Enhancing inertial tactile feedback in computer interface devices having increased mass

A haptic feedback device in communication with a host computer, the device comprising:

• a housing;
• a sensor device coupled to said housing, said sensor device operable to detect a movement of at least one of a manipulandum and said housing and operable to output a sensor signal representative of said movement;
• and
• an actuator coupled to said housing, said actuator operable to output an inertial force by moving an inertial mass;
• and
• a component coupled to said housing by a compliant member, said component being inertially decoupled from said housing to reduce the mass of said haptic feedback device with respect to said inertial mass.

A method for providing haptic feedback to an interface device, the method comprising:

• detecting motion of said interface device or a manipulandum thereof and providing an indication of said motion to a host computer;
• receiving information from said host computer indicating that a tactile sensation is to be output, said tactile sensation being correlated with an event occurring within a graphical environment;
• and
• outputting an inertial force with respect to an inertial ground on a housing of said interface device, by oscillating an inertial mass coupled to an actuator, wherein said inertial force is transmitted through said housing, wherein a mass of a power storage element included in said interface device is inertially decoupled from said housing of said interface device.

A tactile feedback device in communication with a host computer, the tactile feedback device comprising:

• a manipulatable object;
• sensing means for detecting a movement of said manipulatable object, said sensing means operable to output a sensor signal representative of said movement, wherein at least one of a position and a motion of said manipulatable object is determined from said sensor signals;
• and
• force generation means for outputting an inertial force with respect to an inertial ground, wherein said inertial force is generated by oscillating an inertial mass approximately along said axis with respect to said housing, said inertial force transmitted through said housing;
• and
• power means for providing power to said force generation means, said power means being inertially decoupled from a housing of said tactile feedback device for reducing the mass of said tactile feedback device with respect to said inertial mass.

A device comprising:

• a housing;
• a first inertial mass disposed in said housing;
• a first actuator coupled to said housing, said first actuator operable to displace said first inertial mass;
• and
• a component coupled to said housing, said component inertially decoupled from said housing.

A method comprising:

• providing a housing;
• disposing a first inertial mass in said housing;
• coupling a component to said housing, said component inertially decoupled from said housing;
• and
• coupling a first actuator to said housing, said first actuator operable to displace said inertial mass.