Force feedback mechanism for gamepad device
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsChris A. Murzanski, Kurt T. Nielsen, Gary L. Gordon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hand-held input device provides a directional force feedback that acts on a housing of the device. The input device includes a threaded shaft that is rotatably driven by an electric motor. The motor causes a mass to move in response to a control signal received from a host computing device, such as personal computer that is executing a game or simulation. When the mass is rapidly accelerated or abruptly stopped in response to the control signal, the change in momentum of the mass imparts a directional reactive force to the housing, and an operator holding the housing feels the haptic force.
Claims30
An input device adapted to couple to a host device and able to provide a force feedback sensation directed along an axis, to an operator holding the input device, comprising:
- (a) a housing adapted to be handheld;
- (b) a prime mover disposed in said housing;
- and
- (c) a mass operatively connected to said prime mover, said prime mover causing said mass to move in response to a control signal received from the host device, a change in momentum of said mass imparting a directional force on said housing, said directional force being transmitted through the housing as a haptic sensation.
Apparatus that selectively produces a haptic force applied in a controlled direction, comprising:
- (a) a housing adapted to be handheld;
- (b) a prime mover mounted in said housing;
- and
- (c) a mass operatively connected to said prime mover, said prime mover causing said mass to move from a first point to a second point within said housing so as to cause a change of momentum of the mass along an axis, said change in momentum of the mass being transmitted through said housing as a haptic sensation.
A method for developing a directional haptic force that is applied to an operator through a housing on an input device held by the operator, comprising the steps of:
- (a) causing a mass to move in the input device in response to a control signal received from a host device;
- (b) producing a change in momentum of the mass to impart a reactive force to the housing of the input device;
- and
- (c) applying the reactive force to said housing along a directional axis, said reactive force being transmitted through the housing as a haptic sensation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.