Stabilized tactile output mechanism for computer interface devices
OwnerMichael Lawrence Serpainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A force feedback mechanism designed for use with a mouse, trackball, keyboard, or other interface device manipulated by a user. The mechanism consists of a non-planar surface 11 that is substantially balanced with respect to a rotational axis “A.” An actuator 12 controlled by a computer or microprocessor is connected to the non-planar surface 11. In response to signals from the computer or microprocessor the actuator 12 causes the non-planar surface 11 to rotate about its rotational axis “A”, thus conveying force feedback to the user's thumb or fingertip.
Claims6
A manually-operated device for providing input to a computer, the manually-operated device including one or more mechanisms for providing
- force feedback from the computer to a user;
- each of the one or more mechanisms for providing force feedback comprising a non-planar surface, the non-planar surface being capable of rotating about a rotational axis and further being substantially balanced with respect to the rotational axis;
- an actuator or actuators coupled to the non-planar surface(s), the actuator or actuators being computer modulated;
- the actuator or actuators further being responsible for causing a rotational movement of each of the non-planar surface(s) about their respective rotational axes;
- and
- one or more of the non-planar surface(s) including moving mechanical parts intended to reduce friction between the non-planar surface(s) and a thumb or digit of a user.
A mechanism for providing tactile output from an electronic device such as a computer, comprising:
- an actuator,
- a non-planar surface coupled to the actuator, the actuator configured to cause the non-planar surface to rotate about a rotational axis, the non-planar surface being substantially balanced with respect to the rotational axis and the non-planar surface further being oriented substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis;
- the actuator being responsive to a computer and the actuator further being coupled to the non-planar surface and operative to rotate the non-planar surface in one or both directions according to instructions received by the actuator from the computer;
- and
- the non-planar surface including mechanical features for reducing friction between the non-planar surface and a thumb or digit of a user when the tactile output is delivered to said user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.