Patent ID: 6343349
Filing Date: 2002-01-29
Classification: G05B,G06F,H04L

Abstract:
A method for providing force effects with a force feedback device having local control of the output of force sensations, said force feedback device coupled to a host computer, the method comprising:creating a representation of device memory, said device memory being provided on said force feedback device, said representation being allocated in memory of said host computer, wherein an application program is running on said host computer; receiving a force effect load command from said application program, said force effect load command instructing that data for a force effect be stored in said device memory storing said data for said force effect in said representation of device memory, wherein a greater number of said force effects can be stored in said representation than in said device memory; determining whether said device memory can store said force effect by examining said representation of device memory; and if said device memory can store said force effect, sending said data for said force effect to said force feedback device to be stored in said device memory, wherein said force feedback device uses said data to control a force output to a user of said force feedback device.