USER INTERFACE DEVICE, SUCH AS A MOUSE OR TRACKBALL, WITH A HIGH-DIMENSION JOYSTICK PROVIDING AT LEAST THREE INDEPENDENTLY ADJUSTABLE PARAMETERS

• US 20110128224A1
• Filed: 02/10/2011
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bioram Tech LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bioram Tech LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: LUDWIG, Lester F.
• Application Number:
  US13/025,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20110128224A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/161
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A user interface device having a housing and a joystick with at least three independent mechanical adjustments, each generating an associated signal responsive to the mechanical adjustment, and at least one sensor arrangement generating signals to control at least a cursor on an external device is described. Signals from the sensor arrangements and the joystick can be multiplexed together for transmission to the external device. In an implementation, the sensor arrangements generate signals responsive to changes in the position of the housing with respect to a surface on which the user interface device is placed. In another implementation, the user interface device includes a trackball, and at least one additional sensor arrangement generating signals responsive to the operation of the trackball.

Claims

1. A user interface device for controlling an external device, comprising:

a housing;

a sensor arrangement for detecting a position change of the user interface device on a surface, wherein the sensor arrangement provides a first pair of signals to indicate changes in the position of the housing with respect to the surface on which the user interface device is placed;

a joystick comprising at least three independent mechanical adjustments, each independent mechanical adjustment generating an associated signal responsive to the mechanical adjustment, the resulting at least three associated signals forming a plurality of joystick signals;

a communications path to transmit the first pair of parameters and the plurality of joystick signals to an external device.

2. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the first pair of signals is for at least controlling the location of a cursor displayed on a screen associated with the external device.

3. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of joystick signals is for at least controlling an application executing on the external device.

4. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the joystick comprises at least four independent mechanical adjustments, each independent mechanical adjustment generating an associated signal responsive to the mechanical adjustment, the resulting at least four associated signals forming a plurality of joystick signals

5. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the joystick comprises at least five independent mechanical adjustments, each independent mechanical adjustment generating an associated signal responsive to the mechanical adjustment, the resulting at least five associated signals forming a plurality of joystick signals

6. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the joystick comprises at least six independent mechanical adjustments, each independent mechanical adjustment generating an associated signal responsive to the mechanical adjustment, the resulting at least six associated signals forming a plurality of joystick signals

7. The user interface device of claim 1 further comprises a multiplexer configured to multiplex at least the first pair of signals and the plurality of joystick signals into a single multiplexed output signal.

8. The user interface device of claim 7 wherein the multiplexed output signal is transmitted electrically to the external device.

9. The user interface device of claim 7 wherein the multiplexed output signal is transmitted optically to the external device.

10. The user interface device of claim 7 wherein the multiplexed output signal is transmitted by a wireless link to the external device.

11. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the user interface device further comprises a visual display attached to the housing.

12. The user interface device of claim 1, the user interface device further provides auditory output.

13. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the user interface device further comprises a preprocessor.

15. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the first pair of signals is for at least controlling the location of a cursor displayed on a screen associated with the external device.

16. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of joystick signals is for at least controlling an application executing on the external device.

17. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the joystick comprises at least four independent mechanical adjustments, each independent mechanical adjustment generating an associated signal responsive to the mechanical adjustment, the resulting at least four associated signals forming a plurality of joystick signals

18. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the joystick comprises at least five independent mechanical adjustments, each independent mechanical adjustment generating an associated signal responsive to the mechanical adjustment, the resulting at least five associated signals forming a plurality of joystick signals

19. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the joystick comprises at least six independent mechanical adjustments, each independent mechanical adjustment generating an associated signal responsive to the mechanical adjustment, the resulting at least six associated signals forming a plurality of joystick signals

20. The user interface device of claim 1 further comprises a multiplexer configured to multiplex at least the first pair of signals and the plurality of joystick signals into a single multiplexed output signal.

14. A user interface device for controlling an external device, comprising:

a housing;

a trackball;

a sensor arrangement for detecting a position change of the trackball, wherein the sensor arrangement provides a first pair of signals to indicate changes in the position of the trackball;

a joystick comprising at least three independent mechanical adjustments, each independent mechanical adjustment generating an associated signal responsive to the mechanical adjustment, the resulting at least three associated signals forming a plurality of joystick signals;

a communications path to transmit the first pair of parameters and the plurality of joystick signals to an external device.