Systems and methods for providing a haptic manipulandum

• US 9,207,763 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Anastas, George, Bailey, David W., Tashjian, Gregory, Yu, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Sasinowski, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US12/272,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20090073125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,577 Days
• Field of Search: 345/167, 715/701, 715/702
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a haptic manipulandum are described. In one described system, a lever arm is pivotably coupled to a housing, and configured to apply a processor-controlled force to a substantially-spherical manipulandum to provide a haptic effect. The described system may include a processor in communication with an actuator for providing the haptic effect.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

actuating a lever arm by a first actuator to pivot the lever arm around a pivot point to engage a roller of a roller assembly with a substantially-spherical manipulandum to provide a first haptic effect; and

after engaging the roller, actuating the roller by a second actuator to apply a second resistive haptic effect to the substantially-spherical manipulandum by rotating the roller in a direction opposing a rotation of the substantially-spherical manipulandum in an axis of rotation, wherein the first haptic effect comprises a resistive force based on a normal force between the roller and a surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second resistive haptic effect is associated with the first haptic effect.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second resistive haptic effect is based on a force applied by the roller to the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing a movement of at least one of the substantially-spherical manipulandum or the roller, and varying at least one of the first haptic effect or second resistive haptic effect in response.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the substantially-spherical manipulandum comprises a trackball.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second actuators comprise rotary actuators.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the roller assembly is coupled to a first end of the lever arm and wherein actuating the lever arm by the first actuator comprises transmitting a first actuator signal to the first actuator to cause the first actuator to rotate and exert a linear force on a second end of the lever arm to pivot the first end of the lever arm towards the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the lever arm is a first lever arm, the roller assembly is a first roller assembly, the roller is a first roller, and the axis of rotation is a first axis of rotation, and further comprising:

actuating a second lever arm by a third actuator to pivot around a second pivot point to engage a second roller of a second roller assembly with the substantially-spherical manipulandum to provide a third haptic effect; and

after engaging the second roller, actuating the second roller by a fourth actuator to apply a fourth haptic effect to the substantially-spherical manipulandum by rotating the second roller in a direction opposing a rotation of the substantially-spherical manipulandum in a second axis of rotation, wherein the third haptic effect comprises a resistive force based on a normal force to a surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum, and wherein the second axis of rotation is substantially orthogonal to the first axis of rotation.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code, the program code comprising:

program code for actuating a lever arm by a first actuator to pivot a the lever arm around a pivot point to engage a roller of a roller assembly with a substantially-spherical manipulandum to provide a first haptic effect based on a normal force between the roller and the substantially spherical manipulandum; and

program code for, after engaging the roller, actuating the roller by a second actuator to apply a second resistive haptic effect to the substantially-spherical manipulandum by rotating the roller in a direction opposing a rotation of the substantially-spherical manipulandum along an axis of rotation, wherein the first haptic effect comprises a resistive force based on a normal force between the roller and a surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the second resistive haptic effect is associated with the first haptic effect.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the second resistive haptic effect is based on a force applied to the roller by the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising program code for sensing a movement of at least one of the substantially-spherical manipulandum or, the roller, and program code for varying at least one of the first haptic effect and second resistive haptic effect in response.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the substantially-spherical manipulandum comprises a trackball.