Interactive simulation including force feedback

• US 6,482,010 B1
• Filed: 06/30/1998
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Eberman, Brian, An, Bin, Osborne, Timothy, Marcus, Beth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US09/107,339
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/83, 700/84, 700/85, 700/86, 345/156, 345/169, 345/420, 345/418, 345/419, 434/29-31, 434/45, 434/46, 463/38, 463/1-5, 463/6, 463/7, 273/317, 273/445, 273/447
• US Class Current: 434/45
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• 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: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/06 Details of their grip parts G05G1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/0474 characterised by means converting mechanical movement into electric signals
• 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 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/015 Force feedback applied to a joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/04 for teaching control of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/28 Simulation of stick forces or the like

Abstract

Interactive simulation including force feedback. The system includes a computer game display unit programmed with simulation rules. A control unit is connected to the computer and provides information and control signals to the computer to interact with the stored simulation rules and to receive information and control signals from the computer. A movable structure for movement in at least two degrees-of-freedom by an operator is interconnected to the control unit by actuators. A programmable unit processes signals and information from the computer to generate signals to drive the actuators so as to apply forces in the at least two degrees-of-freedom to the movable structure and thereby to the operator. The applied forces are based on internal programming within the programmable unit, events occurring in the simulation and movements of and forces applied to the movable structure by the operator. The system of the invention thereby provides continuous interaction among motion of and forces applied by the movable structure, the events in the simulation and forces applied to and applied by the movable structure.

Claims

1. An interactive simulation system adapted to be used with a computer programmed with simulation rules, comprising:

a control unit adapted to connect to the computer and to provide information and control signals to the computer to interact with the simulation rules and to receive information and control signals from the computer, said simulation rules being used for controlling feedback and modeling interaction of an operator with elements graphically displayed in a simulation or a game;

a joystick adapted to be moved with at least two degrees-of-freedom by an operator and by actuators interconnecting the joystick to the control unit, said joystick including a switch that is selectively actuated by the operator to control a state of a switch signal that is conveyed to the computer by the control unit; and

programmable means for processing signals from the computer to generate signals that drive the actuators to move the joystick and to apply force and touch feedback in the at least two degrees-of-freedom to the joystick and to the operator, the applied forces based on internal programming within the programmable means, the state of the switch being controlled by the operator, events occurring in the simulation or in the game, and movements of and forces applied to the joystick by the operator that enable the operator to feel the elements graphically displayed by applying a force to the operator through the joystick, said force corresponding to a state of at least one of the elements that are graphically displayed, whereby there is continuous interaction among motion of the joystick, the state of the switch controlled by the operator, the events and the elements graphically displayed in the simulation or in the game, and forces applied to and applied by the joystick.

2. The interactive simulation system of claim 1, wherein the state of the switch controlled by the operator controls an event graphically displayed in the simulation or game.

3. The interactive simulation system of claim 1, wherein a force applied to the operator through the joystick is determined by the state of the switch controlled by the operator, the force being applied to the operator relating to the event controlled by the state of the switch.

4. The interactive simulation system of claim 1, wherein the programmable means determines changes in the elements that are graphically displayed and the force applied to the operator, in response to the state of the switch.