Graphical click surfaces for force feedback applications to provide user selection using cursor interaction with a trigger position within a boundary of a graphical object

A force feedback interface device allowing interaction with a click surface of a graphical object displayed in a graphical environment implemented by a host computer system, the force feedback interface device comprising:

• a user manipulatable object physically contacted by a user and movable in physical space in at least two degrees of freedom with respect to a ground, said user manipulatable object controlling a position of a cursor in said graphical environment;
• a sensor operative to detect said movement of said user manipulatable object in physical space in said two degree of freedom with respect to said ground;
• an actuator coupled to said user manipulatable object operative to apply an output force in at least one degree of freedom of said user manipulatable object;
• a local microprocessor, separate from said host computer system, said local microprocessor reading said sensor, reporting motion of said user manipulatable object to said host computer, and controlling said actuator, said microprocessor receiving an indication of a click surface of a graphical object from said host computer, and wherein said local microprocessor:
• determines penetration of said cursor into said click surface and does not report data describing motion of said user manipulatable object in the direction into and past said click surface to said host computer when said user manipulatable object moves into said click surface, such that said click surface is displayed at a constant position and said cursor is displayed to remain at a point of contact with said click surface,
• controls said actuator to output a force opposing motion of said user manipulatable object into said click surface, and
• sends said host computer a signal indicating said graphical object has been selected as if a physical input device on said user manipulatable object has been activated by said user, said signal being sent when said user manipulatable object is moved to or past a trigger position into said click surface.

A method for providing a force feedback click surface in a graphical environment provided by a host computer, said host computer coupled to a force feedback device, the method comprising:

• causing the display of said click surface on a display screen in said graphical environment and receiving position data from said force feedback device describing a position of a user object contacted and manipulated by a user in at least one degree of freedom, wherein a user-controlled cursor is displayed at a position in said graphical environment based on said position data;
• providing a force command to said force feedback device causing said force feedback device to output a force on said user object when said cursor controlled by said user object contacts said click surface displayed in said graphical environment, said force opposing motion of said user object that would move said cursor into said click surface;
• maintaining a display of said click surface at a point where said cursor first engaged said click surface while said user object is moved to positions into and past said engagement point of said click surface against said opposing force;
• and
• receiving a signal from said force feedback device indicating a trigger point of said click surface positioned past said engagement point of said click surface has been reached by said user object.

An apparatus for providing force feedback click surfaces for a user using an interface device and a host computer system displaying a graphical environment, the apparatus comprising:

• means for providing input to said host computer system, wherein said input describes a position of a physical user object in at least one degree of freedom and is used by said host computer system to update a position of a user-controlled graphical object in said graphical environment to correspond to a position of said user object;
• means for applying a force to said user object in said at least one degree of freedom when said user-controlled graphical object engages a click surface displayed in said graphical environment at an original position, said force opposing motion of said user object in a direction that causes said graphical object to move into said click surface, wherein said click surface continues to be displayed at said original position when said user object is moved to cause said graphical object to move into said click surface;
• and
• means for providing a click signal to said host computer when said user object is moved to a trigger position past said original position of said click surface in a direction opposing said force, said click signal being equivalent to a signal provided to said host computer when a physical input device on said user object is activated by said user.