Patent ID: 7535457
Filing Date: 2009-05-19
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A force-feedback input device comprising: display means for displaying a cursor and a plurality of buttons; input means comprising an operating portion, a detecting portion for detecting an amount of movement of the operating portion, and an actuator for providing a required external force to the operating portion; and control means for controlling display of the cursor based on an operational amount signal from the detecting portion and for controlling driving of the actuator so as to provide an attractive force to the operating portion based on a positional relationship between the cursor and the buttons; wherein the control means controls driving of the actuator based on a positional relationship between the cursor and a borderline between a first attractive area and a second attractive area appearing in vicinities of adjacent first and second buttons such that the attractive force decreases as a first distance between the cursor and the borderline decreases; and wherein the cursor moves on a first line parallel to a second line between a first center of the first button and a second center of the second button in an area determined between a first position corresponding to the first center of the first button and a second position corresponding to the second center of the second button such that the area extends a second distance on both sides of a midpoint between the first position and the second position and wherein the control means controls driving of the actuator such that a scalar value (|F|) of the attractive force exerted on the operating portion is decreased based on an equation  as the cursor moves towards the midpoint, where d is a third distance between the cursor and the midpoint and W represents the second distance.