Apparatus for generating a signal indicative of the position of a movable element in the apparatus
First Claim
1. A controller comprising:
- a housing having a portion that forms an enclosure;
a movable element having an end, said end being located outside said housing, said movable element having a predetermined range of movement with respect to said housing;
a first signal source located in said enclosure, said first signal source being a source of an electromagnetic signal;
a signal gate located in said enclosure;
a first member having a first portion and a second portion opposite said first portion, said first member being supported by said housing, said first portion being attached to said movable element and said second portion being attached to said signal gate,wherein said first member holds said movable element substantially stationary with respect to said signal gate,further wherein said first member holds said signal gate substantially separated from said housing to thereby eliminate friction between said signal gate and said housing;
a first signal sensor located in said enclosure, said first signal sensor being sensitive to the amount of said electromagnetic signal, said amount being determined by said signal gate, said first signal sensor having a first terminal couplable to an electrical circuit; and
a second signal sensor located in said enclosure, said second signal sensor having a second terminal wherein said first terminal and said second terminal are directly coupled to a common junction, thereby to supply at said common junction a signal having a ratiometric voltage indicative of said position;
wherein said first member moves said signal gate in dependence on movement of said movable element by a user, andfurther wherein said signal gate changes the amount of said electromagnetic signal in dependence on at least an angle of reflection or a distance between said signal gate and one of said first signal source and said first signal sensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A position sensing controller, sometimes referred to as "controller" includes a novel optical gate that is located adjacent to a light source and to a light sensor. The optical gate changes the amount of light incident on the light sensor in response to a change in position of a movable element in the controller. In response to the incident light, the light sensor drives a position signal on an output terminal, which position signal approximately indicates the position of the movable element. The position signal can drive any electrically controllable device, such as a game machine, a personal computer and an interactive television set top. The use of optical principles in a position sensing controller allows various optical position sensing parts of the controller, such as the light source, the light sensor, and the optical gate to be physically separated from each other and so avoid the mechanical wear and tear caused by friction in conventional controllers.
115 Citations
56 Claims
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1. A controller comprising:
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a housing having a portion that forms an enclosure; a movable element having an end, said end being located outside said housing, said movable element having a predetermined range of movement with respect to said housing; a first signal source located in said enclosure, said first signal source being a source of an electromagnetic signal; a signal gate located in said enclosure; a first member having a first portion and a second portion opposite said first portion, said first member being supported by said housing, said first portion being attached to said movable element and said second portion being attached to said signal gate, wherein said first member holds said movable element substantially stationary with respect to said signal gate, further wherein said first member holds said signal gate substantially separated from said housing to thereby eliminate friction between said signal gate and said housing; a first signal sensor located in said enclosure, said first signal sensor being sensitive to the amount of said electromagnetic signal, said amount being determined by said signal gate, said first signal sensor having a first terminal couplable to an electrical circuit; and a second signal sensor located in said enclosure, said second signal sensor having a second terminal wherein said first terminal and said second terminal are directly coupled to a common junction, thereby to supply at said common junction a signal having a ratiometric voltage indicative of said position; wherein said first member moves said signal gate in dependence on movement of said movable element by a user, and further wherein said signal gate changes the amount of said electromagnetic signal in dependence on at least an angle of reflection or a distance between said signal gate and one of said first signal source and said first signal sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A controller comprising:
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a housing defining an interior enclosure; a movable element located outside said housing and having a limited range of movement with respect to said housing; a support member having a proximal end and a distal end opposite said proximal end, said proximal end being attached to said movable element; an optical gate attached to said distal end, said optical gate being located in said enclosure, wherein said support member holds said optical gate separated from said housing to thereby eliminate friction between said optical gate and said housing, and further wherein said support member holds said optical gate substantially stationary with respect to said movable element and causes said optical gate to move laterally from a first location to a second location in dependence on movement of said movable element, said second location being removed from said first location; and a plurality of photodiodes located in said enclosure, a first photodiode of said plurality of photodiodes being physically separated from a second photodiode of said plurality of photodiodes; wherein said first photodiode drives a first current indicative of the amount of light incident on said first photodiode and said second photodiode drives a second current indicative of the amount of light incident on said second photodiode; and further wherein said first photodiode has a first terminal said second photodiode has a second terminal, said first terminal and said second terminal being directly coupled to a common junction, thereby to supply at said common junction a signal having a ratiometric voltage indicative of said position. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A controller comprising:
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a housing defining an interior enclosure, said housing having a floor and a ceiling located opposite said floor, said ceiling defining an opening; a movable element; a support member having a proximal end and a distal end opposite said proximal end, one end of said movable element being attached to said proximal end such that another end of said movable element is located outside said housing, said support member being separated from said housing; an optical gate attached to said distal end such that said optical gate is located in said enclosure; a flexible member supported by said housing, said flexible member having a first end and a second end, said first end being coupled to said optical gate and said second end being coupled to said floor; wherein said flexible member movably supports said optical gate, said optical gate being separated from said housing to thereby eliminate friction between said optical gate and said housing; a plurality of photodiodes located in said enclosure, a first photodiode of said plurality of photodiodes being physically separated from a second photodiode of said plurality of photodiodes; wherein said first photodiode drives a first current indicative of the amount of light incident on said first photodiode and said second photodiode drives a second current indicative of the amount of light incident on said second photodiode; and further wherein said controller is at least substantially frictionless except for friction in said flexible member. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification