Transmitter adaptable for left-handed or right-handed use

• US 20050003735A1
• Filed: 07/01/2003
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: RadioShack Legacy Corporation
• Original Assignee: RadioShack Legacy Corporation
• Inventors: Carter, Joel, Yeung, Chan, Yeung, Bill
• Application Number:
  US10/611,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20050003735A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/456
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/44 Toy garages for receiving toy vehicles; Filling stations
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission

Abstract

A transmitter is described, which is adaptable for left-handed or right-handed use. The transmitter includes a selector for selecting left-handed or right-handed use of the transmitter. Upon selection of right-handed use, actuation of a control member of the transmitter causes a predefined response by a radio-controlled toy associated with the transmitter. The transmitter further includes selection circuitry associated with the selector and the control member. Upon selection of left-handed use, the selection circuitry reverses the predefined response of the toy when the control member is actuated.

Claims

1. A transmitter for a radio-controlled toy, wherein the transmitter is adaptable for left-handed or right-handed use, the transmitter comprising:

a selector for selecting left-handed or right-handed use of the transmitter;

at least one control member, wherein actuation of the control member causes a predefined response by the toy when the selector is set for right-handed use; and

selection circuitry associated with the selector and the control member, wherein the circuitry reverses the predefined response upon actuation of the control member when the selector is set for left-handed use.

2. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein the selection circuitry includes a microcontroller unit, and wherein the microcontroller unit includes a plurality of instructions for reading an output of the selection circuit to determine if the selector is set for right-handed or left-handed use, sending a first signal representing the predefined response if the selector is set for right-handed use, and sending a second signal representing the reverse of the predefined response if the selector is set for left-handed use.

3. The transmitter of claim 2 further comprising a signal transmission circuit for receiving the first or second signal from the microcontroller and transmitting the received first or second signal to the toy.

4. The transmitter of claim 1 further comprising a housing, wherein the selector is positioned proximate to a surface of the housing.

5. The transmitter of claim 1 further comprising:

a control circuit for generating an output representing actuation of the control member; and

a trimmer associated with the control circuit for modifying the output of the control circuit.

6. The transmitter of claim 5 wherein the trimmer includes a user controllable interface for enabling user modification of the output of the control circuit.

7. The transmitter of claim 5 wherein the trimmer is a variable resistor.

8. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein the control member comprises an extension portion and a groove portion.

9. The transmitter of claim 8 wherein the groove portion is substantially an inverted U-shape.

10. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein, when the selector is set for right-handed use, actuation of the control member in a first direction imparts forward motion to the toy, and actuation of the control member in a second direction imparts backward motion to the toy.

11. The transmitter of claim 10 wherein, when the selector is set for left-handed use, actuation of the control member in the first direction imparts backward motion to the toy, and actuation of the control member in the second direction imparts forward motion to the toy.

12. A transmitter for a radio-controlled toy, the transmitter being adaptable for a left-handed or right-handed user, the transmitter comprising:

a housing having a cutout formed therein;

a configuration circuit positioned within the housing;

a configuration switch on the housing and in electrical communication with the configuration circuit, the configuration switch being selectable between a left position and a right position, wherein the left position configures the transmitter for use by a left-handed user and the right position configures the transmitter for use by a right-handed user; and

a control member positioned in the cutout of the housing, the control member being movable in a first direction and a second direction, the first and second directions being substantially opposite directions,

wherein movement of the control member imparts motion to the radio-controlled toy, such motion being dependent upon the setting of the configuration switch.

13. The transmitter of claim 12 further comprising:

a control circuit in electrical communication with the control member for producing an output representing movement of the control member in the first and second directions; and

a signal transmission circuit for receiving the output from the control circuit and transmitting the output to the radio-controlled toy.

14. The transmitter of claim 13 further comprising a microcontroller unit having a memory, wherein the memory includes a plurality of instructions for processing by the microcontroller unit, the instructions for:

receiving the output from the control circuit;

processing the output for sending to the radio-controlled toy; and

transferring the output to the signal transmission circuit.

15. The transmitter of claim 13 further comprising a trimmer associated with the control circuit for modifying the output of the control circuit.

16. The transmitter of claim 12 further comprising a gripping means formed on a front surface of the transmitter to provide a gripping surface.

17. A method for altering a behavior of a transmitter depending on whether the transmitter is configured for use by a right-handed or left-handed user, wherein the transmitter includes a selector associated with a configuration circuit, the method comprising:

reading an output of the configuration circuit to determine whether the selector is set for right-handed or left-handed use;

generating a first signal if the selector is set for right-handed use and generating a second signal different from the first signal if the selector is set for left-handed use; and

transmitting the first or second signal to a radio-controlled toy being controlled by the transmitter, wherein a behavior of the radio-controlled toy is dependent on whether the selector is set for right-handed or left-handed use.

18. The method of claim 18 further comprising reading an output of a control circuit to determine a position of a control member, wherein the output of the control circuit is represented by the first signal if the selector is set for right-handed use and by the second signal if the selector is set for left-handed use.

19. The method of claim 19 further comprising altering the output of the control circuit using a trimmer.

20. A system for correcting steering drift in a radio-controlled toy, the system comprising:

a radio transmitter having steering control circuitry for receiving steering input, a steering adjuster associated with the steering control circuitry for correcting steering drift associated with a radio-controlled toy, and signal transmission circuitry for transmitting radio signals from the steering control circuitry; and

the radio-controlled toy having motor control circuitry for steering the toy using the radio signals from the transmitter, and a trimmer associated with the motor control circuitry, the trimmer being adjustable to correct steering drift associated with the toy.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the steering adjuster corrects steering drift by altering an output of the steering control circuitry.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the steering adjuster and the trimmer correct a larger degree of drift when used together than when used separately.