Textures and other spatial sensations for a relative haptic interface device

• US 7,986,303 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1997
• 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): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US11/861,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20080048974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/161, 345/163, 345/582, 715/700, 715/701, 715/702
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• 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 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• 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 2203/015 Force feedback applied to a joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0333 Ergonomic shaped mouse for one hand
• 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: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03548 Sliders, in which the moving part moves in a plane
• 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: H04L 67/75 : Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Methods and systems for textures and other spatial sensations for a relative haptic interface device are described. One embodiment includes a method comprising the steps of receiving a signal from a sensor, the sensor signal associated with a change in a position of a haptic feedback device, transmitting sensor data to a host processor, the sensor data associated with the sensor signal, receiving force information from the host processor, the force information comprising a texture sensation having at least one parameter describing at least one force to be output based at least in part on an interaction of a graphical object with a texture field, the force information further comprising at least one characteristic of the texture sensation, parsing the force information, storing the at least one characteristic, and determining when to output the at least one force based at least in part on the interaction.

Claims

1. A method for providing haptic feedback, comprising:

receiving a signal from a sensor, the sensor signal associated with a change in a position of a haptic feedback device;

transmitting sensor data to a host processor, the sensor data associated with the sensor signal;

receiving force information from the host processor, the force information comprising a texture sensation having at least one parameter describing at least one force to be output based at least in part on an interaction of a graphical object with a texture field, the force information further comprising at least one characteristic of the texture sensation;

parsing the force information;

storing the at least one characteristic; and

determining when to output the at least one force based at least in part on the interaction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting the at least one force to the haptic feedback device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one force is output in a direction orthogonal to the change in position of the haptic feedback device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the texture sensation is associated with a texture field.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining a modeled position of the graphical object based on the interaction.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the modeled position of the graphical object comprises determining a velocity of the haptic feedback device or the graphical object.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one force is based at least in part on the modeled position of the graphical object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining when to output the at least one force comprises receiving a gating command configured either to cause the at least one force to be output or to stop the at least one force from being output.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the haptic feedback device comprises a mouse.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the texture sensation comprises a plurality of parameters, including a width parameter, a spacing parameter, and a magnitude parameter.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code to cause a processor to execute a method for providing haptic feedback, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from a sensor, the sensor signal associated with a change in a position of a haptic feedback device;

transmitting sensor data to a host processor, the sensor data associated with the sensor signal;

receiving force information from the host processor, the force information comprising a texture sensation having at least one parameter describing at least one force to be output based at least in part on an interaction of a graphical object with a texture field, the force information further comprising at least one characteristic of the texture sensation;

parsing the force information;

storing the at least one characteristic; and

determining when to output the at least one force based at least in part on the interaction.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising outputting the at least one force to the haptic feedback device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one force is output in a direction orthogonal to the change in position of the haptic feedback device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the texture sensation is associated with a texture field.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a modeled position of the graphical object based on the interaction.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the modeled position of the graphical object comprises determining a velocity of the haptic feedback device or the graphical object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one force is based at least in part on the modeled position of the graphical object.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein determining when to output the at least one force comprises receiving a gating command configured either to cause the at least one force to be output or to stop the at least one force from being output.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the haptic feedback device comprises a mouse.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the texture sensation comprises a plurality of parameters, including a width parameter, a spacing parameter, and a magnitude parameter.