Control systems and associated control methods

• US 20050254200A1
• Filed: 05/17/2004
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Asbill, Scott C., Cousineau, Kevin, Matthews, Michael G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,440,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/600
• 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: H04N 21/42213 for facilitating data entry

Abstract

The present invention provides systems, devices and methods for controlling a desired output of an output device. These systems, devices and methods include connecting an electrical resistance element having a selected one of a plurality of resistance values with an electrical circuit portion having a plurality of electrical components, determining an electrical characteristic associated with the connected electrical circuit portion and the variable resistance element, and generating a control signal based on the electrical characteristic to control the desired output of the output device.

Claims

1. A control system, comprising:

an electrical circuit portion having a plurality of electrical components each having known electrical characteristics;

a variable resistance element connectable with the electrical circuit portion and having a plurality of resistance values;

an input mechanism connectable with the variable resistance element and having a plurality of input positions, the input mechanism operable at each of the plurality of input positions to connect the variable resistance element to the electrical circuit portion with a predetermined one of the plurality of resistance values; and

a control signal producible by a connection between the electrical circuit portion and the variable resistance element, the control signal selectable from a plurality of control signals each corresponding to one of the plurality of input positions.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the input mechanism comprises a navigational key movable in a plurality of directions each corresponding to one of the plurality of input positions, and wherein the control signal comprises a signal associated with a selected one of the plurality of directions.

3. The control system of claim 2, further comprising an output mechanism having a plurality of outputs each associated with a predetermined one of the plurality of control signals, wherein the output mechanism is operable to receive the control signal and generate the predetermined one of the plurality of outputs.

4. A signal-producing mechanism, comprising:

a first conductor;

a second conductor having a varying, predetermined spacing from the first conductor;

a third conductor having a plurality of interconnecting positions between the first conductor and the second conductor; and

a predetermined one of a plurality of output signals producible when the third conductor connects the first conductor and the second conductor in each of the plurality of interconnecting positions.

5. The signal-producing mechanism of claim 4, wherein the third conductor further comprises a variable resistance portion having an independent resistance value in each one of the plurality of interconnecting positions.

6. The signal-producing mechanism of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnecting positions corresponds to one of a plurality of variable resistance configurations defined by predetermined interconnected portions of the first conductor, the second conductor and the third conductor.

7. The signal-producing mechanism of claim 4, wherein at least two of the first conductor, the second conductor and the third conductor have at least one position in a substantially different plane than the remaining one of the first conductor, the second conductor and the third conductor.

8. The signal-producing mechanism of claim 4, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor have a circular shape.

9. The signal-producing mechanism of claim 8, wherein the second conductor is positioned within the first conductor.

10. The signal-producing mechanism of claim 9, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor have different center points.

11. The signal-producing mechanism of claim 8, wherein the third conductor comprises a portion of a first conductive ring having an at least partially conical surface, wherein the portion of the first conductive ring is movable between a first plane and a second plane, and wherein the portion of the first conductive ring connects the first conductor and the second conductor in the second plane.

12. The signal-producing mechanism of claim 4, wherein at least two of the first conductor, the second conductor and the third conductor have known electric characteristics such that the predetermined one of the plurality of output signals is determinable via voltage division.

13. The signal-producing mechanism of claim 4, further comprising a signal analyzer and a controllable device, wherein the signal analyzer is operable to receive and process the predetermined output signal of the plurality of output signals and generate a predetermined control signal from a plurality of control signals to control a predetermined function associated with the controllable device.

14. The signal-producing mechanism of claim 13, wherein the controllable device comprises a wireless electrical device having a visual display with a movable graphic, and wherein the predetermined function comprises a positioning of the movable graphic on the visual display in a selected direction.

15. The signal-producing mechanism of claim 4, wherein the predetermined one of the plurality of output signals varies depending upon a time period during which the third conductor connects the first conductor and the second conductor in one of the plurality of interconnecting positions.

16. A signal-producing mechanism, comprising:

a first circuit portion having a first resistance;

a second circuit portion having a second resistance;

a third circuit portion having a third resistance;

wherein at least one of the first circuit portion, the second circuit portion and the third circuit portion is positionable in one of a plurality of interconnecting positions with respect to the other two circuit portions;

wherein at least one of the first resistance, the second resistance and the third resistance comprises a variable resistance that varies in association with each one of the plurality of interconnecting positions; and

a plurality of selectable output signals each corresponding to one of the plurality of interconnecting positions.

17. A directional control, comprising:

a body movable into at least one of a plurality of positions corresponding to one of a plurality of selectable directions;

an electrical circuit operable to produce a plurality of outputs signals each corresponding to one of the plurality of selectable directions; and

a conductor movable by the body into contact with the electrical circuit, the conductor having a plurality of resistance values each corresponding to one of the plurality of selectable directions.

18. The directional control of claim 17, wherein the plurality of positions are in a first plane, and wherein the plurality of selectable directions are in a second plane.

19. A control system, comprising:

a member movable about a center point to select a directional output having an x-axis component and a y-axis component;

a directional control comprising;

a first conductive member having a circular shape;

a second conductive member having a circular shape and positionable non-concentrically within the first conductive member;

a first conductive portion positionable in a first plurality of positions to connect the first conductive member and the second conductive member, wherein each of the first plurality of positions corresponds to a first signal representative of the x-axis component of the directional output;

a third conductive member having a circular shape and positionable concentrically within the first conductive member;

a fourth conductive member having a circular shape and positionable non-concentrically within the third conductive member; and

a second conductive portion positionable in a second plurality of positions to connect the third conductive member and the fourth conductive member, wherein each of the second plurality of positions corresponds to a second signal representative of the y-axis component of the directional output.

20. The control system of claim 19, wherein the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion are movable by the member into the first plurality of positions and the second plurality of positions, respectively.

21. The control system of claim 19, wherein the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion respectively have a first plurality of resistance values and a second plurality of resistance values each respectively corresponding to one of the first plurality of positions and one of the second plurality of positions.

22. The control system of claim 21, wherein all but one of the first conductive member, the second conductive member, and the first conductive portion have known electrical characteristics, and wherein all but one of the third conductive member, the fourth conductive member, and the second conductive portion have known electrical characteristics.

23. The control system of claim 19, further comprising a biasing member having a predetermined resiliency to resist movement of the member about the center point.

24. The control system of claim 19, further comprising a signal analyzer and a controllable device, wherein the signal analyzer processes the first signal and the second signal and generates at least one control signal to control a predetermined output associated with the controllable device.

25. The control system of claim 24, wherein the controllable device comprises a wireless electrical device having a visual display with a movable graphic, and wherein the predetermined output comprises a positioning of the movable graphic on the visual display in a selected direction.

26. A method of controlling a desired output of an output device, comprising:

connecting an electrical resistance element having a selected one of a plurality of resistance values with an electrical circuit portion having a plurality of electrical components;

determining an electrical characteristic associated with the connected electrical circuit portion and the variable resistance element; and

generating a control signal based on the electrical characteristic to control the desired output of the output device.

27. A method of generating a directional control signal, comprising:

applying a voltage across a first conductive member and a second conductive member that have a spacing between one another that varies in each of a plurality of directions;

connecting a first conductive portion between the first conductive member and the second conductive member in a selected one of a plurality of directions, where the resistance characteristic of the first conductive portion varies with a size of the variable spacing;

measuring an electrical characteristic associated with a circuit formed by the first conductive member and the second conductive member connected by the first conductive portion; and

generating a directional control signal corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of directions.