Magnetic sensing user interface device, methods, and apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A user interface device, comprising:
- an actuator element having a plurality of magnets;
a plurality of three-axis magnetic sensor elements, each associated with a corresponding magnet amongst the plurality of magnets, to sense the magnetic field components associated with displacements of the corresponding magnets in three orthogonal axes and provide magnetic sensor output data corresponding to the sensed magnetic field components;
a processing element communicatively coupled to the three-axis magnetic sensor elements to determine, based at least on the magnetic sensor output data, an estimated position or deformation of the actuator element from a released state; and
a memory to store a predefined magnetic field model, wherein the determined estimated position or deformation of the actuator element from the released state is further based on the predefined magnetic field model.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
User interface devices with electromagnetic dipole arrays and associated magnetic sensors, control circuits, and processing elements for determining user actuation of the device are disclosed. In one embodiment a user interface device includes an electromagnetic dipole array coupled to an actuator, along with a three-axis magnetic sensor and control and processing elements for controlling driving currents to the dipole array and sensing and processing received magnetic field signals to determine movement or displacement of the actuator.
-
Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A user interface device, comprising:
-
an actuator element having a plurality of magnets; a plurality of three-axis magnetic sensor elements, each associated with a corresponding magnet amongst the plurality of magnets, to sense the magnetic field components associated with displacements of the corresponding magnets in three orthogonal axes and provide magnetic sensor output data corresponding to the sensed magnetic field components; a processing element communicatively coupled to the three-axis magnetic sensor elements to determine, based at least on the magnetic sensor output data, an estimated position or deformation of the actuator element from a released state; and a memory to store a predefined magnetic field model, wherein the determined estimated position or deformation of the actuator element from the released state is further based on the predefined magnetic field model. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
5. A user interface device, comprising:
-
an actuator element having a plurality of magnets; a plurality of three-axis magnetic sensor elements, each associated with a corresponding magnet amongst the plurality of magnets, to sense the magnetic field components associated with displacements of the corresponding magnets in three orthogonal axes and provide magnetic sensor output data corresponding to the sensed magnetic field components; and a processing element communicatively coupled to the three-axis magnetic sensor elements to determine, based at least on the magnetic sensor output data, an estimated position or deformation of the actuator element from a released state; wherein the output signal is further based upon a reference position determined as an offset from the released position. - View Dependent Claims (6)
-
-
11. A user interface device, comprising:
-
an actuator element having a plurality of magnets; a plurality of three-axis magnetic sensor elements, each associated with a corresponding magnet amongst the plurality of magnets, to sense the magnetic field components associated with displacements of the corresponding magnets in three orthogonal axes and provide magnetic sensor output data corresponding to the sensed magnetic field components; a base and a plurality of springs disposed between the base and the actuator element; a processing element communicatively coupled to the three-axis magnetic sensor elements to determine, based at least on the magnetic sensor output data, an estimated position or deformation of the actuator element from a released state; and a limiting component to limit movement of the actuator element relative to the base.
-
-
12. A user interface device, comprising:
-
an actuator element having a plurality of magnets; a plurality of three-axis magnetic sensor elements, each associated with a corresponding magnet amongst the plurality of magnets, to sense the magnetic field components associated with displacements of the corresponding magnets in three orthogonal axes and provide magnetic sensor output data corresponding to the sensed magnetic field components; a processing element communicatively coupled to the three-axis magnetic sensor elements to determine, based at least on the magnetic sensor output data, an estimated position or deformation of the actuator element from a released state; and a plurality of switches disposed in the actuator element and an elastomeric cover including switch bumps corresponding to ones the plurality of switches disposed over the actuator element. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
-
Specification