Distributed haptic interface system and method
First Claim
1. A distributed haptic interface system, comprising:
- at least one pod adapted to be removeably mounted on any one of a plurality of portions of a moveable object;
at least one actuator associated with the at least one pod and being adapted to communicate with any one of the plurality of portions of the moveable object; and
a plurality of transmitter/receiver units mounted in a position defining a spatial frame of reference and in a communication relationship with the at least one pod, wherein the plurality of transmitter/receiver units detect and communicate relative position information of the at least one pod to a host computer and wherein the host computer processes the relative position information of the at least one pod to control actuation of the at least one actuator.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A reconfigurable haptic interface includes at least one pod adapted to be removeably mounted on one or more portions of a moveable object. The at least one pod includes at least one actuator adapted to communicate with the one or more portions of the moveable object. The system further includes a plurality of transmitter/receiver units, which are in a communication relationship with the at least one pod. The plurality of transmitter/receiver units detect and communicate relative position information of the at least one pod to a host computer. The host computer processes the relative position information of the at least one pod to control actuation of the at least one actuator located on the at least one pod.
52 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A distributed haptic interface system, comprising:
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at least one pod adapted to be removeably mounted on any one of a plurality of portions of a moveable object; at least one actuator associated with the at least one pod and being adapted to communicate with any one of the plurality of portions of the moveable object; and a plurality of transmitter/receiver units mounted in a position defining a spatial frame of reference and in a communication relationship with the at least one pod, wherein the plurality of transmitter/receiver units detect and communicate relative position information of the at least one pod to a host computer and wherein the host computer processes the relative position information of the at least one pod to control actuation of the at least one actuator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of operating a haptic interface, comprising:
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mounting at least one removeable pod on a first portion of a moveable object; moving the first portion of the moveable object within a plurality of virtual predetermined regions; communicating first position information of a plurality of position information associated with the first portion of the moveable object from the at least one removeable pod to a host computer; and processing the first position information of the plurality of position information at the host computer to generate a first control instruction of a plurality of control instructions, wherein processing the first position information of the plurality of position information at the host computer comprises determining if the first position information of the plurality of position information represents the first portion of the moveable object being located in at least one virtual danger region of the plurality of virtual predetermined regions. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of operating a haptic interface, comprising:
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mounting at least one removeable pod on a first portion of a moveable object; moving the first portion of the moveable object within a plurality of virtual predetermined regions; communicating first position information of a plurality of position information associated with the first portion of the moveable object from the at least one removeable pod to a host computer; processing the first position information of the plurality of position information at the host computer to generate a first control instruction of a plurality of control instructions; removing the at least one removeable pod from the first portion of the moveable object; re-mounting the at least one removeable pod on a second portion of the moveable object; moving the second portion of the moveable object within the plurality of virtual predetermined regions; communicating second position information of the plurality of position information associated with the second portion of the moveable object from the at least one removeable pod to the host computer; and processing the second position information of the plurality of position information at the host computer to generate a second control instruction of the plurality of control instructions, wherein processing the second position information of the plurality of position information at the host computer comprises determining if the second position information of the plurality of position information represents the second portion of the moveable object being located in at least one virtual danger region of the plurality of virtual predetermined regions. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification