초록 ▼

Force feedback is provided to a user of a client computer receiving information such as a web page over a network such as the World Wide Web from a server machine. The client machine has a force feedback interface device through which the user experiences physical force feedback. Force feedback is c

Force feedback is provided to a user of a client computer receiving information such as a web page over a network such as the World Wide Web from a server machine. The client machine has a force feedback interface device through which the user experiences physical force feedback. Force feedback is correlated to web page objects by a force feedback program running on the client and based on input information from the interface device, web page objects, and the force feedback information. Generic force effects can be provided, which are applied uniformly at the client machine to all web page objects of a particular type as defined by user preferences at the client machine.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [7.] A method for providing force feedback over a network comprising:establishing a connection between a server machine and a client machine over a network, said client machine including a visual display and an interface device providing computer-controlled physical force feed

[ What is claimed is:] [7.] A method for providing force feedback over a network comprising:establishing a connection between a server machine and a client machine over a network, said client machine including a visual display and an interface device providing computer-controlled physical force feedback to a user of said interface device;receiving web page information from said server machine over said network, said web page information including screen display information representing a visual layout of a web page and force feedback information related to providing a feel sensation correlated with said visual layout;displaying on said visual display of said client machine said web page based upon said screen display information;receiving input information from said human computer interface device for positioning a displayed cursor with respect to said visual layout of said web page; andproviding a force feedback signal that is based upon said input information and based upon said web page information received over said network, wherein said force feedback information includes a call to a force feedback program running on said client machine that provides said force feedback signal, wherein said force feedback program running on said client machine is an ActiveX control, said ActiveX control implementing a particular force effect at a specified area in said web page, said force feedback signal being received by said interface device, wherein said interface device outputs computer-controlled physical force feedback to said user correlated with said visual layout of said web page on said visual display, said force feedback being based upon said force feedback signal.