Enhancing inertial tactile feedback in computer interface devices having increased mass
First Claim
1. A haptic feedback device in communication with a host computer, the device comprising:
- a housing;
a sensor device coupled to said housing, said sensor device operable to detect a movement of at least one of a manipulandum and said housing and to output a sensor signal representative of said movement; and
an actuator coupled to said housing, said actuator operable to output an inertial force, by moving an inertial mass, said inertial force transmitted through said housing; and
a power storage element coupled to said housing and operable to provide power to at least one of said actuator and to said sensor device, said power storage element being inertially decoupled from said housing to reduce the mass of said haptic feedback device with respect to said inertial mass.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for enhancing inertial tactile feedback in computer interface devices having an increased mass, such as wireless devices having the increased mass due to batteries or other power storage elements. A haptic feedback control device is in communication with a host computer and includes a housing, a sensor device that detects movement of a manipulandum or the housing, an actuator that outputs an inertial force transmitted through said housing to said user by moving an inertial mass, and a component, such as a power storage element coupled to the housing to provide power to the actuator. The component or power storage element is inertially decoupled from the housing to reduce the mass of the haptic feedback device with respect to the inertial mass, thereby allowing stronger haptic sensations to be experienced by the user for a given size of the inertial mass.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. A haptic feedback device in communication with a host computer, the device comprising:
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a housing;
a sensor device coupled to said housing, said sensor device operable to detect a movement of at least one of a manipulandum and said housing and to output a sensor signal representative of said movement; and
an actuator coupled to said housing, said actuator operable to output an inertial force, by moving an inertial mass, said inertial force transmitted through said housing; and
a power storage element coupled to said housing and operable to provide power to at least one of said actuator and to said sensor device, said power storage element being inertially decoupled from said housing to reduce the mass of said haptic feedback device with respect to said inertial mass. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A haptic feedback device in communication with a host computer, the device comprising:
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a housing;
a sensor device coupled to said housing, said sensor device operable to detect a movement of at least one of a manipulandum and said housing and operable to output a sensor signal representative of said movement; and
an actuator coupled to said housing, said actuator operable to output an inertial force by moving an inertial mass; and
a component coupled to said housing by a compliant member, said component being inertially decoupled from said housing to reduce the mass of said haptic feedback device with respect to said inertial mass. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for providing haptic feedback to an interface device, the method comprising:
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detecting motion of said interface device or a manipulandum thereof and providing an indication of said motion to a host computer;
receiving information from said host computer indicating that a tactile sensation is to be output, said tactile sensation being correlated with an event occurring within a graphical environment; and
outputting an inertial force with respect to an inertial ground on a housing of said interface device, by oscillating an inertial mass coupled to an actuator, wherein said inertial force is transmitted through said housing, wherein a mass of a power storage element included in said interface device is inertially decoupled from said housing of said interface device. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A tactile feedback device in communication with a host computer, the tactile feedback device comprising:
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a manipulatable object;
sensing means for detecting a movement of said manipulatable object, said sensing means operable to output a sensor signal representative of said movement, wherein at least one of a position and a motion of said manipulatable object is determined from said sensor signals; and
force generation means for outputting an inertial force with respect to an inertial ground, wherein said inertial force is generated by oscillating an inertial mass approximately along said axis with respect to said housing, said inertial force transmitted through said housing; and
power means for providing power to said force generation means, said power means being inertially decoupled from a housing of said tactile feedback device for reducing the mass of said tactile feedback device with respect to said inertial mass. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A device comprising:
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a housing;
a first inertial mass disposed in said housing;
a first actuator coupled to said housing, said first actuator operable to displace said first inertial mass; and
a component coupled to said housing, said component inertially decoupled from said housing. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
a second inertial mass; and
a second actuator operable to displace said second inertial mass.
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52. A method comprising:
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providing a housing;
disposing a first inertial mass in said housing;
coupling a component to said housing, said component inertially decoupled from said housing; and
coupling a first actuator to said housing, said first actuator operable to displace said inertial mass. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
coupling a compliant member to said housing; and
providing a processor in communication with said first actuator.
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54. A method as recited in claim 52 further comprising providing a sensor in communication with said housing, said sensor operable to detect a change in position of said housing and to output a sensor signal correlated with said change in position.
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55. A method as recited in claim 52 wherein said displacement of said inertial mass is operable to transmit an inertial force through said housing.
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56. A method as recited in claim 55, wherein said inertial force comprises a periodic force, said periodic force comprising at least one of a frequency and a magnitude, said processor operable to control said frequency and said magnitude.
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57. A method as recited in claim 56 further comprising streaming a plurality of force values, said force values comprising said periodic force.
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58. A method as recited in claim 52, wherein said component comprises a power storage element operable to provide power to at least one of said first actuator and to said sensor.
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59. A method as recited in claim 58, wherein said power storage element comprises a battery.
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60. A method as recited in claim 52, wherein said first inertial mass comprises said power storage element.
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61. A method as recited in claim 53 further comprising coupling said component to a compliant member.
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62. A method as recited in claim 52 further comprising coupling a flexure to said first actuator.
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63. A method as recited in claim 52 further comprising:
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providing a second inertial mass; and
providing a second actuator operable to displace said second inertial mass.
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Specification