WO2006099892A1

WO2006099892A1 - Synchronizing settings for manual input devices

Info

Publication number: WO2006099892A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/011311
Authority: WO
Inventors: James J. Wick
Original assignee: 3Dconnexion Holding Sa
Priority date: 2005-03-25
Filing date: 2005-10-20
Publication date: 2006-09-28

Abstract

A method for synchronizing settings of a manual input device for a computer-controlled device and the computer-controlled device. The computer-controlled device runs an application software program. The method comprises the step of transmitting strings representing settings from the computer-controlled device to the manual input device.

Description

TΓΓLE

SYNCHRONIZING SETTINGS FOR MANUAL INPUT DEVICES

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to methods and devices for synchronizing settings for manual input devices for computer-controlled devices.

Description of the Related Art

[0002] Manual input devices are designed for generating, upon manual manipulation by a user, control signals which are then transmitted to a computer-controlled electric or electronic device such as for example a computer running an application software, a robotic device etc.

[0003] In the past ever more sophisticated manual input devices have been designed which have an increased number of degrees-of- freedom (DOF) and/or increased possibilities for mapping functions to define degrees of freedom or adapting parameters such as for example the sensitivity of certain degrees of freedom or the overall sensitivity of the manual input device.

[0004] Usual manual input devices ask for a driver software running on the computer-controlled device and translating the supply control signals from the manual input device e.g. for an application software program using such translated signals as input parameters. [0005] Typical application software programs for sophisticated manual input devices are for example CAD/CAM programs.

[0006] U.S. Application No. 10/433,991, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a force/torque sensor which can be, used in connection with the present invention.

[0007] U.S. Application No.10/433,513, the disclosure of which is also incorporated hereby by reference, shows a method to map defined functions to selected degrees-of- freedom of a manual input device using a graphical user interface (GUI) provided by a driver software for the manual input device. [0008] U.S. Application No. 10/433,360 also shows combined position and force/torque sensors which can be used in connection with the present invention. [0009] Finally, manual input devices are known being provided with a display. [0010] Generally it is known that some application software programs (CAD, CAM etc.) and also driver software programs for manual input devices allow a setting of the parameters of manual input devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] In view of the above mentioned prior art it is the object of the present invention to provide a possibility for improving the setting of the status or other use parameters of a manual input device.

[0012] The object is achieved by means of the features of the independent claims. The dependent claims develop further the central idea of the present invention. [0013] According to a first aspect of the present invention a method for synchronizing settings of a manual input device for computer-controlled device with a computer-controlled device is proposed. The computer-controlled device runs an application software program. From the computer-controlled device running the application software program strings representing settings for the manual input device are transmitted to the manual input device, such that it can e.g. be displayed at the manual input device. [0014] The settings can relate to parameters of functions which can be controlled by the manual input device.

[0015] The parameters can e.g. relate to the mapping of degrees-of-freedom

(DOFs) of the manual input device and/or the sensitivity of a defined degree-of-freedom.

[0016] The manual input device can comprise a display. In such case an information representing the transmitted string can be shown on the display in order to visualize the setting corresponding to the string transmitted from the computer-controlled device running the application software program.

[0017] Strings representing settings can be exchanged bi-directionally. A string from the manual input device can e.g. be transmitted to the computer-controlled device once a user has manually confirmed a new setting or carried out a setting of parameters for the manual-input device on the side of the manual-input device itself.

[0018] The strings can e.g. be exchanged between a graphical user interface (GUI) of an application running on the computer-controlled device and a graphical user interface (GUT) of a driver software for a manual input device.

[0019] According to a further aspect of the present invention a method for synchronizing settings of a manual input device for a computer-controlled device and the computer-controlled device is proposed. The computer-controlled device can run an application software program. Strings representing settings can be transmitted from the manual input device to the computer-controlled device.

[0020] The respective recipient of the transmitted strings can veto a setting.

[0021] A string can comprise a designation of a function as well as an associated value.

[0022] According to a still further aspect of the present invention a method for synchronizing settings of a manual input device for a computer-controlled device being provided on a display device is proposed. The computer-controlled device can run an application software program and a driver software for the manual input device. The driver software translates signals provided by the manual input device into a format which can be used as an input parameter for the application software program.

[0023] Upon a change of settings of the application software program or the driver software, the application software and the driver software can be automatically synchronized by exchanging strings representing the new settings.

[0024] The application software can command the driver software to run a defined function.

[0025] The application software can command the driver software to a defined function to define degree-of-freedom (DOF) of the manual input device.

[0026] A graphical user interface (GUT) of the application software program can communicate with a GUI of the driver software for the synchronization of the settings.

[0027] The manual input device can be provided with at least three degrees-of-freedom, which is for example the case when using a so-called force-torque sensor having three rotational and three transitional degrees of freedom.

[0028] According to a further aspect of the present invention a computer program product is proposed implementing method as set forth above when running on a computing device.

[0029] A further aspect of the present invention relates to manual input device for a computer-controlled device, which manual input device is adapted to support such a method.

[0030] A still further aspect of the present invention relates to a system comprising a computing device running an application software in a driver software for processing signals supplied by a manual input device. The system furthermore comprises a manual input device being functionally connected to the computing device and having a display.

[0031] Driver software, the application software and the firmware of the manual input device are designed to mutually synchronize setting parameters. [0032] Any change can be made in the graphical user interface (GUI) of the driver software is then reflected in the graphical user interface (GUI) of the application software.

[0033] Any change there can be made in the graphical user interface (GUI) of the driver software can also be controlled by the graphical user interface (GUI) of the application software.

[0034] Further advantages, features and objects of the present invention will become evident for one skilled in the art when going through the following detailed explanation of a preferred embodiment of the present invention when taking in conjunction with the only figure of the enclosed drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0035] Fig. 1 shows systematically a system according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0036] The preferred embodiment as shown in the only figure (Fig. 1) of the enclosed drawing shows a manual input device 1 which has manipulation member 3 which can be moved relative to a base part 2. The base part can for example be designed to rest on a supporting surface, such as for example a table. The base part 2 can also be integrated or be integral part of another device, such for example a keyboard.

[0037] The base part 2 contains electronics for evaluating any manually triggered movements of the manipulation member 3 relative to the base part 2. In the base part 2 a firmware can be provided for controlling the bi-directional exchange of signals (see communication channel 6) to a computer-controlled device 7, which can be a computer, a robot or any other electronic or electric device. [0038] The firmware provided in the base part 2 of the manual input device 1 has a graphical user interface (GUI) 5 controlling a display 4. The display 4 can for example as shown in the figure be part of the base part. It is to be noted that the display can be provided at any position of the manual input device 1 or even a separate part to manual input device 1, but functionally connected.

[0039] The computer-controlled device 7 has a display or monitor device 8. On the display or monitor device 8 information coming from the GUI 10 of a driver software 9 and/or the GUI 12 coming from an application software program 11 can be displayed.

[0040] As it is well known, the driver software 9 will translate signals transmitted from the manual input device 1 into a format suited for being supplied to the application software 7.

[0041] To summarize, a total of three different GUIs 5, 10, 12 can be provided.

Potentially any of these GUIs can be used for controlling settings, such as for example mapping of functions, sensitivities etc. for the manual input device 1.

[0042] The invention especially targets at a synchronization mechanism between the GUI 12 of the application software 11 and the GUI 10 of the driver software 9.

If a change of settings for the manual input device 1 is carried out using the GUI 10 of the driver software 9, automatically a corresponding string will be transferred to and eventionally displayed at the manual input device 1.

[0043] According to the present invention, any change of settings carried out using one of the GUI 10 of the driver software 9 and the GUI 12 of the application software 11 is automatically synchronized with the respectively other one of the mentioned GUIs.

[0044] The synchronization mechanism is essentially used to synchronize strings and settings between two different processes, e.g. two different GUIs. Any time something, in a predetermined group of parameters, changes in one process, the change is automatically sent to the cooperating process in the other GUI.

[0045] It can be provided that the cooperating process has the power to veto the change carried out using the respectively other GUI.

[0046] In line with the synchronization, function names can be passed back and forth between these cooperating processes, along with values that one process can use to invoke these functions remotely. [0047] For example the application software 11 can command the driver software

9 to immediately run a defined function, or to assign such function to a button of the manual input device 1 (note that the "button" only stands as one example of a degree-of-freedom of the manual input device).

[0048] During the bi-directional communication between the application software

11 and the driver software 9, a packet is sent that can contain an operation code

("command", "set" or "get"), a function item and eventually some data if the function requires it. Data might include a string and/or a state value..

[0049] In order to ensure that the synchronization is performed on the correct application configuration, a hash code can be shared between the driver software and the application software.

[0050] When applying the present invention, any change that can be made by a user in the driver software GUI can be reflected in an application software GUI and cann be controlled by the application software. In addition, any function mapping that is made by the user in an application software can be shown in the driver software GUI and thus on the display of the manual input device 1 in case such display is present.

[0051] The GUI synchronization process can be initiated by the driver software.

There is no requirement for the application software to respond. The application

GUI is the most up-to-date; it can contain all the information the driver software's

GUI contains plus additional information about the application software program itself. The driver's software GUI only knows its own state and the changes notified from the application software.

[0052] The application software GUI is the master containing all information. The driver software GUI is basically a slave of the application software GUI. Any changes in either will be reflected in both.

[0053] An application software can set the text of the default event of any degree-of-freedom ("button label").

[0054] An application software can get the list of build-in functions and macros for the executable. [0055] An application can tell the driver software to use a build-in functional macro for any degree-of-freedom, instead of sending the application software a button event when the button is pressed.

[0056] In addition to a button label, an application software can tell the driver software the state of a button (on/off disabled). The LCD display 4 of the manual input device 1 can then show the current state of the button.

[0057] An application software can set/get the overall sensitivity, the individual axis sensitivity and/or on/off states of any degree-of-freedom of the manual input device.

[0058] An application can get/set the labels for any degree-of freedom of the manual input device.

[0059] An application software can get/set the orientation information.

[0060] An application software can get/set the various filters for the degrees of freedom in use by the driver software.

[0061] As already set forth above, any time a setting is sent via the synchronization mechanism, the receiver may veto it. In this case, the receiver can send the original sender a set command for the new value. This is typically going to happen if the application software tells the driver software e.g. to increase the sensitivity beyond the range for the corresponding degree-of-freedom. In this case, the driver software can clip the value, and send the clipped value back to the application.

[0062] When the driver software saves its configuration, all changes made by the application software will be saved.

[0063] Any time a setting is changed in the driver software GUI, a synchronization message will be sent to the application software.

[0064] While the invention has been particularly shown and described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method for synchronizing settings of a manual input device for a computer-controlled device and the computer-controlled device, the computer-controlled device running an application software program, the method comprising the step of: transmitting strings representing settings from the computer-controlled device to the manual input device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the settings relate to parameters of functions which can be controlled by the manual input device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the parameters relate to the mapping of degrees-of- freedoms of the manual input device, the overall sensitivity of the manual input device and/or the sensitivity of the degrees-of-freedom.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the manual input device comprises a display, and information representing the transmitted strings is shown on the display in order to visualize the settings.

5. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein strings representing settings are exchanged bi-directionally.

6. The method, according to claim 5, wherein the strings are exchanged between a GUI of an application running on the computer-controlled device and a GUI running on a processor of the manual input device.

7. A method for synchronizing settings of a manual input device for a computer-controlled device and the computer-controlled device, the computer-controlled device running an application software program, the method comprising the step of: transmitting strings representing settings from manual input device to the computer-controlled device.

8. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the respective recipient of the transmitted strings can veto a setting.

9. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a string comprises a designation of a function as well as an associated value.

10. A method for synchronizing settings of a manual input device for a computer-controlled device being provided with a display device, the computer-controlled device running an application software program and a driver software for the manual input device, the method comprising the step of: upon a change of settings of the application software program or the driver software, automatically synchronizing the application software and the driver software by exchanging strings representing the new settings.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the application software commands the driver software to run a defined function.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the application software commands the driver software to assign a defined function to a defined degree-of- freedom of the manual input device.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein a GUI of the application software program communicates with a GUI of the driver software for the synchronization of the settings.

14. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the manual input device has at least 3 degrees-of-freedom.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the manual input device is a force/torque sensor.

16. A computer program product, implementing a method according to any of the preceding claims when running on a computing device.

17. An manual input device for a computer-controlled device, adapted to support a method according to any of the preceding claims.

18. A system comprising: a computing device running an application software and a driver software for processing signals supplied by a manual input device, and a manual input device being functionally connected to the computing device and having a display, wherein the driver software, the application software and the firmware of the manual input device are designed to synchronize setting parameters.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein any change that can be made in the GUI of the driver software is reflected in the GUI of the application software.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein any change that can be made in the GUI of the driver software can be controlled by the GUI of the application software.