Force-feedback input device to compensate output to actuator and apply fixed force-feedback in response to movement of operating section

• US 7,209,115 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shibazaki, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinh; Duc Q
• Application Number:
  US10/271,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20030076294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-168, 345/184, 715700-703, 341/20, 700 44- 47
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04766 providing feel, e.g. indexing means, means to create counterforce
• 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: H01H 2003/008 with a haptic or a tactile feedback controlled by electrical means, e.g. a motor or magnetofriction
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/04 Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/00 Mechanisms for operating contacts for tap changers H01H9/0027; thermal actuating or release means H01H37/02

Abstract

A force-feedback input device comprising an operating section, actuators to supply force-feedback by way of a transmission mechanism to the operating section, a movement quantity detector to detect a quantity of movement of the actuators and a controller to control the actuators by an output from the movement quantity detector. An initializing process is performed by the controller at startup utilizing an output from the movement quantity detector, and an output to the actuators is compensated after startup so that a fixed quantity of force-feedback is supplied to a quantity of movement of the operating section.

Claims

1. A force-feedback input device comprising:

an operating section,

an actuator to supply force-feedback by way of a transmission mechanism to the operating section,

movement quantity detectors to detect a quantity of movement of the actuator, and

a controller to calculate force quantity and control the actuator by way of an output from the movement quantity detectors,

wherein the controller calculates a force compensation coefficient by making a comparison based on detected movement quantity when a specified force quantity has been output for a specified time and ideal movement quantity when the specified force quantity has been output for the specified time, and the controller compensates the force quantity based on the calculated force compensation coefficient.

7. The force-feedback input device according to claim 1, wherein the force quantity is a torque.

8. The force-feedback input device according to claim 1, wherein the detected movement quantity is a position of the actuators and the ideal movement quantity is the position value of the actuators had the actuators operated as originally designed under the specified force and time.

2. A force-feedback input device comprising:

an operating section,

an actuator to supply force-feedback by way of a transmission mechanism to the operating section,

movement quantity detectors to detect a quantity of movement of the actuator,

an electrical current detector to detect an electrical current of the actuator, and

a controller to calculate force quantity and control the actuator by way of an output from the movement quantity detectors,

wherein the controller calculates a force compensation coefficient by making a comparison based on a detected electrical current value when a specified force quantity has been output for a specified time and an ideal electrical current value when the specified force quantity has been output for the specified time, and the controller compensates the force quantity based on the calculated force compensation coefficient.

9. The force-feedback input device according to claim 2, wherein the force quantity is a torque.

3. A force-feedback input device comprising:

an operating section,

an actuator that is coupled to and operative to supply a force-feedback to the operating section,

movement quantity detectors that are operative to detect movement of the actuator, and

a controller that is operative to calculate a force compensation coefficient and provide a fixed force quantity of force-feedback to the operating section based on the force compensation coefficient,

wherein the force compensation coefficient is a value that represents the difference between a design specification movement value and a calculated specification value, and

wherein the calculated specification value is the detected movement quantity of the actuator when a predetermined force quantity has been output for a predetermined time.

4. The force-feedback input device according to claim 3, wherein the force compensation coefficient is the difference between the actual position of the actuator after a predetermined force quantity is applied to the actuators and the theoretical position of the actuators based on design parameters.

5. The force-feedback input device according to claim 4, wherein the theoretical position of the actuators is the position value of the actuators after the predetermined time and predetermined force is applied.

6. The force-feedback input device according to claim 3, wherein the actuator comprises gears, the position of the gears being determined by encoders;

and the actual position and the calculated specification value is determined by the position of the gears.