US5889672A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Tactiley responsive user interface device and method therefor
Assignee: Immersion Corp
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Filing: 1998-06-03
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Granted: 1999-03-30
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Expires: 2018-06-03
Abstract
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.
Inventors
- 👤 Chester L. Schuler
- 👤 Seth M. Haberman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 07:33
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/016; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/04; G05B19/10; G05B19/106; G05B19/108; G05B19/18; G05B19/19; G05B19/21; G05B19/23; G05B19/231; G06F3/011; G06F3/03; G06F3/033; G06F3/0354; G06F3/03543; G06F3/03549; G06F3/0362; G11; G11B; G11B27/00; G11B27/02; G11B27/022; G11B27/028; G11B27/031; G11B27/034; G11B27/10; G11B27/34; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/20; G05B2219/23; G05B2219/23053; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/35; G05B2219/35459; G05B2219/37; G05B2219/37396; G05B2219/43; G05B2219/43186; G05B2219/45; G05B2219/45184; G06F2203/00; G06F2203/01; G06F2203/014; H; H01; H01H; H01H3/00; H01H2003/008
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
206 words
A programmable input and output device electrically coupled to a host computer running a host application, said device comprising: a moveable member manipulatable by a human user in at least one degree of freedom; a sensor that produces position signals specifying the position of said moveable member with respect to said at least one degree of freedom; a memory, separate from a memory of said host computer and local to said device, in which a plurality of tactile responsiveness definitions are stored and are individually accessible in accordance with requirements of said host application; a processor that is electrically coupled to said memory to access a desired tactile responsiveness definition that is selected from said plurality of stored tactile responsiveness definitions in accordance with requirements of said host application, said processor producing a torque signal in accordance with said selected tactical responsiveness definition; and an actuator electrically coupled to said processor and mechanically coupled to said moveable member, said actuator applying a torque upon said moveable member in said at least one degree of freedom in response to said torque signal, thereby generating a tactile responsiveness to said moveable member, the direction and a magnitude of said torque being specified by said selected tactile responsiveness definition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
206 words
A programmable input and output device electrically coupled to a host computer running a host application, said device comprising: a moveable member manipulatable by a human user in at least one degree of freedom; a sensor that produces position signals specifying the position of said moveable member with respect to said at least one degree of freedom; a memory, separate from a memory of said host computer and local to said device, in which a plurality of tactile responsiveness definitions are stored and are individually accessible in accordance with requirements of said host application; a processor that is electrically coupled to said memory to access a desired tactile responsiveness definition that is selected from said plurality of stored tactile responsiveness definitions in accordance with requirements of said host application, said processor producing a torque signal in accordance with said selected tactical responsiveness definition; and an actuator electrically coupled to said processor and mechanically coupled to said moveable member, said actuator applying a torque upon said moveable member in said at least one degree of freedom in response to said torque signal, thereby generating a tactile responsiveness to said moveable member, the direction and a magnitude of said torque being specified by said selected tactile responsiveness definition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said actuator is a first actuator, and further comprising a second actuator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said first and second actuators operate in conjunction according to at least one selected tactile responsiveness definition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 3 wherein said moveable member is manipulatable in a plurality degrees of freedom.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 4 wherein said movable member is a joystick.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said tactile responsiveness definitions is downloaded from said host computer to said processor and stored in said memory during execution of said host application.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said tactile responsiveness definitions is resident within said memory upon power-up of said device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said memory is a non volatile ROM type memory.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said device can access said selectable tactile responsiveness definitions that are either a) downloaded from said host computer and stored in said local memory or b) resident in said local memory.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said tactile responsiveness definition defines a torque versus position profile.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 10 wherein said profile defines a progressively increasing torque with a change in position of said moveable member in one direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
The device of claim 10 wherein said profile defines a detent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 10 wherein said profile defines a hard stop.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said tactile responsiveness definition includes a stored table of torque values.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said movable member is a wheel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
The device of claim 1 wherein a portion of said memory is non-volatile and is used for permanently storing a plurality of predetermined tactile responsiveness definitions, wherein said processor can select one of said permanently stored tactile responsiveness definitions in accordance with the host application.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said processor receives a plurality of tactile responsiveness definitions from said host computer and stores said plurality of tactile responsiveness definitions in said memory.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said processor determines a velocity of said moveable member from said position signals.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 18 wherein said processor generates said torque signal in accordance with said velocity.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
157 words
A programmable tactile simulation device electrically coupled to a host computer running a host application, said device comprising: a) a movable member manipulatable by a human user in at least one degree of freedom; b) a sensor that produces position signals specifying the position of said movable member with respect to said one degree of freedom; c) a memory in which a plurality of tactile responsiveness definitions are stored, at least one of said tactile responsiveness definitions including data received from said host computer across a communication connection; and d) a processor that is electrically coupled to said memory, said processor receiving said data from said host computer to store said data in said memory, and accessing desired tactile responsiveness definitions in accordance with requirements of said host application, said processor controlling an output of at least one actuator that is mechanically coupled to said movable member, thereby generating a desired tactile responsiveness on said movable member.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
157 words
A programmable tactile simulation device electrically coupled to a host computer running a host application, said device comprising: a) a movable member manipulatable by a human user in at least one degree of freedom; b) a sensor that produces position signals specifying the position of said movable member with respect to said one degree of freedom; c) a memory in which a plurality of tactile responsiveness definitions are stored, at least one of said tactile responsiveness definitions including data received from said host computer across a communication connection; and d) a processor that is electrically coupled to said memory, said processor receiving said data from said host computer to store said data in said memory, and accessing desired tactile responsiveness definitions in accordance with requirements of said host application, said processor controlling an output of at least one actuator that is mechanically coupled to said movable member, thereby generating a desired tactile responsiveness on said movable member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A programmable tactile simulation device as recited in claim 20 wherein at least one of said tactile responsiveness definitions defines a torque versus position relationship.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
A programmable tactile simulation device as recited in claim 20 wherein at least two tactile responsiveness definitions are stored in said memory and wherein each of said two definitions defines a different torque versus position relationship.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
A programmable tactile simulation device as recited in claim 20 wherein said tactile responsiveness definition includes a table of values.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
A programmable tactile simulation device as recited in claim 23 wherein said table includes data indicating the magnitude of a torque to be output by said motor.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
A programmable tactile simulation device as recited in claim 20 wherein said movable member is coupled to said motor through a flexible cable.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
A programmable tactile simulation device as recited in claim 20 wherein said movable member is a joystick.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
A programmable tactile simulation device as recited in claim 20 wherein said movable member is a mouse.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
A programmable tactile simulation device as recited in claim 20 wherein said movable member is a trackball.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
39 words
A programmable tactile simulation device as recited in claim 20 wherein said processor conveys to said host computer data specifying the position of said movable member so that said host computer can display a cursor in an appropriate location.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for providing tactile sensations for a moveable member of a programmable tactile simulation device, the method comprising: a) providing a movable member manipulatable by a human user in at least one degree of freedom; b) producing position signals specifying the position of said movable member with respect to said one degree of freedom; c) storing a plurality of tactile responsiveness definitions local to said programmable tactile simulation device, at least one of said tactile responsiveness definitions including data received from a host computer across a communication connection; and d) accessing at least one of said tactile responsiveness definitions in accordance with requirements of a host application running on said host computer, and controlling an output torque of at least one actuator mechanically coupled to said movable member in accordance with said at least one accessed tactile responsiveness definition, thereby generating a desired tactile responsiveness on said movable member.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for providing tactile sensations for a moveable member of a programmable tactile simulation device, the method comprising: a) providing a movable member manipulatable by a human user in at least one degree of freedom; b) producing position signals specifying the position of said movable member with respect to said one degree of freedom; c) storing a plurality of tactile responsiveness definitions local to said programmable tactile simulation device, at least one of said tactile responsiveness definitions including data received from a host computer across a communication connection; and d) accessing at least one of said tactile responsiveness definitions in accordance with requirements of a host application running on said host computer, and controlling an output torque of at least one actuator mechanically coupled to said movable member in accordance with said at least one accessed tactile responsiveness definition, thereby generating a desired tactile responsiveness on said movable member.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 30 wherein said tactile responsiveness definition defines a torque versus position profile, and wherein said actuator is controlled to output a progressively increasing torque with a change in position of said moveable member in one direction.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 30 wherein said actuator is controlled to output a detent.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 30 wherein said actuator is controlled to output a hard stop.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 30 further comprising determining a velocity of said moveable member from said position signals and controlling an output torque in accordance with said velocity.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-29 | 2002-09-28 | 2003-03-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-29 | 2006-09-28 | 2007-03-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-29 | 2010-09-28 | 2011-03-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |