Patent ID: 6125337
Filing Date: 2000-09-26
Classification: A63F,B25J,G01B,G05B,G06F,H01H

Abstract:
A human computer interface apparatus for allowing a user to manually manipulate a probe within a three dimensional volume while a host computer tracks a position of said probe with respect to a fixed surface within said volume, said host computer displaying a user-controlled cursor on a display screen at a position derived from a position of said probe in said three dimensional volume such that said position of said cursor is updated on said display screen in accordance with said position of said probe, said human computer interface apparatus comprising:a probe manipulable by a user;a support base;a movable linkage allowing said probe to be moved in at least five degrees of freedom with respect to said fixed surface, said movable linkage including a first, second, and third joint configuration, wherein said first joint configuration couples said probe to a first link member, allowing said probe to move in two degrees of freedom of rotation with respect to said first link member, said second joint configuration couples said first link member to a second link member, allowing at least rotation of said first link member with respect to said second link member, and said third joint configuration couples said second link member to said support base, allowing said second link member to move in two degrees of freedom of rotation with respect to said support base;a sensor associated with each of said first, second, and third joint configurations, wherein each of said sensors measures said rotation in a degree of freedom allowed by said associated joint configuration; anda microprocessor electrically coupled to said sensors and separate from said host computer, said microprocessor reading data from said sensors that collectively represents said position of said probe and reporting a representation of said data to said host computer, said microprocessor receiving and responding to host signals sent from said host computer, wherein said host signals cause said microprocessor to report said representation of said data and to modify parameters stored within memory local to said microprocessor and separate from said host computer.