. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system for allowing a user to intuitively design spatially varying force feedback sensations, said system comprising:
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a host computer system displaying a force feedback design interface on a display device, said force feedback design interface displaying a graphical representation of a force sensation selected by a user, wherein said user can adjust characteristics of said selected force sensation by inputting information to said design interface, said characteristics including stiffness, deadband and offset parameters;
a force feedback interface device coupled to said host computer system, said force feedback interface device receiving said stiffness, deadband and offset parameters and outputting said selected force sensation on a user object of said interface device when commanded by said host computer system, wherein said interface device outputs a modified force sensation on said user object corresponding to adjustments to said force sensation made by said user; and
saving said stiffness, deadband, and offset parameters to a storage medium accessible by said host computer system, said parameters being provided with an identifier to identify said parameters as a set defining a particular force sensation. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. An apparatus providing a force sensation design interface for designing a force sensation to be output to a force feedback interface device, the apparatus comprising:
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means for displaying said force sensation design interface on a display device of a host computer, said force sensation design interface including a graphical representation of a force sensation;
means for receiving input from a user to said force sensation design interface, said input defining physical characteristics of said force sensation to be commanded by said host computer and output by a force feedback interface device, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable by a device user and moveable in a degree of freedom;
means for adjusting said graphical representation of said force sensation in accordance with said input from said user;
means for receiving input from said force feedback interface device indicating said user is moving said user manipulatable object, and commanding said characterized force sensation to said force feedback interface device such that actuators of said force feedback interface device output said force sensation on said user manipulatable object in conjunction with updating said graphical representation to reflect a current position of said user manipulatable object, said graphical representation providing said user with a visual demonstration of a feel of said characterized force sensation; and
means for writing data describing said physical characteristics of said force sensation to a storage medium.
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31. A computer readable medium including program instructions for providing a force sensation design interface implemented by a computer, said program instructions causing said computer to perform steps comprising:
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displaying a design interface on a display device of said computer;
receiving input in said design interface from a user, said input selecting a type of force sensation to be commanded by said computer and output by a force feedback interface device coupled to said computer, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable by a device user and moveable in a degree of freedom;
receiving input from said user to specify parameters which define characteristics of said selected force sensation;
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
commanding said characterized force sensation to said force feedback interface device coupled to said computer such that actuators of said force feedback interface device output said force sensation on said user manipulatable object in conjunction with a visual demonstration of said feel of said characterized force sensation. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for graphically allowing a user to design a feel of a simulated spring sensation to be displayed by a force feedback interface device coupled to a host computer, said method comprising:
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displaying a graphical profile that is representative of a force output at different displacements of a user manipulatable object of said force feedback interface device, wherein said force provides said simulated spring sensation;
providing control points on said graphical profile that can be manipulated by said user to modify the feel of said simulated spring sensation; and
causing said simulated spring sensation to be output by actuators of said force feedback interface device coupled to said host computer such that said actuators of said force feedback interface device modify an output force as a function of displacement of said user manipulatable object of said force feedback interface device in accordance with requirements of said graphical profile of said simulated spring sensation. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method for graphically allowing a user to design a feel of a simulated damper sensation to be displayed by a force feedback interface device coupled to a host computer, said method comprising:
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displaying a graphical profile that is representative of a force output at different displacements of a user manipulatable object of said force feedback interface device, wherein said force provides said simulated damper sensation;
providing control points on said graphical profile that can be manipulated by said user to modify the feel of said simulated damper sensation; and
causing said simulated damper sensation to be output by actuators of said force feedback interface device coupled to said host computer such that said actuators of said force feedback interface device modify an output force as a function of velocity of said user manipulatable object of said force feedback interface device in accordance with requirements of said graphical profile of said simulated damper sensation. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A graphical method for allowing a user to design a feel of a simulated vibration sensation to be displayed by a force feedback interface device coupled to a host computer, said method comprising:
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displaying a graphical profile that is representative of a force output over a time period, wherein said force provides said simulated vibration sensation;
providing control points on said graphical profile that can be manipulated by said user to modify the feel of said simulated vibration sensation; and
causing said simulated vibration sensation to be output to a user by actuators of said force feedback interface device coupled to said host computer such that said actuators of said force feedback interface device modify said output force as a function of time of said force feedback interface device in accordance with requirements of said graphical profile of said simulated vibration sensation. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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Specification