Force-feedback stylus and applications to freeform ink
AssigneeFuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
InventorsLaurent Denoue, Jonathan T. Foote
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention relates to a force-feedback apparatus which includes a stylus that is equipped with an electromagnetic device or a freely rotating ball. The stylus is functionally coupled to a controller which is capable of exerting a magnetic field to the electromagnetic device or to the rotating ball, which results in a force being created between the stylus and a surface. This invention also relates to a method of using a force-feedback stylus including moving a force-feedback stylus over a surface, controlling a force-feedback device via a controller coupled to the force-feedback stylus and applying a force to the force-feedback stylus via the force-feedback device, the force being determined for at least features on the surface.
Claims22
A force-feedback apparatus for generating a force-feedback between a stylus-type device and a magnetic surface, comprising:
- a stylus-type device having an electromagnetic device disposed at a tip of the stylus-type device;
- a controller coupled to the stylus-type device, the controller being capable of generating a magnetic field between the stylus-type device and the magnetic surface to cause the stylus-type device to provide a haptic sensation to a user of the stylus-type device;
- and
- a projector functionally coupled to the stylus-type device through the controller and capable of projecting objects displayed on the magnetic surface,
- wherein the magnetic field generated by the controller varies based on one of a location of the stylus-type device over the magnetic surface and the objects displayed on the magnetic surface.
A method of generating a force-feedback to a user in an apparatus comprising a surface functionally coupled to a stylus-type device, the method comprising:
- monitoring motion of a stylus-type device over the surface, said stylus-type device having a force-feedback device incorporated therein;
- projecting objects displayed on the surface by a projector functionally coupled to the stylus-type device;
- controlling the force-feedback device with a controller functionally coupled to the stylus-type device and to the surface;
- and
- applying a force between the stylus-type device and the surface via the force-feedback device, the force being determined by the objects displayed on the surface to thereby provide a haptic feedback to the user from the stylus-type device,
- wherein the force is a magnetic force and the surface is a magnetic surface.
A machine-readable medium that provides instructions for generating a force-feedback, the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
- monitoring the location of the stylus-type device over the surface, the stylus-type device having a force-feedback device incorporated therein;
- projecting objects displayed on the surface by a projector functionally coupled to the stylus-type device;
- controlling the force-feedback device with a controller functionally coupled to the stylus-type device and to the surface;
- and
- applying a force between the stylus-type device and the surface via the force-feedback device, the force being determined by the objects displayed on the surface, to thereby cause the stylus-type device to encounter resistance at specific locations on the surface,
- wherein the force is a magnetic force and the surface is a magnetic surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.