Input and feedback system
First Claim
1. An input system for use with a simulated environment, comprising:
- an immobilizing device which restricts motion of a portion of a user'"'"'s body;
sensors which detect forces applied by the restricted portion of the user'"'"'s body; and
a sensory feedback device which provides a sensation to the user corresponding to motion which occurs in the simulated environment.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An input and feedback system for use with simulator devices immobilizes a portion of the user'"'"'s body using a securement device which holds the immobilized portion in a fixed position. Pressure sensors are disposed upon the securement device to detect the force resulting from any attempted motion of the immobilized body part. Signals describing these forces are sent to a processing unit which applies this information to a simulated environment and provides sensory feedback to the user of the this simulated environment. Feedback is provided via vibrating elements which provide a sensation to the user corresponding to the motion of the user'"'"'s muscles which occur in the simulated environment. Feedback is also provided via a screen which is disposed in front of the head of the user. Such immobilizing devices may be used to allow input and feedback based on the motion of various parts of the user'"'"'s body, such as the head, arms, legs, and torso.
112 Citations
58 Claims
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1. An input system for use with a simulated environment, comprising:
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an immobilizing device which restricts motion of a portion of a user'"'"'s body; sensors which detect forces applied by the restricted portion of the user'"'"'s body; and a sensory feedback device which provides a sensation to the user corresponding to motion which occurs in the simulated environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for providing feedback to a user of a processing unit, comprising the steps of:
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providing an immobilizing device which holds a portion of the user'"'"'s body immobile; providing vibrating devices disposed upon the immobilizing device and positioned to touch an immobilized portion of the user'"'"'s body near muscles which would extend if the immobilized portion of the user'"'"'s body moved; sending signals from the processing unit to the vibrating devices to cause the vibrating devices to vibrate; and controlling these signals to cause the vibrating devices located near a particular muscle to provide feedback indicating that the immobilized portion of the user'"'"'s body is moving. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. An input system for a user, comprising:
- an immobilizing device which restricts motion of a portion of the user'"'"'s body;
a vibrating device disposed substantially adjacent to a nerve spindle of a muscle of the user'"'"'s body which extends when the restricted portion of the user'"'"'s body moves; and
a processing unit which sends signals to the vibrating devices to control operation of the vibrating devices, the processing unit controlling the signals to cause the vibrating devices located adjacent to a particular muscle to provide feedback indicating that the restricted portion of the user'"'"'s body is moving. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
- an immobilizing device which restricts motion of a portion of the user'"'"'s body;
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15. A method for providing an indication to a user that his body has moved when it has not, comprising:
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preventing an intended motion of a portion of a user'"'"'s body, wherein the portion of the user'"'"'s body is substantially immobilized; detecting the intended motion of the portion of the user'"'"'s body; and providing sensory feedback which is a reflection of the intended motion. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An input system for use with a simulator, comprising:
- an immobilizing device;
a processing unit; and
an output system, the immobilizing device holding a head of a user in a substantially fixed position with respect to the user'"'"'s torso and further comprising sensors to detect a force exerted by the user in attempting to move the user'"'"'s head, and the processing unit calculating an effect of the force applied by the user in a simulated environment and presenting this effect in the simulated environment to the user via the output system. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
- an immobilizing device;
- 45. An input system for use with a computer, comprising at least one immobilizing device which holds a portion of a body of a user of the system in a substantially fixed position, the immobilizing device comprising sensors and vibration devices, the sensors being configured to detect forces exerted by the user in attempting to move the portion of the body held by the immobilizing device, the sensors sending signals representing a magnitude and direction of these forces to the computer, and the vibration devices disposed upon muscles of the user and controlled by the computer so as to provide sensations which mimic the sensations which would be felt if the attempted motion had occurred.
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52. A method for a user to control an environment simulated on a computer system where the user is modeled within the simulated environment, comprising:
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providing at least one immobilizing device which restricts motion of at least a portion of the user'"'"'s body; detecting forces exerted by the immobilized portion of the user'"'"'s body against the immobilizing device; sending a signal representing these forces to the computer system; and determining an effect that these forces have upon the model of the user in the environment simulated by the computer. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54)
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55. An input system for use with a simulated environment, comprising:
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an immobilizing device which holds a portion of a user'"'"'s body in a substantially fixed position; sensors which detect forces applied by the portion of the user'"'"'s body that is held in the substantially fixed position; and an output device which provides a sensation to the user corresponding to motion that occurs in the simulated environment, the motion is related to the detected forces. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58)
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Specification