Method and apparatus for controlling force feedback interface systems utilizing a host computer

• US 6,982,700 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation Delaware
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Louis B., Braun, Adam C., Levin, Mike D.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRIER, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US10/413,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20030193475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/161, 345/163, 345/184, 715/701, 715/702, 463/30, 463/38, 434/45, 244/223, 318/568.1, 318/568.11
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• 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: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1692 Calibration of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/04 by measuring coordinates of points
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/008 using coordinate measuring machines
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/004 for measuring coordinates of points
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4207 in which a model is traced or scanned and corresponding data recorded
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04766 providing feel, e.g. indexing means, means to create counterforce
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04777 with additional push or pull action on the handle
• 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 2203/014 : Force feedback applied to GUI
• 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: G06F 3/038 : Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 : Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/008 : with a haptic or a tactile feedback controlled by electrical means, e.g. a motor or magnetofriction

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling and providing force feedback using an interface device manipulated by a user. A microprocessor is provided local to the interface device and reads sensor data from sensors that describes the position and/or other information about a user object moved by the user, such as a joystick. The microprocessor controls actuators to provide forces on the user object and provides the sensor data to a host computer that is coupled to the interface device. The host computer sends high level host commands to the local microprocessor, and the microprocessor independently implements a local reflex process based on the high level command to provide force values to the actuators using sensor data and other parameters. A provided host command protocol includes a variety of different types of host commands and associated command parameters. By providing a relatively small set of high level host commands and parameters which are translated into a panoply of forces, the protocol further shifts the computational burden from the host computer to the local microprocessor and allows a software developer to easily create force feedback applications.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a user manipulatable object moveable in at least one degree of freedom;

at least one sensor operative to detect a position of said user maniputable object;

at least one actuator operative to output a force based on a control signal; and

a local controller in communication with said at least one sensor and said at least one actuator, and operative to;

receive a force command, and

output said control signal in response to said force command,

wherein said force command describes a tactile sensation and comprises a deadband parameter that specifies a deadband region centered about the origin of the at least one degree of freedom.

2. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said tactile sensation comprises a groove sensation.

3. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein no force is output when said user manipulatable object is in said deadband region.

4. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said force command comprises a saturation parameter.

5. A device as recited in claim 4, wherein said saturation parameter is expressed as a percentage of a maximum force output of said at least one actuator.

6. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said tactile sensation comprises a condition force sensation.

7. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said tactile sensation comprises a barrier tactile sensation.

8. A device as recited in claim 7, wherein said force command comprises a hardness parameter that indicates a magnitude of resistance force applied to said user manipulatable object.

9. A device as recited in claim 7, wherein said force command comprises a location parameter that indicates a location of said barrier region in said degree of said user manipulatable object.

10. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein a force output magnitude is approximately zero while said user maniputable object is in deadband region.

11. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said force command comprises a restoring force.

12. A device as recited in claim 11, wherein said restoring force is applied only within a region determined by a predetermined snap-out distance from said origin.