Methods and apparatus for differentially controlling degrees of freedom of an object
First Claim
1. An input device for controlling an object, the input device comprising:
- a modal switch for selecting a subset of degrees of freedom of an object;
a joystick having at least three degrees of freedom for controlling a change over time in a configuration of the selected subset; and
a computer processor configured to apply a gain to the change over time and to alter the gain in response to proximity of the configuration of the selected subset to a boundary condition,wherein the change over time in the configuration of the selected subset is functionally dependent on both a motion of the joystick and a state of the selected subset.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An input device for controlling an object includes a joystick and a modal switch. A user may use the modal switch to select a subset of degrees of freedom of the object. The joystick may then be used to control a change over time of the selected subset, where the change over time is functionally depend on both a motion of the joystick and a state of the selected subset. A method for controlling an object via the input device is also provided. The method includes receiving inputs indicating a selection by the modal switch of a subset of degrees of freedom of the object, and a motion of the joystick. A configuration of the selected subset is then caused to be changed based on the motion of the joystick and a state of the selected subset.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An input device for controlling an object, the input device comprising:
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a modal switch for selecting a subset of degrees of freedom of an object; a joystick having at least three degrees of freedom for controlling a change over time in a configuration of the selected subset; and a computer processor configured to apply a gain to the change over time and to alter the gain in response to proximity of the configuration of the selected subset to a boundary condition, wherein the change over time in the configuration of the selected subset is functionally dependent on both a motion of the joystick and a state of the selected subset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14)
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13. A method for controlling an object via an input device having a joystick and a modal switch, the method comprising:
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receiving, using a computer processor, from the input device, a first input indicating a selection by the modal switch of a subset of degrees of freedom of an object; receiving, using the computer processor, from the input device, a second input indicating a motion of the joystick; causing, using the computer processor, a change over time in a configuration of the selected subset based on the motion of the joystick and a state of the selected subset; causing a first selected part of the object to be displaced including; a) determining whether the configuration of the selected subset is approaching a boundary condition; and b) if the computer processor determines that the configuration of the selected subset is approaching the boundary condition, reducing a gain applied to the change over time in the configuration of the selected subset to zero so that the change over time in the configuration of the selected subset reduces to zero as the configuration of the selected subset approaches the boundary condition. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a set of code modules which, when executed by a processor of a computer system, cause the processor to control an object via an input device having a joystick and a modal switch, the computer program product comprising:
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code for receiving, from the input device, a first input indicating a selection by the modal switch of a subset of degrees of freedom of an object; code for receiving, from the input device, a second input indicating a motion of the joystick; code for causing a change over time in a configuration of the selected subset based on the motion of the joystick and a state of the selected subset; code for causing a first selected part of the object to be displaced, comprising; a) code for determining whether the configuration of the selected subset is approaching a boundary condition; and b) code for reducing, if the processor determines that the configuration of the selected subset is approaching the boundary condition, a gain applied to the change over time in the configuration of the selected subset to zero so that the change over time in the configuration of the selected subset reduces to zero as the configuration of the selected subset approaches the boundary condition.
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Specification