Implementing force feedback over the World Wide Web and other computer networks

A method for providing force effects for a web page, the method comprising:

• determining which of a plurality of web page objects are associated with one or more authored force effects, wherein effect information specifying said authored force effects is included in web page information received by a client machine from a server machine over a network, wherein said web page information also includes screen display information representing said web page objects to be displayed in a web page on said client machine;
• determining which of said web page objects are associated with one or more generic force effects, wherein effect information specifying said generic force effects is stored on said client machine prior to receiving said web page information, and wherein said generic force effects are each applicable to a predefined type of web page object;
• and
• providing force information when a user-controlled cursor interacts with a particular web page object on said web page associated with at least one of said authored force effects or associated with at least one of said generic force effects, wherein said force information causes a force signal to be output to a force feedback interface device coupled to said client machine and causes an actuator of said force feedback interface device to output a force sensation to a user of said force feedback interface device, and wherein said force information is based on said effect information associated with said particular web page object.

A method for implementing a web page authoring interface including the ability to add force sensations to a web page, the method comprising:

• causing said web page authoring interface to be displayed on a display device of a host computer, said web page authoring interface displaying a web page including a plurality of web page objects, at least one of said web page objects being a hyperlink object;
• receiving input from a user to said web page authoring interface, said input selecting one of said web page objects and selecting a force effect to be associated with said selected web page object;
• and
• outputting a web page including said web page objects and including force information to allow said force effect to be implemented when said web page is displayed by a client machine after being received by said client machine from a server machine over a network, wherein said force effect is commanded by said client machine and output as a force sensation by a force feedback interface device coupled to said client machine, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable and moveable by a user of said client machine.

A method for implementing a force sensation design interface for a web page, the method comprising:

• causing said force sensation design interface to be displayed on a display device of a host computer, said force sensation design interface displaying a web page including a plurality of web page objects;
• receiving input from a user to said force sensation design interface, said input associating at least one force effect with at least one of said web page objects, said force effect to be commanded by said host computer and output by a force feedback interface device, said force feedback interface device including a user manipulatable object graspable by a user and moveable in a degree of freedom;
• and
• automatically inserting a predefined graphical identifier into said web page, said identifier indicating to a user that said web page provides force effects for use with a force feedback interface device.

A method for providing force effects for a web page, the method comprising:

• receiving web page information from a server machine over a network, said web page information including screen display information representing a plurality of web page objects to be displayed in said web page;
• determining which of said web page objects are force web page objects to be associated with at least one force effect, wherein said force web page objects are web page objects having a predefined type;
• and
• assigning a generic force effect for each of said force web page objects, each of said generic force effects being defined by associated effect information derived from a client machine, wherein a generic force effect associated with a particular one of said force web page objects causes a force signal to be output by said client machine when a user-controlled cursor interacts with said particular force web page object, said cursor and said force web page objects being displayed on said web page by said client machine, wherein said force signal causes an actuator of a force feedback interface device coupled to said client machine to output a force sensation to a user of said force feedback interface device, and wherein said force signal is based on said effect information associated with said generic force effect that is assigned to said particular force web page object.