Haptic trackball device

• US 8,462,116 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2010
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Bruneau, Ryan D., Alarcon, Ramon, Rosenberg, Louis B., Shahoian, Erik J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, DUC Q
• Application Number:
  US12/769,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20100207882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-167
• US Class Current: 345/167
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• 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 2300/1062 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 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 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

In an aspect, an electronic device includes a housing; a manipulandum positioned in the housing, wherein the manipulandum is moveable in at least one rotary degree of freedom in response to a user moving the manipulandum; a sensor coupled to the manipulandum, the sensor outputs sensor signals associated with the movement of the manipulandum in the at least one rotary degree of freedom by the user'"'"'s direct contact; a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to output one or more activating signals based on the sensor signals; a first actuator coupled to the manipulandum, wherein the first actuator outputs a contact force to the manipulandum upon receiving a first activating signal; and a second actuator positioned within the housing and separate from the first actuator, wherein the second actuator outputs an inertial force to the housing upon receiving a second activating signal.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a manipulandum positioned in the housing, wherein the manipulandum is moveable in at least one rotary degree of freedom in response to a user moving the manipulandum;

a sensor coupled to the manipulandum, the sensor outputs sensor signals associated with the movement of the manipulandum in the at least one rotary degree of freedom by the user'"'"'s direct contact;

a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to output one or more activating signals based on the sensor signals;

a first actuator coupled to the manipulandum, wherein the first actuator outputs a contact force to the manipulandum upon receiving a first activating signal; and

a second actuator positioned within the housing and separate from the first actuator, wherein the second actuator outputs an inertial force to the housing upon receiving a second activating signal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the manipulandum is a sphere.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the manipulandum is a joystick.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the contact force is a pulse.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the contact force is a vibration.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the inertial force is a pulse.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the inertial force is a vibration.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a housing having a display;

a sphere positioned in the housing and moveable by a user in at least one rotary degree of freedom by direct contact;

a processor configured to run a software program configured to present the user a graphical user interface on the display in which the graphical user interface is navigatable by the user;

a sensor coupled to the sphere, the sensor outputting, to the processor, sensor signals associated with the movement of the sphere;

a first actuator coupled to the sphere, wherein the first actuator outputs a contact force to the sphere in a direction normal to a surface of the sphere upon receiving a first activating signal from the processor, the processor outputting the first activating signal upon the user navigating within a predetermined area of the graphical user interface; and

a second actuator positioned within the housing and separate from the first actuator, wherein the second actuator outputs an inertial force to the housing upon receiving a second activating signal from the processor.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the contact force is a pulse.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the contact force is a vibration.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the inertial force is a pulse.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the inertial force is a vibration.

13. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a button;

a sphere positioned in the housing, wherein the sphere is moveable in at least one rotary degree of freedom in response to a user moving the sphere by direct contact;

a first sensor coupled to the sphere, the first sensor outputs first sensor signals associated with the movement of the sphere in the at least one rotary degree of freedom;

a second sensor coupled to the button, the second sensor output second sensor signals associated with the user depressing the button;

a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to output one or more activating signals based on the either or both of the first and second sensor signals;

a first actuator coupled to the sphere, wherein the first actuator outputs a first contact force to the sphere upon receiving a first activating signal from the processor;

a second actuator positioned within the housing and separate from the first actuator, wherein the second actuator outputs a second contact force to the button upon receiving a second activating signal from the processor; and

a third actuator within the housing and separate from the first actuator and the second actuator, wherein the third actuator outputs an inertial force to the housing upon receiving a third activating signal from the processor.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first contact force is a pulse.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the first contact force is a vibration.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the second contact force is a pulse.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the second contact force is a vibration.