Finger manipulatable 6 degree-of-freedom input device

• US 5,923,318 A
• Filed: 04/12/1996
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paul Milgram, Shumin Zhai
• Original Assignee: Paul Milgram, Shumin Zhai
• Inventors: Zhai, Shumin, Milgram, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US08/631,373
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/163, 345/167, 74/741 XY, 273/148 B, 178/18, 178/19
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides an isotonic six degree-of-freedom input device to be grasped by a user'"'"'s fingers and manipulated by both fingers, wrist and upper limb. The device includes a housing having a shape and dimension effective to permit a user to grasp and manipulate the housing using the fingers of his hand. In one embodiment the housing encloses an interior cavity adapted to contain a position sensor. The entire housing is a pressure sensitive switch which is activated by the user squeezing the housing with his fingers and/or thumb from any position on the outer surface of the housing. In a preferred embodiment the input control device is spherical in shape and has a textured outer surface adapted to prevent slippage in the user'"'"'s fingers. In addition to the large muscle groups of the shoulders, arm and hand, the input device makes extensive use of the small muscle groups of the fingers and thumb.

Claims

1. A six degree-of-freedom input control device, comprising:

a substantially freely moveable housing member having a substantially spherical shape and being of a dimension effective to permit a user to grasp said housing member using his fingers and manipulate said device using his limb including the fingers;

said housing member including switching means which can be actuated from substantially any position on an outer surface of said housing member, said housing member defining an interior cavity to contain a sensor means forming part of a position detector means for determining position and orientation of said housing member, said switching means including an inner conductive sheet, an outer elastic, conductive sheet enveloping said inner conductive sheet and a net interposed between said inner and outer sheets for spacing said inner and outer conductive sheets apart, and electrical contacts applied to said inner and outer conductive sheets, whereby said switching means is actuated by a user squeezing said housing member to compress a portion of said outer conductive sheet through said net to contact a portion of said inner conductive sheet.

2. A six degree-of-freedom input control device, comprising:

a substantially freely moveable housing member having a substantially spherical shape and being of a dimension effective to permit a user to grasp said housing member using his fingers and manipulate said device using his limb including the fingers;

said housing member including switching means which can be actuated from substantially any position on an outer surface of said housing member, said housing member defining an interior cavity to contain a sensor means forming part of a position detector means for determining position and orientation of said housing member, said switching means including a layer of elastically deformable conductive foam, plastic or rubber sheet enveloping said housing member, electrical contacts applied to inner and outer faces of said conductive sheet, where electrical impedance of said conductive sheet is sensitive to external pressure applied across a width of said conductive sheet, whereby said switching means is actuated by electrical signal arising from a user squeezing said housing member to compress a portion of said conductive sheet.

3. A six degree-of-freedom input control device, comprising:

a substantially freely moveable housing member having a substantially spherical shape and being of a dimension effective to permit a user to grasp said housing member using his fingers and manipulate said device using his limb including the fingers;

said housing member including switching means which can be actuated from substantially any position on an outer surface of said housing member, said housing member defining an interior cavity to contain a sensor means forming part of a position detector means for determining position and orientation of said housing member, said switching means including a plurality of piezoelectric switches disposed globally over an accessible portion of said outer surface of said housing member, said piezoelectric switches being responsive to pressure applied by the user'"'"'s fingers.

4. A six degree-of-freedom input control device, comprising:

a substantially freely moveable housing member having a substantially spherical shape and being of a dimension effective to permit a user to grasp said housing member using his fingers and manipulate said device using his limb including the fingers;

said housing member including switching means which can be actuated from substantially any position on an outer surface of said housing member, said housing member defining an interior cavity to contain a sensor means forming part of a position detector means for determining position and orientation of said housing member, said switching means including a plurality of optical light fibres radially disposed globally over an accessible portion of said outer surface of said housing member, said optical light fibres being responsive to deformations due to a preselected pressure applied by the user'"'"'s fingers, said preselected pressure being effective to cause a shape of said radially oriented fibres to deform, causing interruption of light transmitted through said fibres, and means to decode said interruption of light transmission to indicate presence of a switching event.

5. A six degree-of-freedom input control device, comprising:

a substantially freely moveable housing member having a shape and dimension effective to permit a user to grasp said housing member using his fingers and manipulate said device using his limb including the fingers, said housing member defining an interior cavity to contain a sensor means forming part of a position detector means for determining position and orientation of said housing member; and

said housing member including switching means which can be actuated from substantially any position on an outer surface of said housing member, said switching means including at least an inner conductive sheet, an outer elastic, conductive sheet enveloping said inner conductive sheet and a net interposed between said inner and outer sheets for spacing said inner and outer conductive sheets apart, and electrical contacts applied to said inner and outer conductive sheets, whereby said switching means is actuated by a user squeezing said housing member to compress a portion of the outer conductive sheet through the net to contact a portion of the inner conductive sheet.

6. The device according to claim 5 wherein the housing member is substantially spherical in shape.

7. The device according to claim 6 wherein said housing member comprises a textured coating adapted to prevent slipping of said housing member in the user'"'"'s fingers.

8. A six degree-of-freedom input control device, comprising:

a substantially freely moveable housing member having a shape and dimension effective to permit a user to grasp said housing member using his fingers and manipulate said device using his limb including the fingers, said housing member defining an interior cavity to contain a sensor means forming part of a position detector means for determining position and orientation of said housing member; and

said housing member including switching means which can be actuated from substantially any position on an outer surface of said housing member, said switching means including at least a layer of elastically deformable conductive foam, plastic or rubber enveloping said housing member, including electrical contacts applied to inner and outer faces of said conductive sheet, where electrical impedance of said conductive sheet is sensitive to external pressure applied across the width of said sheet, whereby said switching means is actuated by electrical signal arising from a user squeezing said housing member to compress a portion of the conductive sheet.

9. The device according to claim 8 wherein the housing member is substantially spherical in shape.

10. The device according to claim 9 wherein said housing member comprises a textured coating adapted to prevent slipping of said housing member in the user'"'"'s fingers.

11. A six degree-of-freedom input control device, comprising:

a substantially freely moveable housing member having a shape and dimension effective to permit a user to grasp said housing member using his fingers and manipulate said device using his limb including the fingers, said housing member defining an interior cavity to contain a sensor means forming part of a position detector means for determining position and orientation of said housing member; and

said housing member including switching means which can be actuated from substantially any position on an outer surface of said housing member, said switching means including at least a plurality of piezoelectric switches disposed globally over an accessible portion of said outer surface of said housing member, said piezoelectric switches being responsive to pressure applied by the user'"'"'s fingers.

12. The device according to claim 11 wherein the housing member is substantially spherical in shape.

13. The device according to claim 12 wherein said housing member comprises a textured coating adapted to prevent slipping of said housing member in the user'"'"'s fingers.

14. A six degree-of-freedom input control device, comprising:

a substantially freely moveable housing member having a shape and dimension effective to permit a user to grasp said housing member using his fingers and manipulate said device using his limb including the fingers, said housing member defining an interior cavity to contain a sensor means forming part of a position detector means for determining position and orientation of said housing member; and

said housing member including switching means which can be actuated from substantially any position on an outer surface of said housing member, said switching means including at least a plurality of optical light fibers radially disposed globally over an accessible portion of said outer surface of said housing member, said optical light fibers being responsive to deformations due to a preselected pressure applied by the user'"'"'s fingers, said preselected pressure effective to cause the shape of said radially oriented fibers to deform, causing interruption of light transmitted through the fibers, including means to decode said interruption of light transmission to indicate presence of said switching event.

15. The device according to claim 14 wherein the housing member is substantially spherical in shape.

16. The device according to claim 15 wherein said housing member comprises a textured coating adapted to prevent slipping of said housing member in the user'"'"'s fingers.