Method and apparatus for streaming force values to a force feedback device

A method, comprising:

• receiving a stream of data at a local microprocessor of a force feedback peripheral device from a host computer, the stream of data including a first force signal data value and a second force signal data value in a first data packet and the second force signal data value and a third force signal data value different from the first force signal data value and the second force signal data value in a second data packet, the second data packet and the first data packet being consecutive data packets, the second force signal data value being retrievable from either the first data packet or the second data packet, the stream of data being based on a periodic time-varying force signal, the time-varying force signal formulated by the host computer based on at least one of a frequency parameter and a magnitude parameter;
• receiving at the local microprocessor sensor data derived from sensors of the force feedback peripheral device, the sensor data based on a position of a user manipulable object of the force feedback peripheral device, the sensor data being transmitted to the host computer;
• calculating at least one condition force effect at the local microprocessor, the condition force effect based at least in part on the sensor data;
• and
• controlling at least one actuator of the force feedback peripheral device with the local microprocessor, the actuator being configured to output forces based on the stream of data and the condition force effect.

A method, comprising:

• formulating a time-varying force signal on a host computer, the time-varying force signal formulated based on a source wave and at least one of a frequency parameter, a magnitude parameter and a duration parameter;
• sending a representation of the time-varying force signal from the host computer to a force feedback peripheral device as a stream of digital data, the stream of digital data having packets of digital force values including a first force signal data value and a second force signal data value in a first data packet and the second force signal data value and a third force signal data value different from the first force signal data value and the second force signal data value in a second data packet, the second data packet and the first data packet being consecutive data packets, the second force signal data value being retrievable from either the first data packet or the second data packet;
• and
• sending an application parameter from the host computer to the force feedback peripheral device, the force feedback peripheral device selecting one of multiple actuators within the force feedback peripheral device based on the application parameter and controlling the selected actuator based on the packets of digital force values.

A device, comprising:

• a user-manipulable object;
• at least one sensor configured to determine a position of the user-manipulable object in at least one degree of freedom;
• an actuator coupled to the sensor, the actuator configured to output haptic feedback;
• and
• a microprocessor coupled to the actuator, the microprocessor configured to receive a stream of digital data from a host computer, the stream of digital data configured to include a first digital force signal data value and a second digital force signal data value in a first data packet and the second digital force signal data value and a third digital force signal data value different from the first digital force signal data value and the second digital force signal data value in a second data packet, the second data packet and the first data packet being consecutive data packets, the second digital force signal data value being retrievable from either the first data packet or the second data packet, the stream of digital data being based on a time-varying force signal, the time-varying force signal formulated by the host computer based on a source wave and at least one of a frequency parameter, a magnitude parameter and a duration parameter, the microprocessor configured to control the actuator to output the forces based on the packets of digital force values.