Rotary force feedback wheels for remote control devices

• US 6,956,558 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2000
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Schena, Bruce M., Rosenberg, Louis B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad, Amr
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENGLISH, ALECIA DIANE
• Application Number:
  US09/678,110
• Time in Patent Office: 1,842 Days
• Field of Search: 345/163, 345/164, 345/166, 345/161, 345167-169, 348/734, 348/184, 341/20, 379/88.01, 463/36, 463/1
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks

Abstract

A force feedback wheel is provided on a mouse or other interface device manipulated by a user. A sensor detects a position of the mouse in a workspace and sends a position signal to a connected host computer indicating that position. A rotatable wheel is mounted upon the manipulandum and rotates about a wheel axis, where a wheel sensor provides a wheel signal to the host computer indicating a rotary position of the wheel. A wheel actuator coupled to the rotatable wheel applies a computer-modulated force to the wheel about the wheel axis. The mouse can be a standard mouse or a force-feedback mouse, where forces are applied in the mouse workspace. The host computer is preferably running a graphical environment, where the force applied to the wheel can correspond with an event or interaction displayed in the graphical environment. The wheel can also be included on other devices such as remote controls and radios.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a rotatable member being rotatable about an axis;

a sensor coupled to said rotatable member, said sensor configured to send data associated with a rotation of said rotatable member to an electronic device having a plurality of selectively actuated functions, each of the selectively actuated functions being selectable based on a displacement of said rotatable member, the plurality of selectively actuated functions including at least one of controlling a volume for audio output, selecting at least one of a received broadcast station and a channel from multiple stations and channels, and scrolling through a list of possible selections; and

an actuator coupled to said rotatable member, said actuator configured to output a haptic force sensation to said rotatable member, the haptic force sensation being associated with a selected one of the plurality of functions, the haptic force sensation associated with selecting at least one of the broadcast station and the channel including at least one of a detent sensation and a jolt sensation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detent sensation and the jolt sensation are associated with selection of particular stations and channels.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the haptic force sensation associated with scrolling through a list of possible selections includes a spring return sensation.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the scrolling is associated with an isometric control paradigm.

5. An apparatus, comprising:

a rotatable member being rotatable about an axis;

a sensor coupled to said rotatable member, said sensor configured to send data associated with a rotation of said rotatable member to an electronic device having a plurality of selectively actuated functions, each of the selectively actuated functions being selectable based on a displacement of said rotatable member; and

an actuator coupled to said rotatable member, said actuator configured to output a haptic force sensation to said rotatable member, the haptic force sensation being associated with a selected one of the plurality of functions, the actuator being configured to be responsive to isometric and isotonic interface paradigms.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a rotatable member being rotatable about an axis;

a sensor coupled to said rotatable member, said sensor configured to send data associated with a rotation of said rotatable member to an electronic device having a plurality of selectively actuated functions, each of the selectively actuated functions being selectable based on a displacement of said rotatable member;

an actuator coupled to said rotatable member, said actuator configured to output a haptic force sensation to said rotatable member, the haptic force sensation being associated with a selected one of the plurality of functions; and

a controller, the controller configured to assign at least one of a plurality of different levels of simulated inertia to said rotatable member, the assigned level of inertia based on the selected one of the plurality of selectively actuated functions.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a rotatable member being rotatable about an axis;

a sensor coupled to said rotatable member, said sensor configured to send data associated with a rotation of said rotatable member to an electronic device having a plurality of selectively actuated functions, each of the selectively actuated functions being selectable based on a displacement of said rotatable member;

an actuator coupled to said rotatable member, said actuator configured to output a haptic force sensation to said rotatable member, the haptic force sensation being associated with a selected one of the plurality of functions; and

a controller, the controller configured to selectively associate detents from a plurality of detents with said rotatable member, the selectively associated detents being associated with the selected one of the plurality of selectively actuated functions.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a rotatable member being rotatable about an axis;

a sensor coupled to said rotatable member, said sensor configured to send data associated with a rotation of said rotatable member to an electronic device having a plurality of selectively actuated functions, each of the selectively actuated functions being selectable based on a displacement of said rotatable member;

an actuator coupled to said rotatable member, said actuator configured to output a haptic force sensation to said rotatable member, the haptic force sensation being associated with a selected one of the plurality of functions; and

a controller, the controller configured to associate hard stops at predetermined locations within a range of travel of said rotatable member, the predetermined locations being associated with the selected one of the plurality of selectively actuated functions.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a rotatable member being rotatable about an axis;

a sensor coupled to said rotatable member, said sensor configured to send data associated with a rotation of said rotatable member to an electronic device having a plurality of selectively actuated functions, each of the selectively actuated functions being selectable based on a displacement of said rotatable member;

an actuator coupled to said rotatable member, said actuator configured to output a haptic force sensation to said rotatable member, the haptic force sensation being associated with a selected one of the plurality of functions; and

a controller, the controller configured to associate different levels of simulated damping with said rotatable member, the associated level of simulated damping being associated with the selected one of the plurality of selectively actuated functions.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a rotatable member being rotatable about an axis;

a sensor coupled to said rotatable member, said sensor configured to send data associated with a rotation of said rotatable member to an electronic device having a plurality of selectively actuated functions, each of the selectively actuated functions being selectable based on a displacement of said rotatable member;

an actuator coupled to said rotatable member, said actuator configured to output a haptic force sensation to said rotatable member, the haptic force sensation being associated with a selected one of the plurality of functions; and

a controller, the controller configured to associate different levels of simulated friction to said rotatable member, the associated level of simulated friction being associated with the selected one of the plurality of selectively actuated functions.

11. A method, comprising:

sensing of a position of a rotatable member of an apparatus, the rotatable member being rotatable about an axis, the apparatus configured to send a position signal to at least one electronic device, the position signal associated with the position of the rotatable member;

outputting a haptic force sensation to the rotatable member via an actuator coupled to the rotatable member, the haptic force sensation associated with a selected one of a plurality of functions associated with the electronic device, the outputting the haptic force sensation associated with a selected one of the plurality of functions includes outputting the haptic force sensation associated with at least one of controlling a volume for audio output, selecting at least one of a received broadcast station and a channel from multiple stations and channels, and scrolling through a list of selections, the outputting the haptic force sensation associated with scrolling through a list of selections includes outputting a spring return sensation; and

sensing a displacement of the rotatable member to select the one of the plurality of functions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the outputting a spring return sensation is associated with an isometric control paradigm.

13. A method, comprising:

sensing of a position of a rotatable member of an apparatus, the rotatable member being rotatable about an axis, the apparatus configured to send a position signal to at least one electronic device, the position signal associated with the position of the rotatable member;

outputting a haptic force sensation to the rotatable member via an actuator coupled to the rotatable member, the haptic force sensation associated with a selected one of a plurality of functions associated with the electronic device;

sensing a displacement of the rotatable member to select the one of the plurality of functions; and

selecting a mode from one of an isotonic mode and an isometric mode of the rotatable member, the haptic force sensation output to the rotatable member being different depending on the selected mode.

14. A method, comprising:

sensing of a position of a rotatable member of an apparatus, the rotatable member being rotatable about an axis, the apparatus configured to send a position signal to at least one electronic device, the position signal associated with the position of the rotatable member;

outputting a haptic force sensation to the rotatable member via an actuator coupled to the rotatable member, the haptic force sensation associated with a selected one of a plurality of functions associated with the electronic device;

sensing a displacement of the rotatable member to select the one of the plurality of functions; and

associating detents with varied rotary spacing to the rotatable member, the associated detents being associated with the selected one of the plurality of functions.

15. A method, comprising:

sensing of a position of a rotatable member of an apparatus, the rotatable member being rotatable about an axis, the apparatus configured to send a position signal to at least one electronic device, the position signal associated with the position of the rotatable member;

outputting a haptic force sensation to the rotatable member via an actuator coupled to the rotatable member, the haptic force sensation associated with a selected one of a plurality of functions associated with the electronic device;

sensing a displacement of the rotatable member to select the one of the plurality of functions; and

associating hard stops at different locations within a range of travel of the rotatable member, the locations associated with the selected one of the plurality of functions.

16. A method, comprising:

sensing of a position of a rotatable member of an apparatus, the rotatable member being rotatable about an axis, the apparatus configured to send a position signal to at least one electronic device, the position signal associated with the position of the rotatable member;

outputting a haptic force sensation to the rotatable member via an actuator coupled to the rotatable member, the haptic force sensation associated with a selected one of a plurality of functions associated with the electronic device;

sensing a displacement of the rotatable member to select the one of the plurality of functions; and

associating different levels of simulated damping to the rotatable member, the associated level of simulated damping associated with the selected one of the plurality of functions.

17. A method, comprising:

sensing of a position of a rotatable member of an apparatus, the rotatable member being rotatable about an axis, the apparatus configured to send a position signal to at least one electronic device, the position signal associated with the position of the rotatable member;

outputting a haptic force sensation to the rotatable member via an actuator coupled to the rotatable member, the haptic force sensation associated with a selected one of a plurality of functions associated with the electronic device, the haptic force sensation being associated with an event occurring in a graphical environment implemented by the at least one electronic device; and

sensing a displacement of the rotatable member to select the one of the plurality of functions.

18. A handheld remote control apparatus, comprising:

a rotatable member being rotatable about an axis;

a sensor configured to send data associated with a rotation of the rotatable member to an electronic device having a plurality of selectively actuated functions, at least one of the selectively actuated functions includes selecting at least one of a broadcast station and a channel from multiple stations and channels; and

an actuator configured to output a haptic force sensation to said rotatable member, said actuator being configured to associate the haptic force sensation with the selected one of the plurality of functions, the haptic force sensation including at least one of a detent and a jolt, the at least one of the detent and the jolt being spaced apart in the rotation of the rotatable member, the at least one of the detent and the jolt being associated with the selection of the at least one of the broadcast station and the channel.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said actuator is a passive actuator.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said actuator is an active actuator.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the sensor is configured to provide the data to the electronic device via wireless transmission using an electromagnetic beam.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a processor configured to communicate with the actuator and configured to associate the haptic force sensation with the selected one of the plurality of functions, said processor configured to include selectable modes, the selectable modes including a selectable isotonic mode and a selectable isometric mode for said rotatable member, the haptic force sensation output to said rotatable member being different depending on which of the modes is selected.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said rotatable member is configured to be depressed, said rotatable member configured to select the selected one of the plurality of functions based on the depression.

24. A handheld remote control apparatus, comprising:

a rotatable member being rotatable about an axis;

a sensor configured to send data associated with a rotation of the rotatable member to an electronic device, the electronic device having a plurality of selectively actuated functions, at least one of the selectively actuated functions includes scrolling through a list of selections; and

an actuator configured to output a haptic force sensation to said rotatable member, said actuator being configured to associate the haptic force sensation with the selected one of the plurality of functions, the haptic force sensation including an isometric control paradigm having a spring return sensation.

25. A handheld remote control apparatus, comprising:

a rotatable member being rotatable about an axis;

a sensor configured to send data associated with a rotation of the rotatable member to an electronic device, the electronic device having a plurality of selectively actuated functions; and

an actuator configured to output a haptic force sensation to said rotatable member, said actuator being configured to associate the haptic force sensation with the selected one of the plurality of functions;

a processor configured to associate force detents having varied rotary spacing with said rotatable member by controlling said actuator, said associated rotary spacing being associated with the selected one of the plurality of functions.