Position sensing and indicating device

• US 4,514,817 A
• Filed: 02/10/1981
• Issued: 04/30/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Patricia K. Pepper
• Original Assignee: Robert B. Pepper
• Inventors: Pepper, Robert B., Maples, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wise, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US06/233,000
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• Field of Search: 364/480, 364/483, 315/292, 315/297, 315/362, 315/291, 315/292, 315/294, 315/295, 315/312, 315/317, 315/318, 340/718, 340/712, 340/365 C, 338/117-119, 338/176, 338/179, 338/196
• US Class Current: 340/644
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/00 Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/508
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0485 the sensor sensing the physical interaction between a user and certain areas located on the lighting device, e.g. a touch sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/165 by relative movement of a point of contact or actuation and a resistive track

Abstract

The position of the operator'"'"'s finger or an actuating device on a transducing surface is used for controlling the level of utilization devices including theater lights controlled by an automated theater light control system. The transducing surface, which may be either an analog or a digital device, is elongated in shape and is immediately adjacent to an elongated display having individual light emitting devices to indicate the level of the utilization device being controlled. Circuitry connected to the tansducing surface produces a first signal to indicate when an operator'"'"'s finger or an actuating device is present on the transducing surface, and it produces a second signal to indicate the position of the operator'"'"'s finger or the actuating device on the transducing surface. The second signal is supplied to the display, and the first and second signals are supplied to the utilization device.

Claims

1. A level controlling device comprising:

position sensing transducer means having an elongated transducing surface for detecting the presence and position of an actuating device that is arbitrarily positionable by a user on the transducing surface independent of any previous position of the actuating device on the transducing surface, said detection being independent of the electrical properties of the human body; and

circuit means connected to the transducer means for producing a first signal representative of the fact that an actuating device is present at the transducing surface and a second signal representative of the position of the actuating device at the transducing surface for controlling the level of a utilization device.

2. A level controlling device as in claim 1 wherein the actuating device is a hand-held stylus.

3. A level controlling device as in claim 1 wherein the actuating device is a slider means mechanically coupled to the position sensing transducer for contacting the elongated transducing surface when touched by an operator and for sliding along the transducing surface when moved by an operator.

4. A level controlling device as in claim 2 or 3 wherein the position sensing transducer means comprises:

an elongated conductor on the transducing surface; and

an elongated resistor on the transducing surface spaced from and parallel to the elongated conductor, and having a higher electrical resistance than the elongated conductor.

5. A level controlling device as in claim 2 or 3 wherein the position sensing transducer means comprises a linear array of switches.

6. A level controlling device as in claim 2 or 3 further comprising visible output means connected to the circuit means for producing a visible indication of the position of the actuating device on the transducing surface.

7. A level controlling device as in claim 6 wherein the visible output means has a longitudinal axis which is parallel with the longer dimension of the elongated transducing surface and the visual indication produced by the visible output means is aligned with the physical position of the actuating device on the transducing surface.

8. A position sensing device comprising:

an arbitrarily user positionable actuating device;

a transducer sensitive to the proximity and position of the actuating device independent of the electrical properties of the human body and independent of any previous position of the actuating device proximate to the transducer; and

circuit means connected to the transducer for producing a first signal in response to the actuating device being brought into proximity with the transducer and for producing a second signal to indicate the position of the actuating device after it is brought into proximity with the transducer.

9. A position sensing device as in claim 8 wherein the actuating device comprises a hand-held stylus.

10. A position sensing device as in claim 8 wherein the actuating device comprises a slider assembly mechanically coupled to the transducer.

11. A position sensing device as in claim 9 or 10 wherein the transducer has a generally elongated shape and further comprising display means connected to the circuit means and having an elongated display surface located adjacent to and parallel with the transducer for displaying the position of the actuating device corresponding to the second signal.

12. A position sensing device as in claim 11 wherein the transducer has a plurality of discrete sensitive regions arranged in a linear array and the display means has a plurality of discrete display regions arranged in a linear array.

13. A position sensing device as in claim 11 wherein the transducer comprises:

an elongated conductor; and

an elongated resistor spaced from and parallel to the elongated conductor, and having a higher electrical resistance than the elongated conductor.

14. A position sensing device comprising:

an arbitrarily user positionable actuating device;

a transducer sensitive to the presence and position of the actuating device independent of the electrical properties of the human body and independent of any previous position of the actuating device on the transducer; and

circuit means connected to the transducer for producing a first signal in response to the actuating device being brought into contact with the transducer and for producing a second signal to indicate the position of the actuating device on the transducer.

15. A position sensing device as in claim 14 wherein the actuating device comprises a hand-held stylus.

16. A position sensing device as in claim 14 wherein the actuating device comprises a slider assembly mechanically coupled to the transducer.

17. A position sensing device as in claim 15 or 16 wherein the transducer has a generally elongated shape and further comprising display means connected to the circuit means and having an elongated display surface located adjacent to and parallel with the transducer for displaying the position of the actuating device corresponding to the second signal.

18. A position sensing device as in claim 17 wherein the transducer has a plurality of discrete sensitive regions arranged in a linear array and the display means has a plurality of discrete display regions arranged in a linear array.

19. A position sensing device as in claim 17 wherein the transducer comprises:

an elongated conductor; and

an elongated resistor spaced from and parallel to the elongated conductor, and having a higher electrical resistance than the elongated conductor.

20. In an automated control system having programmed control means for controlling the level of a utilization device connected thereto, a manual override control comprising:

display means connected to the programmed control means for displaying the current level of the utilization device under control;

an actuating device;

a control panel sensitive to the proximity and position of the actuating device;

circuit means connected to the display means and the control panel for detecting the proximity of the actuating device to the control panel for producing a first signal to cause the program control means to interrupt program control of the level of the utilization device, and for determining the position of the actuating device when it is brought into proximity with the control panel and producing a second signal to establish the level of the utilization device in response to the position of the actuating device.

21. A manual override control as in claim 20 wherein the actuating device is a hand-held stylus.

22. A manual override control as in claim 20 wherein the actuating device is a slider assembly mechanically coupled to the control panel.

23. A manual override control as in claim 21 or 22 wherein the control panel has a plurality of sensing areas arranged in a linear array and the display means has a plurality of display areas arranged in a linear array adjacent to and parallel with the sensing areas.

24. In an automated control system having programmed control means for controlling the level of a utilization device connected thereto, a manual override control comprising:

display means connected to the programmed control means for displaying the current level of the utilization device under control;

an actuating device;

a control panel sensitive to the presence and position of the actuating device;

circuit means connected to the display means and the control panel for detecting the presence of the actuating device on the control panel and for producing a first signal to cause the program control means to interrupt program control of the level of the utilization device, and for determining the position of the actuating device on the control panel and producing a second signal to establish the level of the utilization device in response to the position of the actuating device.

25. A manual override control as in claim 24 wherein the actuating device is a hand-held stylus.

26. A manual override control as in claim 24 wherein the actuating device is a slider assembly mechanically coupled to the control panel.

27. A manual override control as in claim 25 or 26 wherein the control panel has a plurality of sensing areas arranged in a linear array and the display means has a plurality of display areas arranged in a linear array adjacent to and parallel with the sensing areas.