Method and apparatus for controlling force feedback interface systems utilizing a host computer
US5734373A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 1, 1995 |
| Grant date | Mar 31, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 1, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H2003/008
- WIPO fieldFurniture, games
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
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.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.