US 5,889,672 A · Tactiley responsive user interface device and method therefor

Abstract

A method and apparatus implementing a user interface device, such as a mouse or trackball, having electronically controllable tactile responsiveness which is flexibly programmable. A user interface device effects positioning of a cursor within a limited area, such as on a display screen, with limits imposed by controllable tactile responsiveness. Programmable force-position characteristics relate the tactile responsiveness of the interface device to the position of the cursor within the limited area or on the display screen. In a described embodiment, the interface device includes at least two sets of wheels that move as the interface device is actuated. The at least two sets of wheels are aligned on mutually orthogonal axes. A servo motor is attached to each of the at least two sets of wheels. A position encoder is associated with each servo motor and outputs position information to a controller that has access to force-position relation information that is a function of a screen display on which the cursor is manipulated. The controller outputs a digital signal, in accordance with the force-display position relation information. The digital signal is converted to an analog current signal applied to the servo motor(s) to generate force in the servo motor. The force, presenting a tactile response to a human interacting with the user interface device, is perceived as a resistance, tactile pressure or lack thereof, or as a positive, assisted motion which is indicative of position on a screen display.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A programmable input and output device electrically coupled to a host computer running a host application, said device comprising:

a moveable member manipulatable by a human user in at least one degree of freedom;
a sensor that produces position signals specifying the position of said moveable member with respect to said at least one degree of freedom;
a memory, separate from a memory of said host computer and local to said device, in which a plurality of tactile responsiveness definitions are stored and are individually accessible in accordance with requirements of said host application;
a processor that is electrically coupled to said memory to access a desired tactile responsiveness definition that is selected from said plurality of stored tactile responsiveness definitions in accordance with requirements of said host application, said processor producing a torque signal in accordance with said selected tactical responsiveness definition;
and
an actuator electrically coupled to said processor and mechanically coupled to said moveable member, said actuator applying a torque upon said moveable member in said at least one degree of freedom in response to said torque signal, thereby generating a tactile responsiveness to said moveable member, the direction and a magnitude of said torque being specified by said selected tactile responsiveness definition.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tactiley responsive user interface device and method therefor

Life of this patent

Tactiley responsive user interface device and method therefor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims34