Accepting user control
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A control mechanism comprising:
- an optically transparent member;
a knob, wherein the knob is rotatable by a user, the knob rotationally coupled to the optically transparent member;
on the knob, a reflective surface;
an optical light source for directing light toward the knob; and
at least one optical receiver, wherein the at least one optical receiver detects light from the optical light source that is reflected toward the optical receiver by the reflective surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control mechanism includes an optically transparent member, a knob with a reflective surface, an optical light source, and an optical receiver. The optical light source directs light toward the knob that is reflected to the optical receiver.
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Citations
81 Claims
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1. A control mechanism comprising:
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an optically transparent member;
a knob, wherein the knob is rotatable by a user, the knob rotationally coupled to the optically transparent member;
on the knob, a reflective surface;
an optical light source for directing light toward the knob; and
at least one optical receiver, wherein the at least one optical receiver detects light from the optical light source that is reflected toward the optical receiver by the reflective surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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39. A control mechanism comprising:
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a transparent knob wherein the transparent knob is connected to the shaft of a rotational combination control;
a display, wherein the display is positioned in the area behind the knob, the display projects output that is viewable through knob; and
a circuit, wherein the circuit converts a user-applied force into a control signal that is representative of the positional control location associated with an input selection desired by the user. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A system for accepting user input, comprising:
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a plurality of switches;
an optically transparent member coupled to the plurality of switches, the optically transparent member having multiple sections, wherein each section of the multiple sections is associated with a switch of the plurality of switches;
wherein the optically transparent member is positioned in relation to the plurality of switches such that when a force is applied by a user to one of the multiple sections, the pressure member transmits a resulting force to a switch associated with the one of the multiple sections; and
wherein the switches of the plurality of switches detect the intensity of the force applied by the user. - View Dependent Claims (45)
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46. In a control mechanism, wherein the control mechanism has a knob, wherein the knob is rotationally coupled to an optically transparent member, wherein the knob is rotatable by a user and has alternating bands of reflective surface and non-reflective surface, a method for accepting a user input comprising the steps of:
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from the band of the reflective surface on the knob, reflecting the light received from the optical light source to the at least one optical receiver; and
detecting, by the at least one optical receiver, the light reflected by the band of the reflective surface on the knob. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A system for accepting user input, comprising:
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a plurality of switches;
a pressure member coupled to the plurality of switches, the pressure member having multiple sections, wherein each section of the multiple sections is associated with a switch of the plurality of switches; and
wherein the pressure member is positioned in relation to the plurality of switches such that when a force is applied by a user to one of the multiple sections, the pressure member transmits a resulting force to a switch associated with the one of the multiple sections thereby causing actuation of the switch associated with the one of the multiple sections and wherein at least one switch of the plurality of switches is interposed between the pressure member and a frame. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67)
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68. In a system for accepting user input, a method for accepting the user input, wherein when in response to exertion of pressure to one of multiple sections of a pressure member by a user, a section of the pressure member is moved from the pressure member'"'"'s neutral position, an actuator of a switch associated with the one of the multiple sections of the pressure member causes the system to identify a switch activation associated with the one of the multiple sections of the pressure member.
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69. A control mechanism comprising:
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a user input area;
a controller; and
a proximity detector wherein the proximity detector detects the presence of a user'"'"'s hand near the user input area and wherein, upon placement of the user'"'"'s hand near the control mechanism, the controller is configured to change the information content of the display. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
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Specification