Method and apparatus for compensating for position slip in interface devices

• US 7,447,604 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Martin, Kenneth M., Schena, Bruce M., Braun, Adam C., Tierling, Kollin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond; Edward
• Application Number:
  US10/995,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20050088408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 702/94, 702182-185, 701/207, 701/211
• US Class Current: 702/94
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• 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: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

Method and apparatus for compensating for position slip in interface devices that may occur between a manipulandum and a sensor of the device due to a mechanical transmission. A device position delta is determined from a sensed position of a manipulandum of an interface device. It is determined if position slip has occurred caused by a change in position of the manipulandum that was not sensed by a sensor of the interface device, typically caused by a mechanical transmission between sensor and manipulandum. If position slip has occurred, an error in the sensed position caused by the position slip is corrected by adjusting the sensed position to take into account the position slip. The adjusted position delta is used as the position of the manipulandum and the display of objects controlled by the interface device are accordingly compensated.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a device position delta from a sensed position of a manipulandum of an interface device in a degree of freedom, said position delta indicating a change in an actual position of said manipulandum;

determining if a position slip has occurred in a position sensing system, said position slip caused by a change in position of said manipulandum not sensed by a sensor of said interface device;

correcting an error in said sensed position caused by said position slip by adjusting said sensed position to take into account said position slip, and using said adjusted position as said actual position of said manipulandum;

determining a computation value from said device position delta, and outputting said computation value; and

determining a force having a magnitude and a direction at least partially based on said computation value, and outputting said force with an actuator disposed within said interface device.

2. A method comprising:

determining a device position delta from a sensed position of a manipulandum of an interface device in a degree of freedom, said position delta indicating a change in an actual position of said manipulandum;

determining if a position slip has occurred in a position sensing system, said position slip caused by a change in position of said manipulandum not sensed by a sensor of said interface device;

correcting an error in said sensed position caused by said position slip by adjusting said sensed position to take into account said position slip, and using said adjusted position as said actual position of said manipulandum; and

performing said determining a device position, said determining if a position slip has occurred, and said correcting an error over a plurality of iterations, and adjusting said sensed position by an amount which gradually reduces said error in said sensed position over said plurality of iterations.

3. A method comprising:

determining a device position delta from a sensed position of a manipulandum of an interface device in a degree of freedom, said position delta indicating a change in an actual position of said manipulandum;

determining if a position slip has occurred in a position sensing system, said position slip caused by a change in position of said manipulandum not sensed by a sensor of said interface device;

correcting an error in said sensed position caused by said position slip by adjusting said sensed position to take into account said position slip, and using said adjusted position as said actual position of said manipulandum;

determining a computation value from said device position delta;

modifying said computation value to compensate for an offset between said device position and a screen position of an object displayed by a host computer; and

outputting said computation value.

4. A method comprising:

determining a device position delta from a sensed position of a manipulandum of an interface device in a degree of freedom, said position delta indicating a change in an actual position of said manipulandum;

determining if a position slip has occurred in a position sensing system, said position slip caused by a change in position of said manipulandum not sensed by a sensor of said interface device;

correcting an error in said sensed position caused by said position slip by adjusting said sensed position to take into account said position slip, and using said adjusted position as said actual position of said manipulandum;

determining a computation value from said device position delta;

modifying said computation value to allow an object displayed by said host computer to continue moving after said manipulandum has reached a limit to a workspace of said manipulandum in a direction corresponding to a direction of said manipulandum into said limit; and

outputting said computation value.

5. A device comprising:

a manipulandum movable in at least one degree of freedom;

a position sensor operative to detect a position of said manipulandum in at least one of said degrees of freedom;

a mechanical transmission coupled between said manipulandum and said position sensor; and

a reference sensor operative to detect the motion of at least one reference location of said manipulandum, wherein at least one of said reference locations comprises a physical edge to a member, and wherein said reference sensor comprises an optical sensor operable to detect a passage of said physical edge through a transmitted beam.

6. A device comprising:

a manipulandum movable in at least one degree of freedom;

a position sensor operative to detect a position of said manipulandum in at least one of said degrees of freedom;

a mechanical transmission coupled between said manipulandum and said position sensor; and

a reference sensor operative to detect the motion of at least one reference location of said manipulandum, wherein said reference sensor is operable to provide a rising signal edge or a falling signal edge in said reference signal.

7. A method comprising:

enabling a determination of a device position delta from a sensed position of a manipulandum of an interface device in a degree of freedom, said position delta indicating a change in an actual position of said manipulandum;

enabling a determination of whether a position slip has occurred in said position sensing system, said position slip caused by a change in position of said manipulandum that was not sensed by a sensor of said interface device, and wherein said determining if said position slip has occurred comprises checking a reference signal from a reference sensor coupled to said interface device, said reference sensor operable to detect a position of a reference location of to said manipulandum;

enabling a correction of an error in said sensed position caused by said position slip by adjusting said sensed position to take into account said position slip, and enabling said adjusted position to be provided as said actual position of said manipulandum; and

performing said determining a device position, said determining if a position slip has occurred, and said correcting an error over a plurality of iterations, and adjusting said sensed position by an amount which gradually reduces said error in said sensed position over said plurality of iterations.