초록 ▼

A mouse controller includes a platform mounted on a base for a range of movement in a plane relative to the base of at least �� inch (12.5 mm) in each of two different directions (preferably mutually perpendicular directions). A pair of flat, elongated coils (Lorentz voice coils) are mounted on the

A mouse controller includes a platform mounted on a base for a range of movement in a plane relative to the base of at least �� inch (12.5 mm) in each of two different directions (preferably mutually perpendicular directions). A pair of flat, elongated coils (Lorentz voice coils) are mounted on the platform with their longitudinal axes extending one in each of the two directions. Each of the coils cooperates with at least one magnet fixed to the base. The sizes of the magnets and of the coils and the relative positions of the cooperating coils and magnets are made or their operation controlled so that, in the range of relative movement between the platform and base, preselected forces between the coils and the magnets may be generated by a control computer. Preferably the projected area of the field from each of the permanent magnets onto the coil with which it cooperates will be substantially constant regardless of the position of the platform within the range so that the same current is required to generate the same force anywhere within the range. The control computer is programmed to activate the coils to controllably apply forces to the platform and thereby to facilitate movement of the platform and feed back tactile sensations to the operator.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: id="DEL-S-00001" date="20080527" 1. A controller comprising a base, a platform, means for mounting said platform for a range of movement in a plane in each of two different directions, a first magnetic force applying means including a first magnet means mounted on said base and a first co

We claim: id="DEL-S-00001" date="20080527" 1. A controller comprising a base, a platform, means for mounting said platform for a range of movement in a plane in each of two different directions, a first magnetic force applying means including a first magnet means mounted on said base and a first cooperating magnetic force generating means mounted on and moveable with said platform in position to interact with said first magnet means, a second magnetic force applying means including a second magnet means mounted on said base and a second cooperating magnetic force generating means mounted on and moveable with said platform in a position to interact with said second magnet means, said first and said second magnet means being fixed relative to each other on said base and said first and said second cooperating magnet force generating means being fixed relative to each other on said platform, said first force applying means being positioned and constructed to controllably apply selected forces to said platform in one of said two different directions and said second force applying means being constructed and positioned to controllably apply selected forces to said platform in the other of said two different directions and control means to selectively control said first and said second force applying means to generate said selected forces.id="DEL-S-00001" id="DEL-S-00002" date="20080527" 2. A controller as defined in claim 1 wherein said two directions are mutually perpendicular.id="DEL-S-00002" id="DEL-S-00003" date="20080527" 3. A controller as defined in claim 1 further comprising a sensor means for sensing the position of said platform relative to said base.id="DEL-S-00003" id="DEL-S-00004" date="20080527" 4. A controller as defined in claim 3 wherein said sensor means comprises a transparent grid mounted on and moveable with said platform and a light source and a detector means fixed relative to said base in positions wherein light from said source passes through said grid and is detected by said detector means.id="DEL-S-00004" id="DEL-S-00005" date="20080527" 5. A controller as defined in claim 2 further comprising a sensor means for sensing the position of said platform relative to said base.id="DEL-S-00005" id="DEL-S-00006" date="20080527" 6. A controller as defined in claim 5 wherein said sensor means comprises a transparent grid mounted on and moveable with said platform and a light source and a detector means fixed relative to said base in positions wherein light from said source passes through said grid and is detected by said detector means.id="DEL-S-00006" id="DEL-S-00007" date="20080527" 7. A controller as defined in claim 2 wherein said first cooperating magnet force generating means including a first coil means position to interact with said first magnet means when a current is applied to said first coil means, and said second magnetic force generating means including a second cooperating coil means in a position to interact with said second magnet means when a current is applied to said second coil means, said first magnet means and said first cooperating coil means of said first force applying means being shaped and positioned so that in any position of said platform within said range said coil may be controlled to apply said selected forces between each of said first and second cooperating coil means and its respective magnet means and wherein said control means selectively applies current to said first and said second cooperating coil means to generate said selected forces.id="DEL-S-00007" id="DEL-S-00008" date="20080527" 8. A controller as defined in claim 7 wherein the projected area of a field generated by said first magnet means onto said first cooperating coil means is substantially constant so that the application of a selected current to said first cooperating coil means generates the same force between said first magnet means and said first cooperating coil means regardless of the position of said platform within said range of movement, said second magnet means and said second cooperating coil means of said second force applying means being shaped and positioned so that in any position of said platform within said range the projected area of a field generated by said second magnet means onto said second cooperating coil means is substantially constant so that the application of a selected current to said second cooperating coil means generates the same force between said second magnet means and said second cooperating coil means regardless of the position of said platform within said range.id="DEL-S-00008" id="DEL-S-00009" date="20080527" 9. A controller as defined in claim 8 wherein said first cooperating coil means comprises a first elongated substantially planar coil having its major axis extending substantially parallel to said plane and to one of said pair of mutually perpendicular directions and said second cooperating coil means comprises a second elongated substantially planar coil having its major axis substantially parallel to said plane and said other of said mutually perpendicular directions.id="DEL-S-00009" id="DEL-S-00010" date="20080527" 10. A controller as defined in claim 5 wherein said first cooperating magnet force generating means including a first coil means position to interact with said first magnet means when a current is applied to said first coil means, and said second magnetic force generating means including a second cooperating coil means in a position to interact with said second magnet means when a current is applied to said second coil means, said first magnet means and said first cooperating coil means of said first force applying means being shaped and positioned so that in any position of said platform within said range said coil may be controlled to apply said selected forces between each of said first and second cooperating coil means and its respective magnet means and wherein said control means selectively applies current to said first and said second cooperating coil means to generate said selected forces.id="DEL-S-00010" id="DEL-S-00011" date="20080527" 11. A controller as defined in claim 10 wherein the projected area of a field generated by said first magnet means onto said first cooperating coil means is substantially constant so that the application of a selected current to said first cooperating coil means generates the same force between said first magnet means and said first cooperating coil means regardless of the position of said platform within said range of movement, said second magnet means and said second cooperating coil means of said second force applying means being shaped and positioned so that in any position of said platform within said range the projected area of a field generated by said second magnet means onto said second cooperating coil means is substantially constant so that the application of a selected current to said second cooperating coil means generates the same force between said second magnet means and said second cooperating coil means regardless of the position of said platform within said range.id="DEL-S-00011" id="DEL-S-00012" date="20080527" 12. A controller as defined in claim 11 wherein said first cooperating coil means comprises a first elongated substantially planar coil having its major axis extending substantially parallel to said plane and to one of said pair of mutually perpendicular directions and said second cooperating coil means comprises a second elongated substantially planar coil having its major axis substantially parallel to said plane and said other of said mutually perpendicular directions.id="DEL-S-00012" id="DEL-S-00013" date="20080527" 13. A controller as defined in claim 6 wherein said first cooperating magnet force generating means including a first coil means position to interact with said first magnet means when a current is applied to said first coil means, and said second magnetic force generating means including a second cooperating coil means in a position to interact with said second magnet means when a current is applied to said second coil means, said first magnet means and said first cooperating coil means of said first force applying means being shaped and positioned so that in any position of said platform within said range said coil may be controlled to apply said selected forces between each of said first and second cooperating coil means and its respective magnet means and wherein said control means selectively applies current to said first and said second cooperating coil means to generate said selected forces.id="DEL-S-00013" id="DEL-S-00014" date="20080527" 14. A controller as defined in claim 13 wherein the projected area of a field generated by said first magnetic means onto said first cooperating coil means is substantially constant so that the application of a selected current to said first cooperating coil means generates the same force between said first magnet means and said first cooperating coil means regardless of the position of said platform within said range of movement, said second magnet means and said second cooperating coil means of said second force applying means being shaped and positioned so that in any position of said platform within said range the projected area of a field generated by said second magnet means onto said second cooperating coil means is substantially constant so that the application of a selected current to said second cooperating coil means generates the same force between said second magnet means and said second cooperating coil means regardless of the position of said platform within said range.id="DEL-S-00014" id="DEL-S-00015" date="20080527" 15. A controller as defined in claim 14 wherein said first cooperating coil means comprises a first elongated substantially planar coil having its major axis extending substantially parallel to said plane and to one of said pair of mutually perpendicular directions and said second cooperating coil means comprises a second elongated substantially planar coil having its major axis substantially parallel to said plane and said other of said mutually perpendicular directions.id="DEL-S-00015" id="DEL-S-00016" date="20080527" 16. A controller as defined in claim 9 wherein said first magnet means and said second magnet means each comprises a pair of permanent magnet means, one permanent magnet means of each said pair located on one side of its said cooperating coil means and the other permanent magnet means of each said pair of permanent magnet means located on the side of its said cooperating coil means opposite its respective said one permanent magnet means.id="DEL-S-00016" id="DEL-S-00017" date="20080527" 17. A controller as defined in claim 16 wherein each said permanent magnet means comprises a pair of permanent magnets arranged in spaced parallel relationship with their magnetic poles facing in opposite directions and with their polar axes substantially parallel to the plane of said planar coils.id="DEL-S-00017" id="DEL-S-00018" date="20080527" 18. A controller as defined in claim 17 wherein said polar axis of each said permanent magnet means is substantially parallel to said major axis of its respective cooperating planar coil.id="DEL-S-00018" id="INS-S-00001" date="20080527" 19. An interface device for enabling a user to spatially navigate a displayed graphical menu with a displayed graphical pointer, said graphical menu having a plurality of menu elements, and for enabling said user to more easily select a menu element from said graphical menu be providing tactile feedback to said user when said graphical pointer is moved from a first menu element to a second menu element in said graphical menu, said interface device comprising: (a) a handle to be manipulated manually by a user in at least two planar degrees of freedom; (b) a z-axis actuator generating tactile sensations to be felt by said user, wherein said z-axis actuator applies forces to a user's hand only along a z-axis degree of freedom when current is flowed through a portion of said actuator, said z-axis degree of freedom being different from and substantially perpendicular to said two planar degrees of freedom; (c) a sensor that produces a locative signal responsive to and corresponding with a motion of said handle in said at least two degrees of freedom; (d) a button that produces a status signal in response to being pressed by said user; and (e) an embedded microprocessor local to said interface device and coupled to said sensor, to said button, and to said actuator, said microprocessor performing: sending handle movement data and button data to a host computer over a communication bus such that said host computer can update displayed pointer locations with respect to said displayed graphical menu, receiving desired force values from said host computer, said desired force values correlated with particular pointer locations displayed by said host computer, and controlling said z-axis actuator in accordance with said received desired force values so as to provide said tactile sensations to said user that are correlated with a location of said displayed graphical pointer displayed within said graphical menu.id="INS-S-00001" id="INS-S-00002" date="20080527" 20. An interface device as recited in claim 19 wherein said z-axis actuator imparts, said tactile sensations upon said handle along a z-axis orthogonal to said at least two planar degrees of freedom.id="INS-S-00002" id="INS-S-00003" date="20080527" 21. An interface device as recited in claim 19 wherein said handle is physically coupled to a support mechanism that is grounded and allows linear displacement between said handle and an origin.id="INS-S-00003" id="INS-S-00004" date="20080527" 22. An interface device as recited in claim 21 wherein said z-axis actuator is a flat coil actuator.id="INS-S-00004" id="INS-S-00005" date="20080527" 23. An interface device as recited in claim 22 wherein a magnet associated with said flat coil actuator is fixed with respect to said origin and wherein said flat coil actuator moves with respect to said origin.id="INS-S-00005" id="INS-S-00006" date="20080527" 24. An interface device as recited in claim 19 wherein said sensor is an optical sensor that includes an emitter and a detector.id="INS-S-00006" id="INS-S-00007" date="20080527" 25. An interface device as recited in claim 24 wherein said emitter moves when said handle is moved, projecting light upon said detector.id="INS-S-00007" id="INS-S-00008" date="20080527" 26. An interface device as recited in claim 25 wherein said detector detects motion of said emitter in two mutually perpendicular directions.id="INS-S-00008" id="INS-S-00009" date="20080527" 27. An interface device as recited in claim 19 further comprising a memory that stores values that are representative of a location of an image displayed by said host computer.id="INS-S-00009" id="INS-S-00010" date="20080527" 28. An interface device as recited in claim 27 wherein said location includes a location of an icon displayed by said host computer.id="INS-S-00010" id="INS-S-00011" date="20080527" 29. An interface device as recited in claim 19 wherein said handle is a joystick.id="INS-S-00011" id="INS-S-00012" date="20080527" 30. An interface device as recited in claim 19 wherein said handle is a mouse.id="INS-S-00012" id="INS-S-00013" date="20080527" 31. An interface device as recited in claim 19 wherein said embedded microprocessor receives display information from said host computer over said communication bus.id="INS-S-00013" id="INS-S-00014" date="20080527" 32. An interface device as recited in claim 19 wherein said tactile sensations include a viscous drag force.id="INS-S-00014" id="INS-S-00015" date="20080527" 33. An interface device as recited in claim 19 wherein said tactile sensations include an attractive force.id="INS-S-00015" id="INS-S-00016" date="20080527" 34. An interface device as recited in claim 34 wherein said attractive force is used to assist a user in positioning said displayed graphical pointer into said displayed graphical menu.id="INS-S-00016" id="INS-S-00017" date="20080527" 35. An interface device as recited in claim 19 wherein said embedded microprocessor receives code over a communication bus from said host computer and executes said code, said communication bus including a serial interface bus.id="INS-S-00017" id="INS-S-00018" date="20080527" 36. A device for use in conjunction with a host computer including a computer display, said host computer displaying a graphical environment including a displayed graphical pointer controlled by a user, said device comprising: a handle to be manipulated manually by said user in at least two planar degrees of freedom; a z-axis actuator to generate a tactile sensation to be felt by said user, said z-axis actuator applying forces to a hand of said user only along a z-axis degree of freedom when current is flowed through a portion of said z-axis actuator, said z-axis degree of freedom being different from and substantially perpendicular to said at least two planar degrees of freedom; a sensor that produces a locative signal responsive to and corresponding with a position or motion of said handle in said at least two planar degrees of freedom; a button that produces a status signal in response to being pressed by said user; and a control electronics local to said device and coupled to said sensor and said actuator and said button, said control electronics performing the following: sending handle movement data and button data to said host computer over a communication bus such that said host computer can update a displayed pointer location in said displayed graphical environment, receiving a force value from said host computer, said force value correlated with said updated displayed pointer location, and controlling said z-axis actuator in accordance with said received force value so as to provide said tactile sensation to said user that is correlated with a location of said displayed graphical pointer displayed within said displayed graphical environment.id="INS-S-00018" id="INS-S-00019" date="20080527" 37. A device as recited in claim 36 wherein said control electronics include an embedded microcontroller.id="INS-S-00019" id="INS-S-00020" date="20080527" 38. A device as recited in claim 37 wherein said embedded microcontroller runs a program contained, at least in part, in a memory coupled to said embedded microcontroller, and wherein said memory also stores location information which corresponds with image data from a computer display coupled to said host computer.id="INS-S-00020" id="INS-S-00021" date="20080527" 39. A device as recited in claim 38 wherein said location information includes information relating to a location of an icon on said graphical display.id="INS-S-00021" id="INS-S-00022" date="20080527" 40. A device as recited in claim 38 wherein said location information includes information relating to a location of a window on said graphical environment.id="INS-S-00022" id="INS-S-00023" date="20080527" 41. A device as recited in claim 38 wherein said location information includes information related to a location of a graphical button on said graphical environment.id="INS-S-00023" id="INS-S-00024" date="20080527" 42. A device as recited in claim 38 wherein said graphical environment includes a cursor interacting with another object displayed on said computer display.id="INS-S-00024" id="INS-S-00025" date="20080527" 43. A device as recited in claim 42 wherein said cursor interacts with an icon image displayed on said computer display.id="INS-S-00025" id="INS-S-00026" date="20080527" 44. A device as recited in claim 36 wherein said at least two planar degrees of freedom are linear degrees of freedom.id="INS-S-00026" id="INS-S-00027" date="20080527" 45. A device as recited in claim 36 wherein said control electronics calculates force feedback forces based on commands received from said host computer.id="INS-S-00027" id="INS-S-00028" date="20080527" 46. A device as recited in claim 36 wherein said handle is moveable in a plane.id="INS-S-00028" id="INS-S-00029" date="20080527" 47. A device as recited in claim 46 wherein said handle is also moveable along a z-axis that is approximately perpendicular to said plane.id="INS-S-00029" id="INS-S-00030" date="20080527" 48. A device as recited in claim 36 wherein said tactile sensation is applied to correspond with said displayed pointer interacting with a displayed graphical menu to enable said user to more easily select a menu item from said displayed graphical menu by providing tactile feedback to said user when said displayed graphical pointer is moved from one menu item to a next menu item in said graphical menu.id="INS-S-00030" id="INS-S-00031" date="20080527" 49. A device as recited in claim 36 wherein said tactile sensation is applied to correspond with said displayed pointer interacting with a displayed button.id="INS-S-00031" id="INS-S-00032" date="20080527" 50. A device as recited in claim 36 wherein said tactile sensation is applied to correspond with said displayed pointer interacting with a displayed window.id="INS-S-00032" id="INS-S-00033" date="20080527" 51. A device as recited in claim 36 wherein said tactile sensation is applied to correspond with said displayed pointer interacting with a displayed icon.id="INS-S-00033" id="INS-S-00034" date="20080527" 52. An interface device for use with a host computer displaying a graphical application on a display device, said host computer displaying, executing, and updating graphical objects in a graphical environment in response to user manipulation of said interface device and commanding force feedback sensations in response to said user manipulation and in coordination with said graphical objects, said graphical objects including a graphical pointer, said interface device comprising: a physical object grasped and manipulatable by a user in two planar degees of freedom; at least one z-axis actuator coupled to said physical object for receiving a force control signal and imparting forces along at least one degree of freedom of said physical object and in accordance with said force control signal, said forces applied along a z-axis degree of freedom that is different from and substantially perpendicular to said two planar degrees of freedom; a sensor that detects motion of said physical object along said at least one degree of freedom and outputs signals relating to a position of said physical object; a user-adjustable switch apparatus providing a state signal representing a state of said user-adjustable switch apparatus; and a microprocessor local to said interface device, separate from said host computer, and coupled to said host computer, to said sensor, and to said switch apparatus, said microprocessor receiving force values from said host computer, said force values correlated with particular locations of said graphical pointer in said graphical environment displayed by said host computer, said state signal from said user-adjustable switch apparatus, and said signals from said sensor, said microprocessor executing a process in parallel with said displaying, executing, and updating graphical objects and providing said force control signal to said at least one z-axis actuator to impart said forces in accordance with said force values so as to provide tactile sensations to said user that are correlated with a location of said displayed graphical pointer.id="INS-S-00034" id="INS-S-00035" date="20080527" 53. The interface device as recited in claim 52 wherein said graphical objects include a displayed graphical menu, wherein said tactile sensations enable said user to more easily select a menu element from said displayed graphical menu by providing said tactile sensations to said user when said graphical pointer is moved from one menu element to a next menu element in said displayed graphical menu.id="INS-S-00035" id="INS-S-00036" date="20080527" 54. A method for controlling a force feedback interface device using a host computer, said force feedback interface device manipulated by a user, a display device coupled to said host computer displaying a graphical user interface including images and updating said graphical user interface in response to said manipulation of said force feedback interface device, said force feedback interface device conveying force feedback sensations to said user in response to said manipulations, said method comprising: sending a position signal to said host computer, said position signal including information representative of a motion or position of a handle of said force feedback interface device in two planar degrees of freedom, said handle being physically manipulated by said user, wherein said host computer updates a location of a cursor within said graphical user interface in response to said position signal; receiving a force value from said host computer with a microprocessor local to said force feedback interface device, said force value correlated with said location of said cursor; and controlling a z-axis actuator in accordance with said received force value to provide a tactile sensation to said user that is correlated with said location of said cursor in said graphical user interface, said tactile sensation being applied to a hand of said user along a z-axis degree of freedom, said z-axis degree of freedom being different from and substantially perpendicular to said two planar degrees of freedom.id="INS-S-00036" id="INS-S-00037" date="20080527" 55. A method as recited in claim 54 wherein a sensor signal is input to said microprocessor, said microprocessor calculating said position signal based on said sensor signal, said microprocessor sending said position signal to said host computer.id="INS-S-00037" id="INS-S-00038" date="20080527" 56. A method as recited in claim 54 wherein said handle includes a joystick that can be moved by said user in two degrees of freedom.id="INS-S-00038" id="INS-S-00039" date="20080527" 57. A method as recited in claim 55 wherein said graphical user interface provides graphical objects for interfacing with an application program running on said host computer, said graphical objects including an icon, a window, and a menu.id="INS-S-00039" id="INS-S-00040" date="20080527" 58. A human-computer interface device for controlling a graphical cursor displayed by a host computer and for providing tactile feedback to a user in accordance with displayed interactions between said graphical cursor and other graphical objects displayed by said host computer, said interface device comprising: a physical object to be moved by a user in two planar degrees of freedom; one or more sensors that produce a locative signal responsive to and indicative of a position of said physical object in said two planar degrees of freedom; a x-axis actuator that applies force to a hand of said user only along a z-axis degree of freedom when current is flowed through a portion of said z-axis actuator, said z-axis degree of freedom being different from and substantially perpendicular to said two planar degrees of freedom; and a microprocessor separate from and in communication with said host computer, said microprocessor coupled to said one or more sensors and to said z-axis actuator, wherein said microprocessor receives desired force values from said host computer, said desired force values correlated with particular pointer locations displayed by said host computer, said microprocessor controlling current through said portion of said actuator in accordance with said desired force values.id="INS-S-00040" id="INS-S-00041" date="20080527" 59. An interface device as recited in claim 58 wherein said two planar degrees of freedom are x and y axes parallel to a flat surface on which said interface device rests and said z-axis degree of freedom is substantially perpendicular to said x and y axes.id="INS-S-00041" id="INS-S-00042" date="20080527" 60. An interface device as recited in claim 58 wherein said interface device is a mouse device and wherein said physical object is a mouse.id="INS-S-00042" id="INS-S-00043" date="20080527" 61. An interface device as recited in claim 58 wherein said z-axis actuator includes a wire coil through which said current is flowed.id="INS-S-00043" id="INS-S-00044" date="20080527" 62. An interface device as recited in claim 61 wherein said z-axis actuator includes a magnet core.id="INS-S-00044" id="INS-S-00045" date="20080527" 63. An interface device as recited in claim 62 wherein said magnet core is an E-core.id="INS-S-00045" id="INS-S-00046" date="20080527" 64. An interface device as recited in claim 62 further comprising a permanent spring coupled between said physical object and said actuator.id="INS-S-00046" id="INS-S-00047" date="20080527" 65. An interface device as recited in claim 58 wherein said one or more sensors is an optical encoder.id="INS-S-00047" id="INS-S-00048" date="20080527" 66. An interface device as recited in claim 65 wherein said one or more sensors is an encoder.id="INS-S-00048" id="INS-S-00049" date="20080527" 67. An interface device as recited in claim 58 wherein said z-axis actuator is controlled to indicate when said graphical cursor displayed by said host computer is moved from one displayed menu element to another displayed menu element.id="INS-S-00049" id="INS-S-00050" date="20080527" 68. An interface device as recited in claim 58 wherein said z-axis actuator is controlled to indicate when said graphical cursor displayed by said host computer crosses a window boundary.id="INS-S-00050" id="INS-S-00051" date="20080527" 69. An interface device as recited in claim 58 wherein said z-axis actuator is controlled to apply said force to said hand to indicate when said graphical cursor displayed on said host computer is positioned over a graphical element.id="INS-S-00051" id="INS-S-00052" date="20080527" 70. An interface device as recited in claim 58 wherein said actuator includes a portion that is moveable by said user along a z-axis control to said host computer.id="INS-S-00052" id="INS-S-00053" date="20080527" 71. An interface device as recited in claim 58 wherein a physical tactile element is physically coupled to said actuator and is moved to contact and apply pressure to said hand.id="INS-S-00053" id="INS-S-00054" date="20080527" 72. An interface device as recited in claim 71 wherein said physical tactile element applies pressure upon said hand by pressing upward on said hand when said current is flowed through said portion of said z-axis actuator.id="INS-S-00054"