Abstract: A computer system is provided including a host computer such as a PC and one or more remote peripheral devices controlled by the host computer for providing status/notification information, applications, system messages, and the like. Software can track the activities/commands of a user. The sequence of activities/commands can be saved and translated into a format that the host computer understands. Responsive to actuation of a button by a user on the remote peripheral device, the host computer can launch directly into the context currently being presented to the user at the remote peripheral device.

Abstract: In a computer system having a display and a keyboard, a computer readable medium includes instructions for invoking a message hook procedure based on a mouse message indicative of a mouse event. Instructions also provide for identifying at least one focus application that has a current keyboard focus and of converting the mouse message into a command for the focus application. The command is then sent to the focus application and the mouse message is prevented from being routed to any other applications. In one embodiment, the commands include the command to page forward or backward through pages of Internet documents. In other embodiments, instead of converting the mouse message into a command, the message hook procedure displays a graphical user interface based on the focus application and the mouse message. The graphical user interface includes one or more commands that the user may select.

Abstract: A computer input device detects images on a surface. The computer input device generates input information indicative of a change event when the device switches from reading one predetermined pattern to reading another predetermined pattern. The present invention can also be directed to a method of using the input device or printable medium with the predetermined patterns disposed thereon.

Abstract: In a computer system having a display and a keyboard, a computer readable medium includes instructions for invoking a message hook procedure based on a mouse message indicative of a mouse event. Instructions also provide for identifying at least one focus application that has a current keyboard focus and of converting the mouse message into a command for the focus application. The command is then sent to the focus application and the mouse message is prevented from being routed to any other applications. In one embodiment, the commands include the command to page forward or backward through pages of Internet documents. In other embodiments, instead of converting the mouse message into a command, the message hook procedure displays a graphical user interface based on the focus application and the mouse message. The graphical user interface includes one or more commands that the user may select.

Abstract: A computer input device detects images on a surface. The computer input device generates input information indicative of a change event when the device switches from reading one predetermined pattern to reading another predetermined pattern. The present invention can also be directed to a method of using the input device or printable medium with the predetermined patterns disposed thereon.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling a feedback force applied by a joystick to a user gripping the control handle of the joystick. In the preferred embodiment, a light path between an infrared light source and a light sensor is interrupted by a user gripping the handle of a joystick. The output signal from the light sensor is employed by a processor to control the feedback force. When based upon the output signal, the processor determines that the user has just gripped the control handle, the processor enables the feedback force to increase slowly, over a sufficiently long time to enable the user to firmly grip the control handle before the feedback force becomes very strong. The processor immediately disables generation of the feedback force as soon as the user releases the control handle.

Abstract: An operator input device is configured to provide position information based on relative movement of the surface and the operator input device. The operator input device includes an image detector which is configured to detect an image on the surface and provide an image signal corresponding to the image detected. A controller is coupled to the image detector and is configured to receive the image signal and provide the position information based on a position of the image relative to the image detector.

Abstract: A processor in a haptic joystick renders force effects that are applied to control handle gripped by a user. A plurality of force effects specified by a host computer to the processor are stored in a random access memory (RAM) that is coupled to the processor. Further, a plurality of force effects are stored in a read only memory (ROM) that is coupled to the processor. The processor employs a scheduler to render the force effects in a specified order, for specified time intervals. The scheduler controls how the force effects are rendered, i.e., sequentially, concatenated, and/or superimposed. A play list employed by the scheduler indicates for each increment of a servo clock when each force effect should be rendered by the processor. The scheduler has a round robin queue that can implement at least five types of effects, including: behavioral, synthesized, wave table, variable parameter, and process list.

Abstract: A digital joystick operates in a digital mode or an analog emulation mode. In the digital mode, the joystick generates digital data indicating the position of a control stick and the status of buttons and transmits the digital data to the computer. The joystick may be coupled to the computer through a game port or a conventional interface port. Computer software operating within the computer can receive digital data directly from the joystick if it is operating in the digital mode. When in the analog emulation modes the joystick emulates resistances related to the position of the control stick. The emulated resistance data emulates the value of corresponding resistances in a conventional joystick. The resistance values may be derived from a programmable resistor, a programmable impedance, or a programmable current source. Multiplexers may also be used to couple the appropriate resistance value to the conventional game port input.

Abstract: A technique for emulating a computer game port uses a memory manager software program to detect output instructions from a computer software program to the game port. In response to the detected output instruction, the memory manager diverts program operation to an interrupt routine wherein position data is read from a data frame and one or more game port delay times are calculated to correspond with the position of the selected positional control device. The delay times correspond with the delay times of a conventional analog joystick coupled to a conventional game port. The memory manager also detects input instructions from computer software program to the game port and diverts the computer software program to an interrupt servicing routine in which the emulated delay times are used to load a data register that is read by the computer software program.

Abstract: A digital joystick coupled to a conventional computer game port tests for the presence of electrical circuitry to support two joysticks and dynamically configures the digital data for transmission to button inputs for either one or two joysticks in the game port. The digital joystick configures the data for transmission to three or more button input lines on the game ports if it detects the second joystick circuitry, and configures the data for transmission to only two button inputs corresponding to the first joystick if it does not detect the second joystick circuitry. The digital joystick generates a clock which is coupled to one button input in the game port. The remaining button inputs are used to transfer data. Within the computer, the system determines the presence of electrical circuitry for the second joystick and is configured to accept data from both joystick inputs that are active. The computer is configured to accept data from only the first joystick if the second joystick input is not active.

Abstract: A game port interface is disclosed which permits bidirectional communication between a game port and a peripheral device. In one embodiment, the peripheral device is a digital joystick and the game port sends commands to the digital joystick. The game port interface includes one or more timers whose inputs are coupled to resistances within the joystick. Also coupled to the timer inputs are capacitors such that the resistors in the joystick form a charging network with the capacitors in the game port interface. When an output instruction to the game port is executed, the capacitors coupled to the timer inputs are charged to a predetermined voltage. The timer input is also coupled to an inverter within the joystick. The output of the inverter switches to a low logic level when the timer input is charged above a logic threshold. The output of the inverter is coupled to an interrupt input on a microprocessor within the joystick.