Haptic feedback device

• US 8,487,873 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Louis B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US11/899,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20070298877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,142 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184
• US Class Current: 345/161
• 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 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• 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 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• 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 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• 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 3/011 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 3/0362 : 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

A force feedback interface and method including an actuator in a non-primary axis or degree of freedom. The force feedback interface device is connected to a host computer that implements a host application program or graphical environment. The interface device includes a user manipulatable object, a sensor for detecting movement of the user object, and an actuator to apply output forces to the user object. The actuator outputs a force sensation on the user object in non-primary axis or degree of freedom. Force sensations such as a jolt, vibration, a constant force, and a texture force can be output on the user object with the actuator. The force sensations can be output in a direction perpendicular to a planar degree of freedom, radial to spherical degree of freedom, and/or along a lengthwise axis of the user object. The system may be utilized where multiple users are able to manipulate respective user manipulatable objects to interact with one another over a network environment and experience the non-primary degree of freedom/axis force sensation.

Claims

1. A joystick apparatus comprising:

a base;

a graspable handle coupled to the base and moveable in a plurality of rotatable degrees of freedom with respect to the base;

a sensor configured to sense movement of the handle relative to the base about the plurality rotatable degrees of freedom, the sensor configured to output a sensor signal to a processor; and

an actuator comprising a stationary portion and moving portion, the stationary portion coupled to the base and the moving portion coupled to the handle, the moving portion configured to move between an extended and a retracted position relative to the stationary portion when activated to provide a force sensation to the handle along an axis oriented along a length of the handle, the actuator further comprising a spring coupled between the stationary portion and the moving portion, the spring configured to bias the moving portion to an extended position along the axis, and wherein the actuator is configured to be activated upon receiving a control signal from the processor in response to the sensor signal.

2. The joystick apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotatable degrees of freedom are primary degrees of freedom, and wherein the actuator is moved between the extended and retracted position about a non-primary axis.

3. The joystick apparatus of claim 1 wherein the handle is configured to move away from the base along the axis upon the actuator moving from the retracted position to the extended position, and wherein the handle is configured to move toward the base along the axis upon the actuator moving from the extended position to the retracted position.

4. The joystick apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured to output a jolt sensation to the handle upon being activated.

5. The joystick apparatus of claim 1, wherein the force sensation is of a constant magnitude for a specified period of time or until in a predefined condition occurs.

6. A steering wheel apparatus, comprising:

a base;

a wheel adapted to be manipulated by a user using physical contact, the wheel having a shaft oriented about an axis and coupled to the base, wherein the wheel is rotatable about the axis with respect to the base;

a sensor coupled to the wheel and configured to sense rotation of the wheel relative to the base along the axis, the sensor configured to output a sensor signal corresponding to the sensed rotation to a processor; and

an actuator comprising a stationary portion and moving portion, the stationary portion coupled to the base and the moving portion coupled to the shaft, the moving portion configured to move between an extended and a retracted position relative to the stationary portion when activated to provide a force sensation to the wheel along the axis, the actuator further comprising a spring coupled between the stationary portion and the moving portion, the spring configured to bias the moving portion to an extended position along the axis and wherein the actuator is activated upon receiving a control signal from the processor in response to the sensor signal.

7. The steering wheel of claim 6, wherein the axis is a primary axis of freedom, and wherein the actuator moves between the extended and retracted position about a non-primary axis.

8. The steering wheel of claim 6, wherein the wheel is configured to move away from the base along the axis upon the actuator moving from the retracted position to the extended position, and wherein the wheel is configured to move toward the base along the axis upon the actuator moving from the extended position to the retracted position.

9. The steering wheel of claim 6, wherein the actuator is configured to output a jolt sensation along the axis to the wheel upon being activated.

10. The steering wheel of claim 6, wherein the force sensation is of a vibration.

11. A stylus, comprising:

a cylindrical body configured to be held by a user, the cylindrical body including a tip at a first end, the tip including a ball therein adapted to be in contact with a substantially planar surface, the tip configured to allow the ball to freely rotate when the tip is moved along the planar surface; and

an actuator positioned within the cylindrical body and comprising a stationary portion and moving portion, the moving portion configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the stationary portion when activated by a control signal from a processor to provide a force sensation to the cylindrical body along an axis oriented along a length of the cylindrical body, the actuator further comprising a spring coupled between the stationary portion and the moving portion, the spring configured to bias the moving portion to an extended position along the axis, and

wherein the actuator is configured to apply a force to the ball to output a force sensation to be felt by the user.

12. The stylus of claim 11, wherein the actuator includes a coil head and a coil housing, the actuator further comprising a brake pad coupled to the coil housing, wherein the coil housing moves away from the coil head and the brake pad is configured to come into contact with the ball when the actuator is activated.

13. The stylus of claim 11, wherein the actuator continuously moves between the retracted and extended positions at a desired frequency to output the force sensation as a vibration.

14. The stylus of claim 11, wherein the actuator is configured to move from the retracted position to the extended position to output the force sensation to be a jolt sensation.

15. The stylus of claim 11, the actuator prevents the ball from moving when in the extended position.

16. A video game system comprising:

a plurality of interface devices, each coupled to a respective host computer communicating with a host application program over a network, each interface device having a user manipulatable object configured to move in at least one primary degree of freedom;

each interface device having an actuator comprising a stationary portion and moving portion, the moving portion configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position relative to the stationary portion to produce a force sensation on the user manipulatable object along a non-primary degree of freedom upon receiving a control signal from its respective host computer, each actuator further comprising a spring coupled between the stationary portion and the moving portion, the spring configured to bias the moving portion to an extended position along the axis;

each interface device having a sensor configured to the sense movement of the user manipulatable object in the at least one primary degree of freedom, each sensor configured to provide a sensor signal associated with the sensed movement to the host application program via its respective host computer, wherein the host application program notifies at least one of the host computers to send the control signal to its respective actuator to output the linear force sensation in response to the sensor signal.