Memory caching for force feedback effects
First Claim
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1. A method for providing force effects with a force feedback device having local control of the output of force sensations, said force feedback device coupled to a host computer, the method comprising:
- creating a representation of device memory, said device memory being provided on said force feedback device, said representation being allocated in memory of said host computer, wherein an application program is running on said host computer;
receiving a force effect load command from said application program, said force effect load command instructing that data for a force effect be stored in said device memory storing said data for said force effect in said representation of device memory, wherein a greater number of said force effects can be stored in said representation than in said device memory;
determining whether said device memory can store said force effect by examining said representation of device memory; and
if said device memory can store said force effect, sending said data for said force effect to said force feedback device to be stored in said device memory, wherein said force feedback device uses said data to control a force output to a user of said force feedback device.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for efficient management of memory in a force feedback system including a host computer and a force feedback device. A representation of device memory is maintained on the host computer to allow the host computer knowledge and control over storage and force effects in the device memory. A host cache for force effects is provided to allow almost unlimited numbers of force effects to be created for the device, where any force effects not able to fit in device memory are stored in the host cache.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for providing force effects with a force feedback device having local control of the output of force sensations, said force feedback device coupled to a host computer, the method comprising:
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creating a representation of device memory, said device memory being provided on said force feedback device, said representation being allocated in memory of said host computer, wherein an application program is running on said host computer;
receiving a force effect load command from said application program, said force effect load command instructing that data for a force effect be stored in said device memory storing said data for said force effect in said representation of device memory, wherein a greater number of said force effects can be stored in said representation than in said device memory;
determining whether said device memory can store said force effect by examining said representation of device memory; and
if said device memory can store said force effect, sending said data for said force effect to said force feedback device to be stored in said device memory, wherein said force feedback device uses said data to control a force output to a user of said force feedback device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for managing the storage of force effects in a force feedback system, the force feedback system including a force feedback device connected to a host computer, the method comprising:
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receiving a force effect create command by a driver running on said host computer, said command sent from an application program running on said host computer, said force effect create command instructing that particular force effect data for a particular force effect be stored in memory local to said force feedback device;
determining whether said local memory has sufficient space to store said particular force effect data;
if said local memory does have said sufficient space, sending said particular force effect data to said force feedback device to be stored in said local memory; and
if said local memory does not have said sufficient space, storing said particular force effect data in a cache implemented in memory of said host computer instead of said local memory. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for managing the storage of force effects in a force feedback system, the force feedback system including a force feedback device connected to a host computer, the method comprising:
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means for receiving a force effect create command by a driver running on said host computer, said command sent from an application program running on said host computer, said force effect create command instructing the particular force effect data for a particular force effect be stored in memory local to said force feedback device;
means for determining whether said local memory has sufficient space to store said particular force effect data, wherein if said local memory does have said sufficient space, said particular force effect data is sent to said force feedback device to be stored in said local memory, and wherein if said local memory does not have said sufficient space, said particular force effect data is stored in a cache implemented in memory of said host computer instead of said local memory; and
means for receiving a command by said driver from said application program to output said particular force effect to a user of said force feedback device, wherein if said particular force effect data is stored in said cache, said driver swaps said particular force effect data with loaded force effect data in said local memory and instructs said force feedback device to output said particular force effect. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification