Immersion Corporation

Other

Jonathan L Beamer

Adam C Braun

Dean C Chang

Louis B Rosenberg

Kenneth M Martin

Jeffrey R Mallett

A force feedback system provides components for use in a force feedback system including a host computer and a force feedback interface device. An architecture for a host computer allows multi-tasking application programs to interface with the force feedback device without conflicts. One embodiment of a force feedback device provides both relative position reporting and absolute position reporting to allow great flexibility. A different device embodiment provides relative position reporting device allowing maximum compatibility with existing software. Information such as ballistic parameters and screen size sent from the host to the force feedback device allow accurate mouse positions and graphical object positions to be determined in the force feedback environment. Force feedback effects and structures are further described, such as events and enclosures.

Force feedback system including multi-tasking graphical host environment

A force feedback system provides components for use in a force feedback system including a host computer and a force feedback interface device. An architecture for a host computer allows multi-tasking application programs to interface with the force feedback device without conflicts, where a single active application may output forces. A background application also provides force effects to be output and allows a user to assign force effects to graphical objects in a graphical user interface. Force feedback effects and structures are further described, such as events and enclosures.

Force feedback system including multi-tasking graphical host environment and interface device

A force feedback system provides components for use in a force feedback system including a host computer and a force feedback interface device. An architecture for a host computer allows multi-tasking application programs to interface with the force feedback device without conflicts. One embodiment of a force feedback device provides both relative position reporting and absolute position reporting to allow great flexibility. A different device embodiment provides relative position reporting device allowing maximum compatibility with existing software. Information such as ballistic parameters and screen size sent from the host to the force feedback device allow accurate mouse positions and cursor positions to be determined in the force feedback environment. Force feedback effects and structures are further described, such as events and enclosures.

An interface device and method for providing enhanced cursor control with force feedback. A force feedback interface device includes a manipulandum, such as a mouse, that is moveable in a local workspace. The device is coupled to a host computer that displays a cursor in a graphical environment, such as a GUI, on a display screen. An interior region and a border region in the local workspace is defined. One mapping of device movement to cursor movement is used for the interior region, and a different mapping is used for the border region. Mapping methods include ballistics, absolute, linear, rate control, and variable absolute. Rate control embodiments can be single axis or dual axis. In one embodiment, when the mouse moves from the interior region to the border region, the mapping providing the greater cursor velocity is used to better conserve device workspace in the direction of travel and to decrease any sense of mapping mode change to the user. Other features include an autocentering function for reducing offset between local and host frames.

Enhanced cursor control using interface devices

Methods and apparatus for efficient management of memory and force output in a force feedback system including a host computer and a force feedback device. A representation of device memory is maintained on the host computer to allow the host computer knowledge and control over storage and force effects in the device memory. A host cache for force effects is provided to allow almost unlimited numbers of force effects to be created for the device, where any force effects not able to fit in device memory are stored in the host cache. Other aspects of the invention include a playlist stored on the device of force effects being played by the device, and management of force output using relatively small, discrete time intervals.

Memory and force output management for a force feedback system

Force effects for a graphical user interface of a computer are provided based on user preference information, which indicates the types of graphical objects in the graphical user interface which are to have force effects associated with them, and at least one particular force effect assigned to each of those types of graphical objects. An output of a force sensation by a haptic feedback device to the user is based on those assigned force effects and occurs when a displayed cursor controlled by a user interacts with a graphical object having one of the types. An architecture for a host computer allowing multi-tasking application programs to interface with a feedback device is also disclosed.

Force effects for object types in a graphical user interface

A mouse interface device and method for providing enhanced cursor control and indexing cursor control with force feedback. A force feedback interface device includes a manipulandum, such as a mouse, that is moveable in a local workspace. The device is coupled to a host computer that displays a cursor in a graphical environment, such as a GUI, on a display screen. A cursor position in the display frame is reported to the host computer derived from a reference position of the mouse in the local frame, and the host displays the cursor; for example, the cursor position may be scaled by a ballistics algorithm based on mouse velocity to allow fine positioning or coarse motion of the cursor. A force is output on the mouse based on interactions in the GUI, the force being determined based on mouse reference data or cursor ballistic data, depending on the type of force, to reduce distortion between visual and force outputs. Assistive forces can alternatively be output to achieve the enhanced cursor control. Indexing features allow control of the cursor when an offset between local and display frames exists, allow the user to reduce the offset, and reduce disconcerting collisions of the mouse with physical workspace limits.

Cursor control using a tactile feedback device

Methods and apparatus for efficient management of memory in a haptic feedback system including a host computer and a haptic feedback device. A representation of device memory is maintained on the host computer to allow the host computer knowledge of force effects stored in the device memory. A host cache for force effects is provided to allow larger numbers of force effects to be created for the device, where force effects not able to fit in device memory can be stored in the host cache.

Host cache for haptic feedback effects

Methods and apparatus for efficient management of memory in a force feedback system including a host computer and a force feedback device. A representation of device memory is maintained on the host computer to allow the host computer knowledge and control over storage and force effects in the device memory. A host cache for force effects is provided to allow almost unlimited numbers of force effects to be created for the device, where any force effects not able to fit in device memory are stored in the host cache.

Growing community of inventors

Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Jonathan L Beamer