Design of force sensations for haptic feedback computer interfaces

• US 7,701,438 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2006
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, Dean C., Mallett, Jeffrey R., Rosenberg, Louis B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Jimmy H
• Application Number:
  US11/455,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20060279538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 715/701, 715/702, 715/727
• 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: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/015 Force feedback applied to a joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A design interface tool for designing force sensations for use with a host computer and haptic feedback interface device. A haptic feedback device communicates with a host computer that displays the interface tool. The user selects and characterizes force sensations using the interface tool, and a graphical representation of the characterized force sensation is displayed. The characterized force sensation is output to a user manipulatable object of the force feedback device so that the user can feel the designed force sensation The user can include multiple force sensations in a compound force sensation, where the compound sensation is graphically displayed to indicate the relative start times and duration of each of the force sensations. The user can also associate a sound with the force sensation, such that the sound is output in conjunction with the output of the force sensation.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an input device configured to generate a sensor signal associated with a characteristic for a force feedback sensation; and

a processor in communication with a display device and the input device and configured to;

receive the sensor signal associated with the characteristic for a force feedback sensation, and

cause an interactive graphical toolset interface to be displayed on the display device, the interactive graphical toolset interface comprising a graphical representation of the force feedback sensation with the characteristic, the graphical representation comprising a visual demonstration of the force feedback sensation, wherein the interactive graphical toolset interface is used to design the force feedback sensation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a force feedback interface device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device further comprises a local force processor in communication with the processor and configured to:

receive a host command signal; and

generate a reporting signal.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the host command signal is associated with a characteristic of a force to be output.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the reporting signal comprises at least one of a locative data or a sensor data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a signal associated with sound data; and

associate the sound data with the force feedback sensation.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate a host command signal associated with the force feedback sensation; and

cause the force feedback sensation to be output in conjunction with the visual demonstration of the force feedback sensation.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises part of a personal computer or a home video game system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises one of a joystick, mouse, trackball, stylus, steering wheel, sphere, medical instrument, pool cue, hand grip, knob, or button.