Patent ID: 6424356
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: G05B,G06F

Abstract:
A method for commanding force effects using force suites, said force effects commanded by an application program running on a host computer, said host computer in communication with a force feedback interface device that outputs force sensations to a user, the method comprising:providing data to a library available to said application program on said host computer, said data indicating a force suite to be used with said application program, wherein said force suite refers to a plurality of force effects that are associated with said force suite; and reporting a status of said application program to said library, said status describing one or more events or objects in said application program, wherein said library uses rules that define how to apply said force effects referred to by said force suite based on said status of said application program, wherein said library causes the command of at least one force effect in said suite by applying said rules based on said reported status to cause a force sensation based on said commanded force effect to be output by said force feedback interface device.