Three-dimensional tactile feedback computer input device

• US 6,246,391 B1
• Filed: 12/01/1998
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Ong, Ping-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alphonse, Fritz
• Application Number:
  US09/201,947
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/161, 345/157, 345/175, 341/2, 341/20, 700/85, 348/790
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A three-dimensional computer input device includes at least three elastic members which elastically support a movable object in a frame. A two-dimensional position detector is connected to one end of each of the elastic members. As the movable object is moved and/or rotated relative to the frame, the detectors collectively detect the motion and transmit the current position and/or rotational information to a computer which graphically displays the motion on a screen of the computer.

Claims

1. A computer input device for providing three-dimensional position signals for use by a computer in accordance with external forces selectively applied to the input device by a user, comprising:

a support;

first, second and third elongated elastic members each having a first end and a second end, said first ends being connected to said support at spaced apart positions along the support;

an object connected to the second ends of said first, second and third elastic members so that said elastic members elastically support the object for movement of the object, relative to the support, between a stable rest position absent an application of external forces to said movable object, and a second position at least one of translated and rotated from said rest position in response to applied external forces, and so that said object is returned from said second to said rest position under a return urgency of said elastic members upon removal of the applied external forces, each said elastic member defining in said rest position of the movable object an axis extending along the elongation of said each elastic member; and

first, second and third detectors each respectively connected to one of said first, second and third elastic members for detecting changes in orientation of the axis of the respective elastic element connected thereto and for operatively outputting a signal related to a detected change in the orientation of said axis of the respective elastic member connected thereto, so that said outputs of the first, second and third detectors collectively indicate the three-dimensional position of said movable object relative to said support, wherein said support peripherally surrounds said object in the rest position of said object and thereby defines a visual reference plane having mutually opposed open sides through which said object is viewable whereby the three-dimensional position of said movable object is visually determinable with reference to said support.

2. The computer input device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first, second, and third detectors comprises a pressure sensor.

3. The computer input device of claim 2, wherein said pressure sensor comprises a connecting piece connected to said respective elastic member at a connecting position on said connecting piece and a plurality of pressure detectors surrounding said connecting position of said connecting piece for detecting changes in orientation of the axis of the respective elastic member.

4. The computer input device of claim 3, wherein said connecting piece comprises a semisphere.

5. The computer input device of claim 4, wherein said pressure sensor comprises twelve pressure detectors evenly spaced about said connecting position.

6. The computer input device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first, second, and third detectors comprises a detector having a ball and socket joint connected to said respective elastic member and detectors for detecting movement of the ball in two dimensions in response to changes in the orientation of said respective elastic member.

7. The computer input device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first, second, and third detectors comprises a gimbal.

8. The computer input device of claim 1, further comprising an input button for providing an input signal to the computer.

9. The computer input device of claim 8, wherein said input button is mounted on said movable object.

10. The computer input device of claim 9, wherein said first, second, and third detectors are respectively operatively connected to said second ends of said first, second, and third elastic members.

11. The computer input device of claim 8, wherein said input button is mounted on said computer input device remote from said movable object.

12. The computer input device of claim 1, wherein said first, second, and third detectors are respectively operatively connected to said second ends of said first, second, and third elastic members.

13. The computer input device of claim 1, wherein said first ends of said first, second, and third elongated elastic members are positioned within a plane.

14. The computer input device of claim 1, wherein said movable object comprises a handle for facilitating the digital positioning of said movable object with respect to said support by a user.

15. The computer input device of claim 14, further comprising an input button mounted on said handle portion for providing an input signal to said computer.

16. The computer input device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transmitter for transmitting said electrical signals of said first, second, and third detectors to the computer.

17. The computer input device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said elastic elements comprises a spring.

18. The computer input device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said elastic elements comprises an elastic band.

19. The computer input device of claim 1, further comprising a fourth elongated elastic member having a first end connected to said support and a second end connected to said object.

20. The computer input device of claim 19, further comprising a fourth detector connected to said fourth elastic member for detecting changes in the orientation of the axis of the fourth elastic element and outputting a signal related to a detected change in the orientation of said axis of said fourth elastic member, such that said outputs of the first, second, third, and fourth detectors collectively indicate the three-dimensional position of said object relative to said support.

21. A computer input device for providing three-dimensional position signals for use by a computer in accordance with external forces selectively applied to the input device by a user, comprising:

a support;

an object;

first, second and third means for elastically supporting said object for movement of said object, relative to said support, between a stable rest position absent application of external forces to said object, and a second position at least one of translated and rotated from said rest position in response to an application of external force; and

means for detecting two dimensions of movement of each of said first, second and third means for supporting when said object is moved from said rest position to said second position for determining said second position, wherein said support peripherally surrounds said object in the rest position and thereby defines a visual reference plane having mutually opposed open sides through which said object is viewable whereby the three-dimensional position of said movable object is visually determinable with reference to said support.

22. The computer input device of claim 21, wherein said means for detecting further comprises means for generating an output signal related to said detected change in the position of said object.

23. The computer input device of claim 21, further comprising button means for providing an input signal to the computer.

24. The computer input device of claim 23, wherein said button means for providing an input signal is mounted on said object.

25. The computer input device of claim 23, wherein said button means for providing an input signal is mounted on said computer input device remote from said object.

26. The computer input device of claim 21, wherein said connections of each said first, second and third means for supporting said object are positioned within a plane.

27. The computer input device of claim 21, wherein said means for detecting comprises a pressure sensor.

28. The computer input device of claim 27, wherein said pressure sensor comprises a connecting piece connected to a respective one of said first, second, and third means for supporting at a connecting position on said connecting piece and a plurality of pressure detectors surrounding said connecting position of said connecting piece for detecting changes in orientation of the axis of the respective one of the first, second, and third means for supporting.

29. The computer input device of claim 28, wherein said connecting piece comprises a semisphere.

30. The computer input device of claim 29, wherein said pressure sensor comprises twelve pressure detectors evenly spaced about said connecting position.

31. The computer input device of claim 21, wherein said means for detecting comprises a detector having a ball and socket joint connected to a respective one of said first, second, and third means for supporting and detectors for detecting movement of the ball in two dimensions in response to changes in the orientation of the respective one of said first, second, and third means for supporting.

32. The computer input device of claim 21, wherein said means for detecting comprises a gimbal.

33. A computer input device for providing three-dimensional position signals for use by a computer in accordance with external forces selectively applied to the input device by a user, comprising:

user manipulatable object means for receiving an external force to indicate motion in an at least three-dimensional space;

at least three means for supporting said object means at a stable rest location from which said object means may be displaced in said at least three-dimensional space in response to the external force and for providing a return urgency to return said object means to said rest location upon removal of the external force; and

sensing means for detecting motion in a two-dimensional space of three of said at least three means for supporting, whereby motion of said object means in three-dimensional space is measured, wherein said at least three means for supporting said object are arranged on a support peripherally surrounding said object in the rest position and defining a visual reference plane having mutually opposed open sides through which said object is viewable whereby the three-dimensional position of said movable object is visually determinable with reference to said support.

34. A method for providing a three-dimensional computer signal for use by a computer, comprising the steps of:

receiving an external force for moving an elastically supported object from a rest position to a second position;

detecting, by at least three detectors, two-dimensional directions of the movement of the object from the rest position to the second position relative to planes associated with each of the at least three detectors;

generating a signal related to the direction of the movement of the object in an at least three-dimensional space from the rest position to the second position from said three two-dimensional directions detected by the three detectors; and

visually determining the three-dimensional position of the object with reference to a support which peripherally surrounds the object in the rest position and thereby defines a visual reference plane having mutually opposed open sides through which the object is viewable.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said step of detecting comprises detecting a movement of an elastic support of the object for determining the second position of the object.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said step of detecting comprises detecting a change in orientation of a longitudinal axis of an elastic support for the object for determining the second position of the object.