Control knob with multiple degrees of freedom and force feedback

• US 7,233,313 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2003
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Martin, Kenneth M., Schena, Bruce M., Rosenberg, Louis B., Braun, Adam C., Levin, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): KUMAR, SRILAKSHMI K
• Assistant Examiner(s): KUMAR, SRILAKSHMI K
• Application Number:
  US10/712,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20040100440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/184, 345/161, 345/970, 345/974, 345/163, 345/167, 744/71.XY, 744/85
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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: G05G 2009/0477 holding the member in a number of definite positions
• 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 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0395 Mouse pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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: Y10S 715/97 Instrumentation and component modelling, e.g. interactive control panel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/974 Slider control as on-screen object in operator interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20201 Control moves in two planes

Abstract

The present invention provides a control knob on a device that allows a user to control functions of the device. In one embodiment, the knob is rotatable in a rotary degree of freedom and moveable in at least one transverse direction approximately perpendicular to the axis. An actuator is coupled to the knob to output a force in the rotary degree of freedom about the axis, thus providing force feedback. In a different embodiment, the knob is provided with force feedback in a rotary degree of freedom about an axis and is also moveable in a linear degree of freedom approximately parallel to the axis, allowing the knob to be pushed and/or pulled by the user. The device controlled by the knob can be a variety of types of devices, such as an audio device, video device, etc. The device can also include a display providing an image updated in response to manipulation of the knob. Detent forces can be provided for the knob by overlapping and adjusting ranges of closely-spaced detents in the rotary degree of freedom of the knob.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a manipulandum operable to be displaced in a degree of freedom;

a means for sensing a displacement of said manipulandum in said degree of freedom;

a means for selecting a mode associated with said displacement of said manipulandum in said degree of freedom, said mode comprising at least one of a position control mode and a rate control mode;

an actuator operable to output a processor-controlled force sensation to said manipulandum, said force sensation associated with said mode; and

a processor operable to receive a sensing signal from said sensing means and to output to the actuator a control signal associated with the sensing signal, the control signal operable to cause said actuator to output the processor-controlled force sensation, said processor further operable to associate a value with a position of said manipulandum in said position control mode and to control a rate of change of said value in said rate control mode.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said degree of freedom comprises a linear degree of freedom.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said degree of freedom comprises a rotary degree of freedom.

4. The device as recited in claim 3, wherein said manipulandum is operable to be displaced in a plurality of transverse directions with respect to an axis of said rotary degree of freedom.

5. The device as recited in claim 4, wherein said sensing means comprises a hat switch comprising a plurality of individual switches, each of said individual switches operable to detect a transverse position of said manipulandum in one of the plurality of said transverse directions.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to control said force sensation in said rate control mode.

7. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said force sensation comprises at least one of a biasing force, a damping force, a texture force, a jolt, an obstruction force, an assistive force, a periodic force, and an end-of-travel force.

8. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said actuator is operable to output a force detent during said displacement of said manipulandum in said position control mode.

9. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said rate of change is associated with said displacement of said manipulandum with respect to a designated position of said manipulandum.

10. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein said processor is operable to control a biasing force applied to said manipulandum in a direction toward said designated position in said rate control mode, and wherein a value of said rate of change comprises zero at said designated position.

11. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor is operable to control said position of said manipulandum in said rate control mode.

12. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a first processor and a second processor, the first processor operable to control the second processor.

13. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the degree of freedom comprises a first degree of freedom and a second degree of freedom.

14. A method comprising:

providing a manipulandum;

providing an actuator operable to output a force to said manipulandum;

providing a sensor operable to detect a position of said manipulandum and to output a sensor signal, said sensor signal comprising information associated with said position; and

providing a processor operable to control said actuator and to receive said sensor signal from said sensor, said processor operable to associate a value with said position of said manipulandum in a position control mode and to control a rate of change of said value in a rate control mode.

15. A method comprising:

providing a manipulandum operable to be displaced in a first degree of freedom and a second degree of freedom;

providing a means for selecting a mode associated with a position of said manipulandum, said mode comprising at least one of a position control mode and a rate control mode;

providing an actuator operable to output a processor-controlled force sensation to said manipulandum, said force sensation associated with said mode; and

providing a processor operable to control said force sensation output from said actuator and to receive a signal from a sensing means, said processor operable to associate a value with a position of said manipulandum in said position control mode and to control a rate of change of said value in said rate control mode.

16. A method comprising:

providing a manipulandum operable to be displaced in a degree of freedom;

providing a means for sensing a displacement of said manipulandum in said degree of freedom;

providing a means for selecting a mode associated with said displacement of said manipulandum in said degree of freedom, said mode comprising at least one of a position control mode and a rate control mode;

providing an actuator operable to output a processor-controlled force sensation to said manipulandum, said force sensation associated with said mode; and

providing a processor operable to receive a sensing signal from said sensing means and to output to the actuator a control signal associated with the sensing signal, the control signal operable to cause said actuator to output the processor-controlled force sensation, said processor further operable to associate a value with a position of said manipulandum in said position control mode and to control a rate of change of said value in said rate control mode.