Method and apparatus for tactilely responsive user interface

A method of generating tactile responsiveness in a user interface device having a tracking element manipulating a position of a displayed element on a display screen of an electronic device, said method comprising the steps of:

• positioning a plurality of drive/position assemblies along mutually orthogonal axes with respect to said tracking element, each of said plurality of drive/position assemblies including a motor and an associated sensor to drive and sense position of said tracking element;
• interfacing said user interface device to said display screen via a controller that receives information from said associated sensor of each of said plurality of drive/position assemblies and from said electronic device to track movement of said tracking element and the position on said display screen of said displayed element;
• storing force-position relation information, accessible to said controller, as a function of the position on the display screen of the displayed element;
• and
• accessing said force-position information via said controller and generating a signal to each of said plurality of drive/position assemblies to effect a positive or negative force to respectively assist or resist motion of said tracking element depending upon the position of said displayed element on said display screen.

A user interface device having tactile feedback capabilities, comprising:

• an actuatable member for imparting a tactile feedback to a user of said user interface device;
• a motor interconnected to said actuatable member;
• a position sensor in communication with said motor, said position sensor providing position information of said motor;
• a controller receiving said position information from at least said position sensor;
• a store of force-position relation information accessible to said controller, said controller outputting at least one force value corresponding to said position information in accordance with said store of force-position information;
• and
• a drive signal source generating a drive signal to said motor in accordance with said at least one force value, said drive signal causing a force in said motor to provide said tactile feedback to said actuatable member to assist or resist motion of said actuatable member.

A user interface device manipulated by a user and providing electronically controllable and flexibly programmable tactile feel, the user interface device comprising:

• a user manipulatable object grasped by a user and moveable by said user in at least one degree of freedom;
• a motor coupled to said user manipulatable object and providing force on said user manipulatable object in said degree of freedom, wherein said force is varied as said user manipulatable object changes position in said degree of freedom, said varied force creating a tactile feel perceived by said user when said user manipulatable object is moved by said user in said degree of freedom, said tactile feel defined at least in part by information received by said user interface device from a main CPU running a main software application;
• a control microprocessor separate from said main CPU, said control microprocessor executing a tactile control process separate from said main software application, said control microprocessor coupled to said main CPU by a communication interface;
• a sensor apparatus coupled to said control microprocessor and responsive to manipulation of said user manipulatable object, said sensor apparatus providing said control microprocessor with positional information corresponding with said manipulation of said user manipulatable object;
• and
• memory accessible to said control microprocessor and storing force profile information enabling a plurality of distinct force profiles, wherein said force profile information informs said control microprocessor how to implement a force profile by modulating said force as a function of a position of said user manipulatable object in said degree of freedom to achieve one of a plurality of tactile feels, wherein a particular force profile is selected and executed by said control microprocessor in accordance with requirements of said main software application.

A method for providing electronically controllable and programmable tactile feel with a user interface device manipulated by a user, the method comprising:

• providing a force on a user manipulatable object in a degree of freedom using a motor coupled to said user manipulatable object, said user manipulatable object being grasped and moveable by said user, wherein said force is varied as said user manipulatable object is moved in said degree of freedom, thereby creating a tactile feel perceived by said user and defined at least in part by information received by said user interface device from a main CPU running a main software application;
• executing a tactile control process using a control microprocessor separate from said main software application and in communication with said main CPU;
• providing position information to said control microprocessor using a sensor apparatus, said position information indicating a position of said user manipulatable object in said degree of freedom;
• and
• providing force profile information to said control microprocessor from memory accessible to said control microprocessor, said force profile information enabling a plurality of distinct force profiles, wherein said force profile information informs said control microprocessor how to implement a force profile by modulating said force as a function of a position of said user manipulatable object in said at least one degree of freedom to achieve one of a plurality of tactile feels, wherein a particular force profile is selected and executed by said control microprocessor in accordance with requirements of said main software application.