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US 6,801,008 B1Granted
Force feedback system and actuator power management
AssigneeImmersion Corporation
InventorsCharles J. Jacobus, Alan J. Riggs, Mark J Taylor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for providing a tactile virtual reality to a user is present. The position and orientation of the user is utilized to generate a virtual reality force field. Forces are in turn generated on the user as a function of this force field. A six-axis manipulator is presented for providing a user interface to such a system. This manipulator provides a unique kinematic structure with two constant force springs which provide gravity compensation so that the manipulator effectively floats.
Claims58
A computer mediated control system for use in a force feedback system, said force feedback system including at least one actuator and at least one position sensor, said control system comprising:
- a memory storing at least one force feedback effect, said at least one force feedback effect providing forces to be output to a user of said force feedback system;
- and
- a computer mediated controller coupled to said at least one actuator and to said at least one position sensor, wherein said computer mediated controller
- receives input information through a communication port of said computer mediated controller and decodes commands from said input information,
- reads force values from said communication port,
- outputs output data on said communication port, said output data including position data from said at least one position sensor,
- determines at least one installed force feedback effect to contribute to output of said force feedback system,
- processes said stored force feedback effect to determine a force contribution from said force feedback effect, and
- outputs a force feedback value based on said determined force contribution to cause a force based on said force feedback value to be output by said actuator to the user of said force feedback system.
6 more elements
A force feedback device, comprising:
- a user manipulatable member having at least one degree of freedom of motion and being manipulatable by a user physically contacting said member;
- at least one actuator outputting forces to said user;
- at least one position sensor for determining a position of said user manipulatable member in said at least one degree of freedom;
- and
- a computer mediated controller coupled to said actuator and to said at least one position sensor, wherein said controller
- receives input information through a communication port of said computer mediated controller and decodes commands from said input information,
- reads force values from said communication port,
- outputs output data on said communication port, said output data including position data from said position sensor,
- determines at least one installed force feedback effect to contribute to output of said force feedback system,
- processes said installed force feedback effect to determine a force contribution from said installed force feedback effect, and
- outputs a force feedback value based on said determined force contribution to cause a force based on said force feedback value to be output by said actuator to the user of said force feedback system.
8 more elements
A method for providing output force from an actuator in a force feedback device, the method comprising:
- outputting a maximum peak force from an actuator on a user manipulatable object of said force feedback device, wherein a user can manipulate said user manipulatable object in a degree of freedom, and wherein said maximum peak force is related to a maximum power that said actuator can utilize instantaneously;
- and
- reducing said output of said maximum peak force to an output of a nominal peak force from said actuator when said power utilized by said actuator exceeds an average power level over a predetermined period of time, wherein said nominal peak force is related to a maximum power that said actuator can utilize in continuous steady-state operation.
A force feedback device that interfaces with a computer graphical simulation, said force feedback device comprising:
- a user manipulatable object moveable by a user in at least one degree of freedom;
- at least one sensor that detects a position or motion of said user manipulatable object in the at least one degree of freedom;
- and
- at least one actuator outputting a force on the user manipulatable object, the at least one actuator outputting a maximum peak force on the user manipulatable object,
- wherein the peak force is related to a maximum power that the at least one actuator can utilize instantaneously, and wherein the maximum peak force is reduced to a nominal peak force by the actuator when the power utilized by the actuator exceeds an average power level over a predetermined period of time, wherein the nominal peak force is related to a maximum power that the actuator can utilize in continuous steady-state operation.
2 more elements
A system comprising:
- a force-feedback actuator coupled to a manipulandum;
- a position sensor coupled to said manipulandum;
- a memory comprising a stored force feedback effect;
- and
- a controller coupled to said force-feedback actuator, said position sensor, and said memory, wherein said controller is operable to:
- calculate a force feedback effect to contribute to output of said force feedback actuator, wherein said force feedback effect comprises a force feedback effect type and a magnitude.
3 more elements
A system comprising:
- a force-feedback actuator coupled to a manipulandum;
- a position sensor coupled to said manipulandum;
- a memory comprising a stored force feedback effect;
- and
- a controller coupled to said force-feedback actuator, said position sensor, and said memory, wherein said controller is operable to:
- determine a force feedback effect to contribute to output of said force feedback actuator, wherein said force feedback effect comprises a force feedback effect type and a magnitude, and wherein said force feedback effect comprises an attribute selected from the group consisting of a stiffness attribute, a damping attribute, a force attribute, and a distance attribute.
3 more elements
A device comprising:
- a manipulandum having at least one degree of freedom;
- an actuator coupled to said manipulandum;
- a position sensor for determining a position of said manipulandum in said at least one degree of freedom;
- and
- a controller coupled to said actuator and to said position sensor, wherein said controller is operable to:
- determine at least one stored force feedback effect to contribute to output of said force feedback system, wherein said force feedback effect comprises a force feedback effect type and a magnitude.
3 more elements
A device comprising:
- a manipulandum having at least one degree of freedom;
- an actuator coupled to said manipulandum;
- a position sensor for determining a position of said manipulandum in said at least one degree of freedom;
- a controller coupled to said actuator and to said position sensor, wherein said controller is operable to:
- determine at least one stored force feedback effect to contribute to output of said force feedback system, wherein said force feedback effect comprises a force feedback effect type and a magnitude, and
- a deadman switch for disabling said output forces.
3 more elements
A device comprising:
- a manipulandum having at least one degree of freedom;
- an actuator coupled to said manipulandum;
- a position sensor for determining a position of said manipulandum in said at least one decree of freedom;
- and
- a controller coupled to said actuator and to said position sensor, wherein said controller is operable to:
- determine at least one stored force feedback effect to contribute to output of said force feedback system, wherein said force feedback effect comprises a force feedback effect type and a magnitude, and wherein said force feedback effect comprises an attribute, selected from group consisting of a stiffness attribute, a damping attribute, a force attribute, and a distance attribute.
3 more elements
A method for providing haptic feedback, comprising:
- outputting a maximum peak force from an actuator to a manipulandum of a force feedback device, wherein said manipulandum comprises at least one degree of freedom, and wherein said maximum peak force is related to a maximum power that said actuator can utilize instantaneously;
- and
- reducing said output of said maximum peak force to an output of a nominal peak force from said actuator when said power utilized by said actuator exceeds an average power level over a predetermined period of time, wherein said nominal peak force is related to a maximum power that said actuator can utilize in continuous steady-state operation.
A device comprising:
- a manipulandum moveable in at least one degree of freedom;
- a position sensor coupled to said manipulandum, said position sensor operable to detect a position of said manipulandum at least one degree of freedom;
- and
- an actuator coupled to said manipulandum, said actuator operable to output a maximum peak force on said manipulandum,
- wherein said maximum peak force is related to a maximum power that said actuator can utilize instantaneously, and wherein said maximum peak force is reduced to a nominal peak force by said actuator when the power utilized by the actuator exceeds an average power level over a predetermined period of time, and wherein a nominal peak force is related to a maximum power that said actuator can utilize in continuous steady-state operation.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.