System and method for outputting haptic effects in a mouse device
First Claim
1. A memory device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of outputting haptic effects to a computer mouse, the method comprising:
- receiving a locative signal associated with sensed movement of the computer mouse along a plane associated with a surface, wherein the locative signal controls movement of a graphical object in a graphical user interface (GUI);
outputting a first force feedback signal to a first actuator of the computer mouse in response to an event independent of an input from the computer mouse, wherein the first force feedback signal is based at least in part on data stored in a lookup table of force values, wherein the first actuator is a linear actuator, and wherein the first actuator is mounted at substantially the center along both the X and Y axes of the computer mouse; and
outputting a second force feedback signal to a second actuator of the computer mouse;
wherein a first haptic effect associated with the first force feedback signal is output by the first actuator, the first haptic effect comprising a combination of at least two haptic effects output substantially simultaneously, and wherein the first actuator is configured to apply the first haptic effect in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane;
wherein a second haptic effect associated with the second force feedback signal is output by the second actuator, the second actuator configured to apply the second haptic effect in a direction substantially parallel to the plane by frictional contact with a planar surface;
wherein the computer mouse comprises an optical mouse and wherein the first and second force feedback signals are determined by a processor that controls an optical sensor;
wherein the computer mouse comprises a housing having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion coupled to the second portion by a flexible coupling; and
wherein the computer mouse is configured to be moveable in an unbounded workspace.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A low-cost tactile feedback mouse device for providing haptic feedback to a user for enhancing interactions and manipulations in a graphical environment provided by a computer. The mouse device includes a sensor device able to detect the movement of the mouse in the planar workspace. An actuator is coupled to the housing of the mouse and applies an inertial force in a particular degree of freedom, preferably along an axis perpendicular to the planar workspace, where the inertial force is transmitted through the housing to the user. The actuator outputs the inertial force preferably by linearly moving an inertial mass along the Z-axis. The output force is correlated with interaction of a controlled graphical object, such as a cursor, with other graphical objects in a graphical environment displayed by the host computer. The inertial force can be a pulse, vibration, texture force, or other type of force.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A memory device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of outputting haptic effects to a computer mouse, the method comprising:
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receiving a locative signal associated with sensed movement of the computer mouse along a plane associated with a surface, wherein the locative signal controls movement of a graphical object in a graphical user interface (GUI); outputting a first force feedback signal to a first actuator of the computer mouse in response to an event independent of an input from the computer mouse, wherein the first force feedback signal is based at least in part on data stored in a lookup table of force values, wherein the first actuator is a linear actuator, and wherein the first actuator is mounted at substantially the center along both the X and Y axes of the computer mouse; and outputting a second force feedback signal to a second actuator of the computer mouse; wherein a first haptic effect associated with the first force feedback signal is output by the first actuator, the first haptic effect comprising a combination of at least two haptic effects output substantially simultaneously, and wherein the first actuator is configured to apply the first haptic effect in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane; wherein a second haptic effect associated with the second force feedback signal is output by the second actuator, the second actuator configured to apply the second haptic effect in a direction substantially parallel to the plane by frictional contact with a planar surface; wherein the computer mouse comprises an optical mouse and wherein the first and second force feedback signals are determined by a processor that controls an optical sensor; wherein the computer mouse comprises a housing having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion coupled to the second portion by a flexible coupling; and wherein the computer mouse is configured to be moveable in an unbounded workspace. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A memory device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of outputting haptic effects to a computer mouse, the method comprising:
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providing a graphical user interface (GUI) having a graphical object controllable by the computer mouse; receiving a locative signal associated with a sensed movement of the computer mouse along a first plane; updating a value associated with the graphical object in response to the received position signal; outputting a first force feedback signal to a first actuator in the computer mouse device in response to an event independent of an input from the computer mouse, wherein the first force feedback signal is based at least in part on data stored in a lookup table of force values, the first actuator configured to output a first haptic effect associated with the first force feedback signal, wherein the first actuator is a linear actuator, and wherein the first actuator is mounted at substantially the center along both the X and Y axes of the computer mouse; and outputting a second force feedback signal to a second actuator of the computer mouse, the second actuator configured to output a second haptic effect associated with the second force feedback signal; wherein the first haptic effect comprises a combination of at least two haptic effects output substantially simultaneously and is in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first plane; wherein the second haptic effect is in a direction substantially parallel to the plane by frictional contact with a planar surface; wherein the computer mouse comprises a housing having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion coupled to the second portion by a flexible coupling; wherein the computer mouse comprises an optical mouse and wherein the first and second force feedback signals are determined by a processor that controls an optical sensor; and wherein the computer mouse is configured to be moveable in an unbounded workspace. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. Processor-executable code encoded on a memory device, the processor-executable code adapted to be run by a host computer coupled to a mouse device operated by a user, the code comprising:
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code to receive a locative signal associated with sensed movement of the computer mouse along a plane associated with a surface, wherein the locative signal controls movement of a graphical object in a graphical user interface (GUI); code to output a first force feedback signal to a first actuator of the computer mouse in response to an event independent of an input from the computer mouse, wherein the first force feedback signal is based at least in part on data stored in a lookup table of force values, wherein a first haptic effect associated with the first force feedback signal is output by the first actuator, wherein the first haptic effect comprises a combination of at least two different haptic effects output substantially simultaneously, the first actuator configured to apply the first haptic effect along an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane, wherein the first actuator is a linear actuator, and wherein the first actuator is mounted at substantially the center along both the X and Y axes of the computer mouse; code to output a second force feedback signal to a second actuator of the computer mouse, the second actuator configured to output a second haptic effect in a direction substantially parallel to the first plane by frictional contact with a planar surface, the second haptic effect associated with the second force feedback signal, wherein the computer mouse comprises a housing having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion coupled to the second portion by a flexible coupling, wherein the computer mouse comprises an optical mouse and wherein the first and second force feedback signals are determined by a processor that controls an optical sensor; and wherein the computer mouse is configured to be moveable in an unbounded workspace. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification