Power management for interface devices applying forces

• US 7,038,657 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation Delaware
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Schena, Bruce M., Rosenberg, Louis B., Braun, Adam C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Dennis-Doon
• Application Number:
  US10/079,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20020126091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/161, 715/701, 715/702, 744/71.XY
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• 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 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• 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 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04766 providing feel, e.g. indexing means, means to create counterforce
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04777 with additional push or pull action on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• 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 3/0383 : Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/008 : with a haptic or a tactile feedback controlled by electrical means, e.g. a motor or magnetofriction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 : Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

Power management for an interface device that is manipulated by a user and in communication with a host computer and provides forces to the user. The device includes a sensor and an actuator. One embodiment provides first power from the host computer over a serial interface and second power from a power adapter. Another embodiment provides first power from the host computer and second power from a power storage device on the interface device that supplies power to the actuator. Another embodiment provides a power adapter supplying a portion of the first power to the sensor and a portion to the actuator, and a power storage device on the interface device provides second power to the actuator.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a sensor configured to sense a position of a manipulatable object in at least one degree of freedom and to provide a sensor signal associated with the position of said manipulatable object to a host computer in communication with said device;

an actuator configured to apply a force to said manipulatable object in the at least one degree of freedom;

a first power supply configured to provide at least a portion of a first power to operate said sensor and a portion of the first power to said actuator; and

a second power supply separate from said first power supply, the second power supply configured to provide at least a portion of a second power to operate said actuator, said second power supply including a power storage device configured to provide the second power to said actuator, the actuator being configured to provide a momentary jolt of force in conjunction with the portion of the first power received from said first power supply,

said sensor being configured to sense the position of said manipulatable object while said first power supply is providing the first power and while said second power supply is not providing the second power.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said first power supply is included within the host computer.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said host computer is configured to transmit said first power to said interface device via a serial interface.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said second power supply includes an AC power adapter configured to convert AC power to the second power usable by said device.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said second power supply includes a power storage device on said device that is configured to supply power to said actuator.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said power storage device includes a capacitor.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said power storage device includes a capacitor.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said device includes a local microprocessor separate from said host computer and electrically coupled to said actuator, said local microprocessor configured to executed a local process, said actuator configured to apply the force based on signals produced by said local microprocessor, the local process configured to locally generate a force sensation by modulating a magnitude of the force produced by said actuator over a period of time in response to commands received from said host computer.

9. A device, comprising:

a manipulatable object movable in at least one degree of freedom;

a sensor configured to detect a motion of said manipulatable object in the at least one degree of freedom and configured to produce a locative sensor signal, a representation of the locative sensor signal being conveyed to a host computer, thereby allowing a software application executed by the host computer to update a process in response to manipulation of the manipulatable object;

an actuator configured to apply haptic forces to produce tactile sensations; and

a communication bus configured to couple said device to the host computer and to transmit power from the host computer to said device; and

a power storage device coupled to said actuator and configured to store the power provided to said device over said communication bus, said actuator configured to, at least in part, apply said forces in response to the power, the actuator being configured to provide a momentary jolt of force based on at least a portion of the stored power in conjunction with the portion of the power received from the host computer.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the power from the host computer is usable to drive said actuator in conjunction with the stored power from said power storage device.

11. A method, comprising:

sensing a position of a manipulatable object in a degree of freedom to produce a sensor signal using a sensor;

providing the sensor signal to a host computer in communication with the manipulatable object;

applying a force using an electrically-controlled actuator based on the sensor signal;

retrieving a first power from a first power supply coupled to the user manipulatable object, at least a portion of the first power being usable to operate the sensor, and a portion of the first power to said actuator; and

retrieving a second power from a second power supply separate from the first power supply, at least a portion of the second power associated with the second power supply being usable to operate said actuator, said second power supply including a power storage device configured to provide the second power to said actuator, the actuator being configured to provide a momentary jolt of force in conjunction with the portion of the first power received from said first power supply,

the sensing of the position of said manipulatable object can be performed while the power associated with the first power supply is being retrieved and while the power associated with the second power supply is not being retrieved.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first power supply includes the host computer, first the power associated with the first power supply being retrieved over a serial interface, the second power supplier including an AC power adapter configured to convert AC power to the power associated with the second power supply.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first power supply includes the host computer, the power associated with the first power supply being retrieved over a serial interface, the second power supply including a power storage device configured to supply the power associated with the second power supply to the actuator.