METHOD, APPARATUS, AND ARTICLE FOR FORCE FEEDBACK BASED ON TENSION CONTROL AND TRACKING THROUGH CABLES

• US 20110084943A1
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MIMIC Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MIMIC Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Hong, Sungkwan, Kim, Seahak, Berkley, Jeffrey J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,760,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/184
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

A haptic device for human/computer interface includes a user interface tool coupled via cables to first, second, third, and fourth cable control units, each positioned at a vertex of a tetrahedron. Each of the cable control units includes a spool and an encoder configured to provide a signal corresponding to rotation of the respective spool. The cables are wound onto the spool of a respective one of the cable control units. The encoders provide signals corresponding to rotation of the respective spools to track the length of each cable. As the cables wind onto the spools, variations in spool diameter are compensated for. The absolute length of each cable is determined during initialization by retracting each cable In turn to a zero length position. A sensor array coupled to the tool detects rotation around one or more axes.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

first, second, and third cable control devices coupled to a support structure and defining a plane, each cable control device being configured to pay out and retract cable, and to provide a signal corresponding to a change in length of the cable;

an elongated tool port pivotably coupled at a first end to the support structure and extending toward the plane; and

first, second, and third cables coupled at respective first ends to a second end of the tool port, and coupled at respective second ends to a respective one of the first, second, and third cable control devices.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first, second, and third cable control devices are further configured to apply a selectively variable retraction bias to the respective one of the first, second, and third cables.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to determine an angle of rotation of the tool port, relative to the plane, based on the signals provided by the first, second, and third cable control devices.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the tool port is configured to detect rotation of a tool positioned therein.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the tool port is configured to detect translation of a tool positioned therein.