Patent ID: 6816148
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A tactile feedback interface device providing cursor control, said interface device in communication with a host computer that displays graphical objects in a graphical environment on a display screen, said interface device comprising:a manipulandum movable in a physical workspace that controls a position of a cursor displayed by said host computer within said graphical environment, said physical workspace having limits to motion of said manipulandum; at least one sensor operative to detect motion of said manipulandum and provide a sensor signal, wherein sensor data based on said sensor signal is reported to said host computer to allow positioning of said cursor, wherein a border region and an interior region are defined in said physical workspace of said interface device, and wherein a position-control mapping of movement of said manipulandum is applied to movement of said cursor when said manipulandum is positioned in said interior region, and a rate control mapping of movement of said manipulandum is applied to movement of said cursor when said manipulandum is positioned in said border region; and at least one actuator operative to output a tactile sensation to a user.