Multiple purpose controls for electrical systems

• US 5,982,355 A
• Filed: 08/25/1997
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intertactile Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intertactile Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Jaeger, Denny, Twain, Kenneth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US08/917,094
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 345/161, 345/172, 345/170, 345/171, 345/173, 345/184, 345/168, 345/160, 345/169, 345/157, 345/156, 341/22, 341/23, 341/28, 341/33, 341/34, 74/471 XY, 273/148 B, 273/438, 200/6 A
• US Class Current: 345/161
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13306 Circuit arrangements or driving methods for the control of single liquid crystal cells G02F1/132, G02F1/133382 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1345 Conductors connecting electrodes to cell terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1611 CRT monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1612 Flat panel monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/184 Illumination of symbols by using laser light
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/181 using a programmable display, e.g. LED or LCD

Abstract

Electrical circuit control devices are affixed to the front of an electronic image display screen, within the image displaying area, to provide instantly changeable labels and other graphics which convey information pertaining to operation of the controls. The control devices may be of any of a variety of types that are variously operated by depressing switch buttons, turning a knob, flexing or tilting a joystick or exerting force against an immovable knob. The control devices have compact and durable constructions which enable the devices to be wholly at the front of the display screen as opposed to extending through openings in a screen. Operator manipulation of the control devices is variously sensed by radio frequency sensors, Hall effect sensors, strain gauge sensors, touch sensitive circuits or electromechanical contacts. A remote control unit controls any of variety of different electronic devices and displays different switch button labels and other graphics during controlling of different ones of the devices. A pivotable earpiece enables the same remote control unit to function as a cellular telephone and a cordless telephone.

Claims

1. Apparatus for producing electrical circuit control signals, said apparatus having an elongated joystick with first and second opposite ends, the first end being movable by an operator in any of a plurality of different directions, said apparatus further having a signal producing circuit which produces a control signal in response to lateral movement of said joystick and wherein changeable graphics pertinent to operation of the apparatus are displayed at a screen of an electronic image display, wherein the improvement comprises:

said second end of said joystick being disposed in front of said electronic image display screen at an image display area thereof and being attached to said image display.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus further includes a magnet secured to said joystick at a location which is away from said second end thereof and wherein said signal producing circuit includes at least one Hall effect sensor secured to said image display at a location which is spaced apart from said joystick, and a signal processor electrically coupled to said Hall effect sensor and which outputs an electrical circuit control signal that varies in response to changes of the electrical resistance of said Hall effect sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a pair of the Hall effect sensors are secured to said image display at locations which are spaced apart from said joystick and which are angularly spaced apart around said second end of said joystick, each of said Hall effect sensors being electrically coupled to said signal processor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second end of said joystick is fixedly secured to said image display, said joystick being formed at least in part of flexible resilient material.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second end of said joystick is attached to said image display by a ball and socket joint, further including a resilient element positioned to urge said joystick towards a specific orientation relative to said image display screen.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said joystick has a flange thereon and wherein said resilient element is a compression spring encircling said second end of said joystick and abutting said flange.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said resilient element is a resilient boot encircling said ball and socket joint and encircling an adjacent portion of said joystick.