Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device
Reexamination Certificate
1994-10-27
2001-05-29
Wu, Xiao (Department: 2674)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
C345S157000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06239784
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a haptic computer input/output device and more specifically to human/computer interface equipment for use in association with a computer system running a virtual reality software applications program.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
In virtual reality applications the user of the system is presented with computer-generated images which change in response to changes in the notional relative positions of the viewer and the virtual object so that the viewer has the sense of occupying a fully three-dimensional, artificial world. Virtual reality is described in U.S. Pat Nos. 4,884,219 and 4,981,789 and reference is made thereto for a fuller understanding of the present invention.
It is desirable that the viewer of virtual objects should be able to ‘interact’ with them, such as by ‘picking them up’ and ‘moving them about’. For this it is preferable that one of the objects viewed is a cursor representing e.g. the hand of a viewer and that the user dons a glove-type human/computer interface. By moving his real hand he causes corresponding movements of the cursor, and when this occupies the same apparent space as another virtual object the computer must react appropriately.
An example of such a glove is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,001. The glove must house tactile feedback as well as position and movement input means. This results in a relatively bulky sheath surrounding the hand of a user which will constrain the free movement of the hand thereby reducing realism. In addition such a glove is not easy to don and doff and in arcade game applications the unwarranted time taken in doing so can be considered as machine down time.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a haptic human/computer interface device which is relatively easy to don and doff and which is generally less likely to constrain movement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention a manually operable exo-skeletal human/computer interface device for a computer system comprises a wrist encircling means and a palm encircling means and a torsionally and laterally flexible member connecting said wrist and palm encircling means, with said wrist encircling means being adapted in use to be proximate to and generally relatively fixed around the associated wrist of one hand of a user, with said palm encircling means being adapted in use to be proximate to and relatively fixed around the palm of said hand, with said palm encircling means having an overhand member overlying the back of said hand, and further comprises at least one elongate generally resilient rib member extending at a fixed end thereof from said overhand member so as to be generally coextensive with at least one finger of said hand in order to function in the form of an exoskelton thereto, adjacent a free end of said rib member at least one annular ring formation which is adapted in use to receive and engage at least one finger of the said hand and at least one position sensor of the computer system fixed relative to at least one of the said members.
Preferably, said ring formation is formed integrally with the said elongate member. Alternatively, said ring formation is in the form of a hoop comprising an inner U-shaped component nested in an outer U-shaped component, said outer U-shaped component being integral at the free end of said elongate member.
Desirably, an elongate bore extends longitudinally through said elongate rib member and a strain gauge goniometer is housed within said bore. Communications apparatus of a spatial position sensing device may housed within said overhand member and/or said wrist encircling means and tactile feedback means may be provided as part of said annular ring formation.
Said palm encircling means may be of fixed circumference when in a free and unstressed state and may comprise an elasticated strap.
According to a second aspect of the invention a manually operable exo-skeletal human/machine interface device for a computer system comprises a torsionally and laterally flexible member connecting a wrist encircling means to a palm encircling means, with said wrist encircling means being adapted in use to be proximate to and generally relatively fixed around the associated wrist of one hand of a user, with said palm encircling means being adapted in use to be proximate to and relatively fixed around the palm of said hand, with said palm encircling means having an overhand member overlying the back of said hand, and further comprises five elongate generally resilient rib members each corresponding to an associated digit of the hand and each extending at a fixed end thereof from said overhand member so as to be generally coextensive with the associated digit in order to function in the form of an exoskeleton thereto, adjacent a free end of each said rib member at least one annular ring formation which is adapted in use to receive and engage said associated digit and at least one position sensor of the computer system fixed relative to at least one of the said members.
Typically, the device further comprises a second annular ring formation depending from one of said rib members intermediate the said two ends thereof. Preferably, the device further comprises second annular ring formations each depending from a corresponding one of said rib members intermediate the said two ends thereof.
According to a third aspect of the invention a manually operable exo-skeletal human/computer interface device for a computer system comprises a wrist encircling means and a palm encircling means and a torsionally and laterally flexible member connecting said wrist and palm encircling means, with said wrist encircling means being adapted in use to be proximate to and generally relatively fixed around the associated wrist of one hand of a user, with said palm encircling means being adapted in use to be proximate to and relatively fixed around the palm of said hand, with said palm encircling means having an overhand member overlying the back of said hand, and further comprises at least one elongate generally resilient rib member extending at a fixed end thereof from said overhand member so as to be generally coextensive with at least one finer of said hand in order to function in the form of an exoskeleton thereto with said elongate member having an upper surface and a plurality of integrally formed laterally extending reinforcement ribs disposed along said upper surface, adjacent a free end of said rib member at least one annular ring formation which is adapted in use to receive and engage at least one finger of the said hand and at least one position sensor of the computer system fixed relative to at least one of the said members.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention a manually operable exo-skeletal human/computer interface device for a computer system comprises a wrist encircling means and a palm encircling means and a torsionally and laterally flexible member connecting said wrist and palm encircling means, with said wrist encircling means being adapted in use to be proximate to and generally relatively fixed around the associated wrist of one hand of a user, with said palm encircling means being adapted in use to be proximate to and relatively fixed around the palm of said hand, with said palm encircling means having an overhand member overlying the back of said hand, and further comprises at least one elongate generally resilient rib member extending at a fixed end thereof from said overhand member so as to be generally coextensive with at least one finger of said hand in order to function in the form of an exoskeleton thereto, adjacent a free end of said rib member at least one annular ring formation which is adapted in use to receive and engage at least one finger of the said hand, at least one position sensor of the computer system fixed relative to at least one of the said members and a portion of said rib member has movement sensing means associated therewith.
Preferably, at least a portion of said rib member has an elongate p
Retinal Displays, Inc.
Wu Xiao
Young & Thompson
LandOfFree
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