Electromechanical human-computer interface with force feedback

A method for interactively interfacing a user and a computer display apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• providing a stylus having a pencil-like configuration that allows writing-like manipulations between fingers of said user;
• coupling to said stylus a mechanical linkage coupled to a fixed surface for supporting said stylus while allowing at least five degrees of freedom in the motion of said stylus, said mechanical linkage for providing a user the ability to manipulate the orientation and location of said stylus in three-dimensional space;
• producing an interactive stylus locative signal which is responsive to and corresponding with the position and movement of the stylus at any point in time during its normal operation, said stylus locative signal providing information about the orientation and location of said stylus;
• displaying a cursor on said computer display apparatus, said computer display apparatus using said stylus locative signal to position and move said cursor in accordance with the location, orientation, or movement of said stylus;
• providing feedback means for generating force on said stylus in at least one of said degrees of freedom in response to force signals provided by said host computer to said mechanical linkage, said force signals correlated to information displayed on said computer display apparatus;
• and
• providing a remote unit switch capable of being in at least two states and a command device for generating a command signal representing said state of said switch and for receipt by said host computer, wherein an action taken by said computer when receiving said command signal depends on said state of said switch.

An interactive device for use in conjunction with a host computer, a computer display apparatus and a fixed surface, comprising:

• a stylus that can be grasped and manipulated by a user;
• a mechanical linkage coupled to a fixed surface and coupled to said stylus for supporting said stylus while allowing a plurality of degrees of freedom in the motion of said stylus;
• a sensor coupled to said mechanical linkage for sensing a location of said stylus and providing a stylus locative signal to a computer display apparatus, said stylus locative signal providing information about said orientation and location of said stylus for use by said computer display apparatus to manipulate an image displayed by said computer display apparatus in accordance with said location of said stylus, said image including a computer cursor having a position controlled by said location of said stylus;
• a feedback device for generating a force in at least one of said plurality of degrees of freedom of said stylus in response to a stylus force signal provided by said host computer to said interactive device, said force signal being output to said feedback device when said computer cursor interacts with other images displayed on said computer display apparatus;
• and
• a user actuated switch capable of being in a least two states and a command device for generating a command signal for receipt by said host computer, said command signal representing a state of said switch and being received by said host computer, wherein an action taken by said computer when receiving said command signal depends on said state of said switch.

A system for controlling an electromechanical interface apparatus manipulated by a user, the system comprising:

• a host computer system for receiving a microprocessor input control signal and for providing high-level host commands, wherein said host computer system modifies a displayed process in response to said microprocessor input control signal and in proportion to a position or orientation of a physical object manipulated by a user;
• a microprocessor separate from said host computer system for receiving said high-level host commands from said host computer system and providing a microprocessor output control signal;
• an actuator coupled to said physical object and controlled by said microprocessor output control signal and providing a force along a degree of freedom to said user manipulable physical object in response to said microprocessor output control signal;
• a sensor for tracking motion of said manipulable physical object along said degree of freedom and for outputting a locative signal which is responsive to and represents the position or orientation of said physical object, wherein said microprocessor is responsive to said locative signal, derives said microprocessor input control signal at least in part from said locative signal, and sends said microprocessor input control signal to said host computer system;
• local memory separate from memory of said host computer system, said local memory comprising non-volatile memory;
• program instructions stored in said non-volatile memory for enabling communication between said microprocessor and said host computer system and for decoding at least one of said high level host commands;
• and
• a plurality of command routines stored in said local memory at least one of said command routines allowing said microprocessor to control said actuator in accordance with at least one of said decoded high-level commands, and at least one of said command routines reporting said input control signal to said host computer in accordance with at least one of said decoded high-level commands.

A method for interfacing motion of an object with a host computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a physical object having a degree of freedom;
• sensing positions of said physical object along said degree of freedom with a sensor and producing electrical sensor signals therefrom;
• utilizing a microprocessor separate from said host computer system to receive said electrical sensor signals, provide said electrical sensor signals to said host computer system, and to receive host commands from said host computer system;
• creating a force on said object along said degree of freedom by using said microprocessor and said host commands to control an actuator coupled to said physical object;
• providing a non-volatile memory device coupled to and provided local to said microprocessor and being accessible by said microprocessor;
• and
• providing program instructions stored in said non-volatile memory for enabling communication between said microprocessor and said host computer system and for allowing said microprocessor to control said actuators in accordance with force commands provided by said host computer system.

An interface device manipulated by a user and communicating with a host computer system displaying visual images on a screen, said host computer system updating said visual images in response to input signals, said interface device comprising:

• a microprocessor, separate from said host computer system, for communicating with said host computer system via a communication interface by receiving a host command from said host computer system, said microprocessor being controlled by software instructions stored on a memory device coupled to said microprocessor, said software instructions enabling said communication between said host computer system and said microprocessor;
• 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 for applying a force along a degree of freedom to said user object in accordance with a processor command from said microprocessor, said processor command being derived from said host command, wherein said software instructions on said memory device includes a routine that allows said microprocessor to control said actuator in accordance with said host command;
• and
• a sensor for detecting a position of said user object along said degree of freedom and outputting sensor information that is included in said input signals received by said host computer system, said sensor information including information representative of said position of said user object.

An electromechanical interface apparatus manipulated by a user for interfacing with a host computer system, said host computer system receiving a microprocessor input control signal and providing high-level host commands, wherein said host computer system modifies a displayed process in response to said microprocessor input control signal and based on a position or orientation of a physical object manipulated by said user, the interface apparatus comprising:

• a microprocessor separate from said host computer system for receiving said high-level host commands from said host computer system and providing a microprocessor output control signal;
• an actuator coupled to said physical object and controlled by said microprocessor output control signal and providing a force along a degree of freedom to said user manipulable physical object in response to said processor output control signal;
• a sensor for tracking motion of said manipulable physical object along said degree of freedom and for outputting a locative signal which is responsive to and represents the position or orientation of said physical object, wherein said microprocessor is responsive to said locative signal, derives said microprocessor input control signal at least in part from said locative signal, and sends said microprocessor input control signal to said host computer system;
• local memory separate from memory of said host computer system, said memory comprising non-volatile memory;
• program instructions stored in said non-volatile memory for enabling communication between said microprocessor and said host computer system and for decoding said high level host commands;
• and
• a plurality of command routines stored in said local memory, at least one of said command routines allowing said microprocessor to control said actuator in accordance with at least one of said decoded host commands, and at least one of said command routines reporting said input control signal to said host computer in accordance with at least one of said decoded host commands.