Method and apparatus for providing tactile responsiveness in an interface device

• US 6,876,891 B1
• Filed: 02/19/1999
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Haberman, Seth M., Schuler, Chester L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US09/253,392
• Time in Patent Office: 2,237 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/81, 700/83, 700/84, 700/85, 700/86, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/161, 345/163, 345726-728, 318/652, 318/687, 318/561, 318/658
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/108 characterised by physical layout of switches; switches co-operating with display; use of switches in a special way
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/231 the positional error is used to control continuously the servomotor according to its magnitude
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23053 Knob with tactile feedback, representing clicks, detents programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35459 Knob, handle, handwheel delivers pulses, electronic handwheel, digipot
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37396 Tactile feedback, operator feels reaction, force reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/43186 Pulses from handle, knob, hand wheel control speed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45184 Filming, photography, camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• 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 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• 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: G11B 27/02 Editing, e.g. varying the order of information signals recorded on, or reproduced from, record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/028 with computer assistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/008 with a haptic or a tactile feedback controlled by electrical means, e.g. a motor or magnetofriction

Abstract

A method and apparatus implementing a user interface device, such as a mouse or trackball, having electronically controllable tactile responsiveness which is flexibly programmable. A user interface device effects positioning of a cursor within a limited area, such as on a display screen, with limits imposed by controllable tactile responsiveness. Programmable force-position characteristics relate the tactile responsiveness of the interface device to the position of the cursor within the limited area or on the display screen. In a described embodiment, the interface device includes at least two sets of wheels that move as the interface device is actuated. The at least two sets of wheels are aligned on mutually orthogonal axes. A servo motor is attached to each of the at least two sets of wheels. A position encoder is associated with each servo motor and outputs position information to a controller that has access to force-position relation information that is a function of a screen display on which the cursor is manipulated. The controller outputs a digital signal, in accordance with the force-display position relation information. The digital signal is converted to an analog current signal applied to the servo motor(s) to generate force in the servo motor. The force, presenting a tactile response to a human interacting with the user interface device, is perceived as a resistance, tactile pressure or lack thereof, or as a positive, assisted motion which is indicative of position on a screen display.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving tactile data from a host computer running a host application;

storing the tactile data in a local memory of a tactile control processor, the tactile control processor configured to modulate haptic feedback;

the tactile data from the local memory using firmware configured to run on tactile control processor the accessing of the tactile data being associated with the host application; and

outputting the haptic feedback from a force generator associated with an interface device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of distinct sets of tactile data are received from the host computer and stored in the local memory, each of the distinct sets of the tactile data being associated with a different type of haptic feedback.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of distinct sets of tactile data are stored in a table within the local memory.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the accessing the tactile data includes selecting a particular tactile sensation from the table.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the force generator includes a first actuator and a second actuator, the outputting of haptic feedback including modulating a force output by the first motors and a force output by the second motor.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, outputting a position signal from a sensor, the position signal being associated with a position of a grippable member coupled to the interface device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the tactile control processor receives the position signal, the haptic feedback being further associated with the position signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the tactile control processor is configured to calculate velocity data based on the position signal, the outputting of the haptic feedback being a further associated with the velocity.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the force generator is a servo motor and the sensor is an optical encoder.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a default tactile data is stored in the local memory prior to receiving the tactile data from the host computer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the tactile data includes a torque value.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the tactile data includes a torque profile.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the tactile data includes position information.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the tactile data is associated with a simulated detent.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the tactile data is associated with a simulated progressively increasing force when a grippable member coupled to the interface device is moved in a particular direction.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the tactile data is associated with contacting a simulated hard stop by a grippable member coupled to the interface device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the tactile data associated with a selectable number of simulated detents.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface device includes a knob.

19. An interface device, comprising:

a manipulandum;

a actuator configured to output a force, the force being associated with haptic feedback when the force is modulated to produce a modulated force;

a local data storage device, the local data storage device being configured to store torque data received from a host computer, the torque data being associated with the modulated force;

a controller, the controller being configured to be in communication with the host computer and in communication with the local data storage, the controller being further configured to control based on a signal associated with a host software application of the host computer, the controller being further configured to access the torque data from the local data storage in response to the signal associated with the host software application; and

a sensor, the sensor being configured to provide position information to the controller, the position information being associated with movement of the interface device.

20. The interface device of claim 19, the actuator being a first actuator, and further comprising a second actuator, the first and second actuators being configured to produce the haptic feedback.

21. The interface device of claim 19, wherein the torque data includes a plurality of torque values stored in the local data storage.

22. The interface device of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of torque values is associated with a different tactile sensation.

23. A haptic feedback system, comprising:

a host application configured to display graphical information in response to position information received from haptic feedback device; and

a device driver, the device driver being configured to enable communication between the host application and a separate microprocessor associated with the haptic feedback device, the device driver being further configured to transfer tactile information from a host computer to the separate microprocessor, the tactile information being associated with output haptic feedback.

24. The haptic feedback system of claim 23, wherein the device driver is further configured to communicate data values associated with a cursor position from the host computer to the separate microprocessor, the data values associated with a position of the cursor displayed on a graphical display of the host computer.

25. The haptic feedback system of claim 24, wherein the separate microprocessor is configured output a tactile signal associated with the data values and the output haptic feedback.

26. The haptic feedback system of claim 23, wherein the tactile information transferred from the host computer to the separate microprocessor includes torque and position information.

27. The haptic feedback system of claim 23, wherein the tactile information is operative to defines a tactile responsiveness of the haptic device, the tactile responsiveness being associated with the motion of a cursor on a screen of the host computer.

28. The haptic feedback system of claim 23, wherein the tactile information is operative to define simulated boundaries for cursor containment to be implemented by haptic feedback device.

29. The haptic feedback system of claim 23, wherein the tactile information is operative to define simulated detents associated with a movement of at least a portion of the haptic feedback device.

30. The haptic feedback system of claim 23, wherein the tactile information is associated with simulated tactile boundaries of menu elements in a graphical user interface displayed in association with the host computer.

31. The haptic feedback system of claim 23, wherein the tactile information is operative to define a tactile sensation that simulates a feel of stretching.

32. The haptic feedback system of claim 23, wherein the tactile information is operative to define a simulated texture to be output through the haptic feedback device.

33. The haptic feedback system of claim 23, wherein the haptic feedback device is a trackball.

34. The haptic feedback system of claim 23, wherein the haptic feedback device is a mouse.

35. The haptic feedback system of claim 23, wherein the haptic feedback device is a joystick.

36. The haptic feedback system of claim 23, wherein the haptic feedback device includes a manipulandum having at least one degree of freedom, the haptic feedback being output to the member.

37. A method, comprising:

displaying graphical information, the graphical information being associated with position information received from a haptic feedback device; and

outputting haptic feedback, the haptic feedback device having a microprocessor, the microprocessor having a device driver, the device driver being configured to facilitate the download of tactile information from a host computer separate from the microprocessor, the haptic feedback being associated with the tactile information.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the device driver is further configured to communicates data values associated with cursor position information from the host computer to the microprocessor, the data values being associated with a position of a cursor displayed on a screen of the host computer, the outputting the haptic feedback being generated by the microprocessor, the haptic feedback being associated with the data values.

39. A device, comprising:

a manipulandum;

an actuator to produce a tactile sensation;

a local data storage device configured to be accessible by a tactile controller, the tactile controller configured to store said tactile data in said local data storage; and

the tactile controller further configured to be in communication with a host computer, the host computer with a host software application, the tactile controller further configured to control the actuator in accordance with the host software application, receive the tactile data from the host computer, and store the tactile data in the local data storage device, the tactile data being associated with the tactile sensation.

40. The device of claim 39, further comprising a sensor configured to provides position information associated with a movement of the manipulandum, the position information being provided to the tactile controller.

41. The interface device of claim 39, the actuator being a first actuator, and further comprising a second actuator, the tactile controller being configured to control the first actuator and the second actuator, the first actuator and the second actuator being configured to produce the tactile sensation.

42. The interface device of claim 39, wherein the local data storage device is external to the tactile controller.

43. The interface device of claim 39, wherein the local data storage device is resident on the tactile controller.