Force feedback provided in web pages

• US 6,353,850 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2000
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Tan, Sian W., Wies, Evan F., Rosenberg, Louis B., Chang, Dean C., Mallett, Jeffrey R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US09/649,723
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 345/701, 345/702, 345/704, 345/731, 345/748, 345/749, 345/740, 345/473, 345/764, 345/856
• US Class Current: 709/203
• 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: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0333 Ergonomic shaped mouse for one hand
• 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 3/03548 Sliders, in which the moving part moves in a plane
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Force feedback is provided to a user of a client computer receiving information such as a web page over a network such as the World Wide Web from a server machine. The client machine has a force feedback interface device through which the user experiences physical force feedback. The web page may include force feedback information to provide authored force effects. Force feedback is correlated to web page objects by a force feedback program running on the client and based on input information from the interface device, the web page objects, and the force feedback information. Generic force effects can also be provided, which are applied uniformly at the client machine to all web page objects of a particular type as defined by user preferences at the client machine. A web page authoring interface is also described that includes the ability to add force sensations to a web page. The user may assign force effects to web page objects and immediately feel how the web page will feel to an end user. A web page is output by the interface, including force information to provide the force effects at a client. The authoring tool can include or access a force design interface for creating or modifying force effects.

Claims

1. A method for providing force effects for a web page, the method comprising:

determining which of a plurality of web page objects are to be associated with at least one force effect, said web page objects to be displayed in said web page, wherein said web page is derived from web page information received from a server machine over a network, said web page information including screen display information representing said web page objects;

selecting a force effect to associate with a particular web page object based on a type of said particular web page object and based on a mapping that associates said type of web page object with said force effect, said mapping being stored on a client machine that received said web page; and

sending a force signal to a force feedback interface device when a user-controlled cursor interacts with said particular web page object, said cursor and said force web page objects being displayed on said web page by said client machine, wherein said force signal is output to an actuator of a force feedback interface device coupled to said client machine to cause a force sensation to a user of said force feedback interface device, and wherein said force signal is based on said force effect.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein a force control program running on said client machine detects whether said user-controlled cursor is contacting one of said particular web page objects having said type.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein said force control program is a separate application from a web browser displaying said web page on said client machine.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said mapping is stored as preference information on said client machine.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said web page information is processed to add force information to said web page to implement said force effect, said force information being added before said web page is displayed by said client machine.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said client machine receives said web page information from said server, determines which of said web page objects are associated with force effects, and processes said web page information to add force information to said web page to implement said force effect.

7. A method for providing force effects for a web page, the method comprising:

enabling a determination of whether a web page object is associated with one or more authored force effects, wherein effect information specifying said authored force effects is included in web page information received by a client machine from a server machine over a network, wherein said web page information also includes screen display information representing said web page object to be displayed in a web page on said client machine;

enabling a determination of whether a web page object is associated with one or more generic force effects, wherein effect information specifying said generic force effects is stored on said client machine prior to receiving said web page information, and wherein said generic force effects are each applicable to a predefined type of web page object; and

enabling a providing of force information when a user-controlled cursor interacts with a particular web page object on said web page associated with at least one of said authored force effects or associated with at least one of said generic force effects, wherein said force information causes a force signal to be output to a force feedback interface device coupled to said client machine and causes an actuator of said force feedback interface device to output a force sensation to a user of said force feedback interface device, and wherein said force information is based on said effect information associated with said particular web page object.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein if said web page includes both an authored force effect and a generic force effect, further comprising enabling an override of said authored force effect with said generic force effect such that said generic force effect is output instead of said authored force effect.

9. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said authored force effect is overridden based on preferences of said user for said generic force effects, said preferences stored on said client machine.

10. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein if said web page includes both an authored force effect and a generic force effect, further comprising overriding said generic force effect with one of said authored force effects if said generic force effect and said authored force effect are associated with the same web page object.

11. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein said effect information for said authored force effect includes information specifying that said generic effect information specifying said generic effects and stored on said client machine is to be used in implementing said authored force effect.

12. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein said authored force effect is implemented using an ActiveX control referenced by said effect information for said authored force effect.

13. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein properties of said web page object associated with said generic force effect are accessed using Dynamic HTML.

14. A method for implementing a web page authoring interface including the ability to add force sensations to a web page, the method comprising:

enabling a display of said web page authoring interface on a display device of a host computer, said web page authoring interface displaying a web page including a plurality of web page objects;

enabling a reception of input from a user to said web page authoring interface, said input selecting one of said web page objects and selecting a force effect to be associated with said selected web page object; and

enabling an output of a web page including said web page objects and including force information to allow said force effect to be implemented when said web page is displayed by a client machine after being received by said client machine from a server machine over a network, wherein said force effect is commanded by said client machine and output as a force sensation by a force feedback interface device coupled to said client machine, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable and moveable by a user of said client machine.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said force information is a reference to a separate force effect file, wherein said force effect file is downloaded by said client machine to output said force effect using said force feedback interface device.

16. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said force information includes force effect content data characterizing said force effect.

17. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said web page authoring interface includes a force design interface for creating or modifying said force effect.

18. A method as recited in claim 15 further comprising creating said force effect in said force effect file using a force design interface separate from said web page authoring interface.

19. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said force effect is output to a force feedback device and experienced by said user of said web page authoring interface when a user-controlled displayed cursor interacts with said web page object assigned to said force effect.

20. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said web page is in HTML format.

21. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein said web page includes scripting instructions for accessing a force-only control program.

22. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising receiving spatial input from said user to said web page authoring interface, said spatial input spatially designating an area of one of said web page objects to be associated with a selected force effect.

23. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said user of said web page authoring interface may select a condition in said design interface, said condition determining when said force effect is output based on user input during display of said web page.

24. A method as recited in claim 23 wherein said condition includes a cursor controlled by said user moving over said web page object on said web page.

25. A method as recited in claim 23 wherein said condition includes a button on said user manipulatable object being pressed by said user.

26. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising receiving input from said user of said web page authoring interface to associate sound data with said selected web page object, such that when said force effect is output, a sound defined by said sound data is output to said user synchronized with said force effect.

27. A method as recited in claim 26 wherein when said force effect is output, a start of said output sound is synchronized to a start of said force effect output.

28. A method for providing force effects for a web page, the method comprising:

enabling a reception of web page information from a server machine over a network, said web page information including screen display information representing a plurality of web page objects to be displayed in said web page;

enabling a determination of which of said web page objects are to be associated with at least one force effect, wherein said web page objects associated with said at least one force effect have a predefined type; and

enabling an association of a generic force effect with each of said web page objects having said predefined type, each of said generic force effects being defined by associated effect information derived from a client machine, wherein a generic force effect associated with a particular one of said web page objects causes a force signal to be output by said client machine when a user-controlled cursor interacts with said particular web page object, said cursor and said web page objects being displayed on said web page by said client machine, wherein said force signal causes an actuator of a force feedback interface device coupled to said client machine to output a force sensation to a user of said force feedback interface device, and wherein said force signal is based on said effect information associated with said generic force effect that is assigned to said particular web page object.