Hybrid control of haptic feedback for host computer and interface device

• US 7,502,011 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2002
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Martin, Kenneth M., Rosenberg, Louis B., Braun, Adam C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang; Regina
• Application Number:
  US10/184,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20030018403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,450 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-162, 345/163, 345/164, 345/165, 345/166, 345/167, 345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 345/700, 345/701, 345/702, 200/6.R, 200/6.A, 744/71.XY, 463/30, 463/36, 463/37, 463/38, 703/7, 715700-702
• 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: G06F 2203/015 Force feedback applied to a joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/28 Simulation of stick forces or the like

Abstract

A hybrid haptic feedback system in which a host computer and haptic feedback device share processing loads to various degrees in the output of haptic sensations, and features for efficient output of haptic sensations in such a system. A haptic feedback interface device in communication with a host computer includes a device microcontroller outputting force values to the actuator to control output forces. In various embodiments, the microcontroller can determine force values for one type of force effect while receiving force values computed by the host computer for a different type of force effect. For example, the microcontroller can determine closed loop effect values and receive computed open loop effect values from the host; or the microcontroller can determine high frequency open loop effect values and receive low frequency open loop effect values from the host. Various features allow the host to efficiently stream computed force values to the device.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising a processor configured to:

determine a closed loop force value,

receive an open loop force value, and

output a force signal based at least in part on the closed loop force value and the open loop force value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to receive the open loop force value from a host processor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the processor is configured to receive the open loop force value from the host processor by way of isochronous data transfer.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the processor is configured to communicate with the host processor via a Universal Serial Bus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a manipulandum moveable in at least one degree of freedom,

an actuator coupled to the manipulandum, the actuator configured to output a force effect to the manipulandum in response to the force signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a sensor configured to detect a position of the manipulandum in the at least one degree of freedom, the closed loop force value being associated with a closed loop force effect determined based at least in part on a sensor signal output from the sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the closed loop force value is associated with at least one of a spring force, a damping force, and a texture force.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the manipulandum comprises one of a joystick, a mouse, a trackball, a stylus, a steering wheel, a knob, a button, a gamepad, a gun-like targeting device, a hand grip, and a medical instrument.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the open loop force value is associated with an open loop force effect received from a host processor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the open loop force effect comprises at least one periodic force.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the closed loop force value is associated with a high-frequency force effect, determined based at least in part on a command from a host processor.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the open loop force value is associated with a low-frequency force effect provided by the host processor.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an actuator in communication with the processor, the actuator being configured to receive the force signal from the processor and output a force effect.

14. A processor-executable program stored in a computer-readable medium, comprising:

code to determine a closed loop force value;

code to receive an open loop force value; and

code to output a force signal to an actuator, the force signal based at least in part on the closed loop force value and the open loop force value.

15. The processor-executable program of claim 14 wherein the actuator is coupled to a manipulandum, the processor-executable program further comprising code to receive a sensor signal from a sensor coupled to the manipulandum, the closed loop force value being associated with a closed loop force effect, determined based at least in part on the sensor signal.

16. The processor-executable program of claim 15 wherein the closed loop force effect comprises at least one of a spring force, a damping force, and a texture force.

17. The processor-executable program of claim 15 wherein the open loop force value is associated with an open loop force effect received from a host processor.

18. The processor-executable program of claim 17 wherein the open loop force effect comprises at least one periodic force.

19. The processor-executable program of claim 14 wherein the closed loop force value is associated with a high-frequency force effect, determined based at least in part on a command from a host processor.

20. The processor-executable program of claim 19 wherein the open loop force value is associated with a low-frequency force effect, received from the host processor.