Motion control device for interfacing with a computing device

• US 10,452,167 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2018
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edward F. Larkin
• Original Assignee: Edward F. Larkin
• Inventors: Larkin, Edward F.
• Primary Examiner(s): McLoone, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US15/991,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20180341340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device

Abstract

A motion control device for interfacing with a computing device translates user interaction into an input signal to manipulate the output of the computing device. The motion control device includes a protective housing, a wheel-mounting extrusion, a rotary wheel, a primary joystick, at least one thumbstick, a plurality of programmable buttons, and a microcontroller. The protective housing supports the wheel-mounting extrusion, the primary joystick, and the at least one thumbstick. The rotary wheel is rotatably connected to the wheel-mounting extrusion. The microcontroller is enclosed within the protective housing. The rotary wheel, the primary joystick, and the at least one thumbstick are electronically connected to the microcontroller. The manipulation of the rotary wheel, the primary joystick, and the at least one thumbstick is translated into an input signal that is communicated to the computing device through the microcontroller.

Claims

1. A motion control device for interfacing with a computing device comprises:

a protective housing comprises an interface surface, a base surface, and a lateral wall;

the interface surface being oppositely positioned with the base surface, about the lateral wall;

a wheel-mounting extrusion being externally connected to the interface surface;

the wheel-mounting extrusion being oriented away from the base surface;

a rotary wheel being rotatably connected about the wheel-mounting extrusion;

a primary joystick being pivotably and centrally connected to wheel-mounting extrusion;

the primary joystick being positioned within the wheel-mounting extrusion;

at least one thumbstick being pivotably connected to the protective housing;

the at least one thumbstick being radially offset from the rotary wheel;

a plurality of programmable buttons being pressably mounted to the wheel-mounting extrusion;

the plurality of programmable buttons being oppositely positioned to the interface surface, along the wheel mounting extrusion;

a microcontroller being internally mounted within the protective housing; and

the rotary wheel, the primary joystick, the at least one thumbstick, and the plurality of programmable buttons being electronically connected to the microcontroller.

2. The motion control device for interfacing with a computing device, as claimed in claim 1, comprises:

the plurality of programmable buttons being evenly distributed about the wheel-mounting extrusion.

3. The motion control device for interfacing with a computing device, as claimed in claim 1, comprises:

the at least one thumbstick being a first thumbstick and a second thumbstick;

the first thumbstick and the second thumbstick being offset from a sagittal plane; and

the first thumbstick and the second thumbstick being oppositely positioned to each other about the sagittal plane.

4. The motion control device for interfacing with a computing device, as claimed in claim 1, comprises:

a wrist rest being adjacently connected to the interfacing surface; and

the wrist rest being oppositely oriented to the base surface.

5. The motion control device for interfacing with a computing device, as claimed in claim 4, comprises:

the at least one thumbstick being positioned between the wheel-mounting extrusion and the wrist rest.

6. The motion control device for interfacing with a computing device, as claimed in claim 1, comprises:

a wrist pad being adjacently connected to the wrist rest; and

the wrist pad being oppositely positioned to the interfacing surface about the wrist rest.

7. The motion control device for interfacing with a computing device, as claimed in claim 1, comprises:

a bus connector traversing through the protective housing; and

the bus connector being electronically connected to the microcontroller.

8. The motion control device for interfacing with a computing device, as claimed in claim 1, comprises:

a wireless transmitter being internally mounted to the protective housing; and

the wireless transmitter being electronically connected to the microcontroller.

9. The motion control device for interfacing with a computing device, as claimed in claim 1, comprises:

the rotary wheel being electronically connected to the microcontroller through a displacement sensor.

10. The motion control device for interfacing with a computing device, as claimed in claim 1, comprises:

the primary being electronically connected to the microcontroller through a potentiometer of the primary joystick.

11. The motion control device for interfacing with a computing device, as claimed in claim 1, comprises:

each thumbstick of the at least one thumbstick being electronically connected to the microcontroller through a corresponding potentiometer for each thumbstick.

12. The motion control device for interfacing with a computing device, as claimed in claim 1, comprises:

the primary joystick being oppositely oriented to the base surface.

13. The motion control device for interfacing with a computing device, as claimed in claim 1, comprises:

the at least one thumbstick being oriented away from the base surface.

14. The motion control device for interfacing with a computing device, as claimed in claim 1, comprises:

the at least one thumbstick traversing though the interface surface.