Interface device for sensing position and orientation and outputting force to a user
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- receiving a locative signal associated with a position and an orientation of a user-manipulable object in a plurality of degrees of freedom;
displaying an image in a graphical environment, the image correlated with the position and the orientation of the user-manipulable object; and
outputting a feedback force signal corresponding to at least one of the plurality of degrees of freedom of the user-manipulable object, the feedback force responsive to the locative signal,wherein the user-manipulable object includes a stylus coupled to a mechanical linkage, the mechanical linkage configured to enable the user-manipulable object to be movable in the plurality of degrees of freedom.
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Abstract
An interface device for use with a computer that provides locative data to a computer for tracking a user manipulatable physical object and provides feedback to the user through output forces. The physical object is movable in multiple degrees of freedom and is tracked by sensors for sensing the location and orientation of the object. A device processor can be responsive to the output of the sensors and can provide the host computer with information derived from the sensors. The host computer can provides images on a display, where the computer responds to the provided sensor information and force feedback is correlated with the displayed images via force feedback commands from the host computer.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving a locative signal associated with a position and an orientation of a user-manipulable object in a plurality of degrees of freedom; displaying an image in a graphical environment, the image correlated with the position and the orientation of the user-manipulable object; and outputting a feedback force signal corresponding to at least one of the plurality of degrees of freedom of the user-manipulable object, the feedback force responsive to the locative signal, wherein the user-manipulable object includes a stylus coupled to a mechanical linkage, the mechanical linkage configured to enable the user-manipulable object to be movable in the plurality of degrees of freedom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus, comprising:
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a user-manipulable object moveable in a plurality of degrees of freedom; at least one sensor coupled to the user-manipulable object, the at least one sensor being operative to provide a locative signal associated with a position and an orientation of the user-manipulable object in the plurality of degrees of freedom; and a force generator coupled to the user-manipulable object and configured to output a feedback force in at least one of the plurality of degrees of freedom of the user-manipulable object, the feedback force correlated with the locative signal, wherein the user-manipulable object includes a stylus coupled to a mechanical linkage, the mechanical linkage configured to enable the user-manipulable object to be movable in the plurality of degrees of freedom. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus, comprising:
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a mechanical linkage having a first end and a second end, the first end of the mechanical linkage being coupled to a stylus, the second end of the mechanical linkage being coupled to a support base, the mechanical linkage including a plurality of joints configured to allow the stylus to be manipulable in a plurality of degrees of freedom; a plurality of sensors coupled to the plurality of joints of the mechanical linkage, the plurality of sensors operative to provide a locative signal associated with a position and an orientation of the stylus; and a force generator coupled to the mechanical linkage, the force generator configured to output a feedback force responsive to the position and the orientation of the stylus. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A processor-executable program, stored on a computer-readable medium, comprising:
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code to receive a locative signal associated with a position and an orientation of a user-manipulable object in a plurality of degrees of freedom; code to display an image in a graphical environment, the image correlated with the position and the orientation of the user-manipulable object; and code to output a feedback force signal corresponding to at least one of the plurality of degrees of freedom of the user-manipulable object, the feedback force responsive to the locative signal, wherein the user-manipulable object includes a stylus coupled to a mechanical linkage, the mechanical linkage configured to enable the user-manipulable object to be movable in the plurality of degrees of freedom. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification