# US 2018/0024516 A1 · Throttle Functionality of Haptic Controller > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0024516 A1 - Document ID: US20180024516A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/722,937 - Filed: 2017-10-02 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-14 - Assignees: X Development LLC - Applicants: X Development LLC - Inventors: Jeffrey Linnell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180024516A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/02: Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials - G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user} - G06F 3/03547: {Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface} - G06F 3/0362: with detection of one-dimensional [1D] translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts - G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures - Y10S 901/02: Arm motion controller - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract Example implementations may relate to a haptic hand-holdable controller configured with throttle functionality. An example device may take the form of a haptic controller, which senses tactile information and provides force feedback. The haptic hand-holdable controller may implement a throttle where a motor varies feedback to the hand-holdable controller to simulate a throttle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system configured to operate a robotic device, the system comprising: a rotatable knob coupled to a base; at least one motor that is operable to apply a torque-generating force to the rotatable knob; a curved touchpad comprising one or more touch sensors arranged to sense touch input on a curved surface of the rotatable knob; and a control system configured to: detect, based at least in part on touch data from the curved touchpad, a throttle mode input; and in response to the throttle mode input, operate the at least one motor to affect the rotation of the rotatable knob to simulate a throttle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the throttle mode input further comprises inertial data from one or more sensors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein operation in the throttle mode allows for rotation of the rotatable knob between: (i) an initial position and (ii) a stop position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein operation in the throttle mode further comprises operating the at least one motor to apply torque-generating force to the rotatable knob in accordance with a return-to-center function for the rotatable knob. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the control system is further configured to apply a sonic output, by oscillating torque through the motor, at the initial position and the stop position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein rotation from the initial position to the stop position is in a first direction, and wherein operation in the throttle mode further allows for rotation of the rotatable knob in a second direction from the initial position to a second stop position, wherein the second direction is opposite of the first direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to (i) set an initial position upon detecting the throttle mode input, (ii) detect a movement from the initial position, and (iii) in response to detecting the movement from the initial position, apply torque-generating force to the rotatable knob to return the rotatable knob to the initial position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to apply a force-derivative torque to the knob in response to an applied knob force, wherein the force-derivative torque is related to the derivative of the applied knob force. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to apply a velocity-dependent damping torque to the knob in response to an applied knob force, wherein the velocity-dependent damping torque is related to the velocity of the applied knob force. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the velocity-dependent damping torque further comprises a viscous damping factor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to apply a sonic output by oscillating torque through the motor. ### Claim 12 A method comprising: receiving touch data from a curved touchpad comprising one or more touch sensors, wherein the curved touchpad is arranged on a curved surface of a rotatable knob, wherein a control device comprises the rotatable knob coupled to a base, at least one motor that is operable to apply torque-generating force to the rotatable knob, and the curved touchpad; detecting, based at least in part on the touch data, a throttle mode input; and in response to the throttle mode input, operating the control device in a throttle mode, wherein operating the control device in a throttle mode comprise operating at least one motor to affect the rotation of the rotatable knob to simulate a throttle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein operating the control device in the throttle mode further comprises applying a return-to-center function to control rotation of the rotatable knob. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein detecting the throttle mode input further comprises detecting inertial data from one or more inertial sensors. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the touch data indicates a throttle grip on the rotatable knob. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein operation in the throttle mode allows for rotation of the rotatable knob between: (i) an initial position and (ii) a stop position. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions executable by a processor to cause a computing device to perform operation comprising: receiving touch data from a curved touchpad comprising one or more touch sensors, wherein the curved touchpad is arranged on a curved surface of a rotatable knob, wherein a control device comprises the rotatable knob coupled to a base, at least one motor that is operable to apply torque-generating force to the rotatable knob, and the curved touchpad; detecting, based at least in part on the touch data, a throttle mode input; and in response to the throttle mode input, operating the control device in a throttle mode, wherein operating the control device in a throttle mode comprise operating at least one motor to affect the rotation of the rotatable knob to simulate a throttle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein causing the control device to operate in the throttle mode further comprise operating the at least one motor to according to a return-to-center function. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein detecting the throttle mode input further comprises detecting inertial data from one or more inertial sensors. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the touch data indicates a throttle grip on the rotatable knob.