A method for providing force feedback over a network supporting TCP/IP
protocols by: (a) sending from a client computer over a network supporting
TCP/IP protocols, a connection request to a web server connected to the
network that is hosting a desired URL; (b) receiving and processing an
HTML file at the client computer that was sent from the web server in
response to the connection request, wherein the processing includes
parsing an embedded force object reference having associated parameters
and building a force object therefrom; (c) developing a force feedback
signal with the force object; and (d) providing force feedback to a
human/computer interface device coupled to the client computer in response
to the force feedback signal. A networked force feedback system of the
present invention includes a network, a first computer coupled to the
network, and a second computer coupled to the network, where the second
computer includes a visual display and a human/computer interface device
capable of providing a second computer input and providing force feedback
in response to a force feedback signal provided by the second computer.
The second computer develops an image on the visual display that is
associated with stored feedback information, such that the second computer
produces the force feedback signal in response to at least one of
information derived from the first computer and of the second computer
input.