Patent ID: 6252579
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for providing enhanced cursor control using a force feedback interface device coupled to a host computer displaying a graphical environment and a cursor within said graphical environment on a display device, the method comprising:(a) reading a position of a manipulandum in a device workspace as a reference position, said manipulandum being grasped by a user;(b) reporting a cursor position to said host computer derived from said reference position, wherein said host computer displays said cursor within said graphical environment on said display device at a position corresponding to said cursor position, and wherein said reported cursor position is a ballistics position, said ballistics position being said reference position modified by a ballistics algorithm by which a position of said cursor is mapped to a position of said manipulandum based on a scaling derived from a velocity of said manipulandum in said device workspace;(c) determining whether said cursor interacts with said graphical environment as to cause a force to be output on said manipulandum; and(d) determining and outputting said force on said manipulandum if so determined in (c),wherein said reported cursor position allows said user of said force feedback interface device to finely position said cursor within said graphical environment and coarsely move said cursor as desired in said graphical environment.