The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 26, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 29, 1997
Paul Joseph Stewart, Brighton, MI (US);
Yifan Chen, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Pietro Buttolo, Mestre-Venezia, IT;
Ford Global Technologies, Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A method and system for manipulating a three-dimensional object in a computer-aided design (CAD) environment utilizes a force feedback interface. A gravitational sphere is defined around each of the plurality of input parameters of a mathematical model defining a shape, location and orientation of the object. A force is applied to the force feedback interface based on the gravitational spheres and the position of the force feedback interface. An input signal is received from the force feedback interface based on the applied force indicating selection of one of the plurality of input parameters. The selected input parameter can then be edited according to an edit signal generated by the user via the force feedback interface. In addition, the edit signal can be limited according to predetermined constraints via the force feedback interface.