Method and apparatus for controlling human-computer interface systems providing force feedback

A method for controlling a force feedback interface device using a host computer, said interface device manipulated by a user, said host computer displaying a graphical simulation including images and updating said graphical simulation in response to said manipulation of said interface device, said interface device allowing said host computer to command and update force feedback sensations on said user in response to said manipulations and in coordination with events in said graphical simulation, the method comprising:

• inputting a position signal to a host computer system from a sensor, said position signal including information representative of the position and motion of a user manipulatable object of said interface device in a plurality of degrees of freedom with respect to a fixed surface, said user maniupulatable object being grasped by said user, wherein said host computer updates said graphical simualtion in reponse to said position signal;
• outputting a host force command from a host computer system to a microprocessor local to said force feedback interface device and separate from said host computer system, said microprocessor executing a local process in parallel with said graphical simulation executed by said host computer system, said local process including a plurality of routines to control reception of said host force commands and outputting force signals in response to said host force commands;
• outputting said force signal from said microprocessor to an actuator, said force signal derived from said host force command;
• and
• providing a resistance force from said actuator on said user manipulatable object grasped by said user, wherein a direction and a magnitude of said force is generated in response to and in accordance with said force signal.

A force feedback interface device manipulated by a user and communicating with a host computer system implementing a host application program, said host application program displaying images on a computer display apparatus, said host computer system updating said host application program in response to user manipulation of said interface device and commanding force feedback sensations on said user in response to said manipulations and in coordination with events in said host application program, said force feedback interface device comprising:

• a user object movable in a degree of freedom by a user and being physically contacted by said user;
• a gimbal mechanism rotationally coupled to a support, said gimbal mechanism providing a first rotary degree of freedom to said user manipulatable object with respect to said support and providing a second rotary degree of freedom to said user manipulable object with respect to said support, wherein an axis of said first degree of freedom and an axis of said second degree of freedom are substantially mutually perpendicular and are intersecting at an origin point;
• a device microprocessor, separate from said host computer system, for communicating with said host computer system via a communication bus by receiving a host force command from said host computer system, said host force command being output from said host computer system in response to and coordinated with events within said host application program, said microprocessor executing a local process in parallel with said execution of said host application program for receiving and decoding said host force command and outputting a force signal in response to a decoded host command, wherein said local process is stored in a local memory separate from said host computer and accessible to said device microprocessor;
• an actuator coupled between said gimbal mechanism and said support and controlled by said microprocessor for applying a rotational force along a degree of freedom to said user object in accordance with a force signal from said microprocessor, said force signal being derived from said host force command and causing said force to be coordinated with said host application program, thereby causing a feel sensation that corresponds with a relevant event within said host application program;
• and
• a sensor for detecting a position of said user object along at least one of said degrees of freedom and outputting locative signals to said host computer system, said locative signals including information representative of said position of said user object, wherein said host application program updates said images in response to said locative signals and said position of said user object and said user interacts with said host application program by moving said user object.

A method for interfacing motion of user manipulable object with a host computer system running a graphical application program, said program being responsive to manipulations of said user object by said user and providing force feedback on said user object in response to said manipulations and in coordination with events within said program, the method comprising:

• providing a user manipulable object having a degree of freedom and being grasped by a user;
• sensing positions of said user manipulable object along said degree of freedom with a sensor and producing electrical sensor signals therefrom;
• utilizing a device microprocessor local to said user manipulable object and separate from said host computer system to receive said sensor signals from said sensor, to communicate with said host computer system to provide said sensor signals to said host computer system so that said host computer system can update said graphical application program in response to said sensor signals, and to receive host force commands from said host computer system, wherein a host force command is output by said host computer system when an event within said graphical application program implemented by said host computer requires a force to be applied to said user object;
• and
• creating a force on said user manipulable object along said degree of freedom by using said microprocessor and said host force commands to control an actuator coupled to said user manipulable object, said creating a force including:
• selecting a force subroutine by said microprocessor in accordance with said host force commands;
• outputting force signals from said microprocessor to said actuator utilizing said force subroutine and said sensor signals to cause said actuator to output said force.

An interface device for use with a host computer executing and displaying a graphical simulation, said interface allowing said host computer to update said graphical simulation in response to user manipulation of said interface device, said interface device also allowing said host computer to command force feedback sensations in response to said manipulations and in coordination with events within said graphical simulation, said interface device comprising:

• a user manipulatable object grasped by a user;
• a support mechanism which supports said user manipulatable object on a fixed surface while allowing a plurality of degrees of freedom in the motion of said user manipulatable object with respect to said fixed surface;
• a sensor apparatus coupled to said support mechanism, said sensor apparatus providing a locative signal corresponding with the location of said user manipulatable object within said plurality of degrees of freedom;
• a force generator coupled to said user manipulatable object for providing resistance to motion of said user manipulatable physical object in at least one of said degrees of freedom with respect to said fixed surface, said resistance to motion generated in response to host signals from said host computer;
• and
• a communication interface coupling said host computer to said interface device, said communication interface including a game port and a serial port functioning in parallel wherein host signals are transmitted from host computer to said interface device across said serial port and wherein locative signals are transmitted from interface to host computer across said game port.