초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for controlling and providing force feedback using an interface device manipulated by a user. A microprocessor is provided local to the interface device and reads sensor data from sensors that describes the position and/or other information about a user object moved by the use

A method and apparatus for controlling and providing force feedback using an interface device manipulated by a user. A microprocessor is provided local to the interface device and reads sensor data from sensors that describes the position and/or other information about a user object moved by the user, such as a joystick. The microprocessor controls actuators to provide forces on the user object and provides the sensor data to a host computer that is coupled to the interface device. The host computer sends high level host commands to the local microprocessor, and the microprocessor independently implements a local reflex process based on the high level command to provide force values to the actuators using sensor data and other parameters. A provided host command protocol includes a variety of different types of host commands and associated command parameters. By providing a relatively small set of high level host commands and parameters which are translated into a panoply of forces, the protocol further shifts the computational burden from the host computer to the local microprocessor and allows a software developer to easily create force feedback applications.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is::] [1.]1. A force feedback interface device manipulated by a user and communicating with a host computer implementing a graphical environment, said host computer updating said graphical environment in response to input signals, said force feedback interface device comprising:a m

[ What is claimed is::] [1.]1. A force feedback interface device manipulated by a user and communicating with a host computer implementing a graphical environment, said host computer updating said graphical environment in response to input signals, said force feedback interface device comprising:a microprocessor, separate from said host computer, communicating with said host computer via a communication bus by receiving a texture host command from said host computer and implementing said texture host command in a force process, and by relaying said input signals to said host computer wherein said host computer updates a parallel execution of said graphical environment in response to said input signals, and wherein said texture host command specifies a text force sensation, said texture host command including:a command identifier identifying said texture force sensation to be output, wherein said microprocessor runs instructions in a force process allowing said microprocessor to process said command identifier, said texture force sensation including a plurality of forces, each of said plurality of forces being correlated with a different spatial location in said graphical environment; andat least one command parameter associated with said command identifier and characterizing said torture force sensation commanded by said texture host command;a user object movable in a degree of freedom by a user and being physically contacted by said user;an actuator electrically coupled to said microprocessor and outputting said plurality of forces to said user in accordance with a processor force command from said microprocessor, said processor force command being derived from at least one of said texture host command, said force process, and a position or mot on of said user object, wherein said plurality of forces output by said actuator implements at least in part said texture force sensation characterized by said at least one command parameter; anda sensor electrically coupled to said microprocessor and detecting motion of said user object in said degree of freedom and outputting said input signals to said microprocessor, said input signals including information representative of said motion of said user object.