Methods and apparatus for providing touch-sensitive input in multiple degrees of freedom
First Claim
1. A multiple coordinate controller device comprising:
- a three-dimensional body having a first surface portion and a second surface portion which is not coplanar with said first surface;
a first transducer having a first sensing surface, said first transducer being coupled to said first portion of said body and being capable of detecting both positions and a range of pressure forces at said positions on said first sensing surface, wherein said first transducer is further capable of providing a first range of z coordinates at a detected x,y coordinate in response to said range of pressure forces on said first sensing surface, said first range of z coordinates provided only if said range of pressure forces are greater than a first threshold pressure;
a second transducer having a second sensing surface, said second transducer being coupled to said second surface portion of said body and being capable of detecting both positions and a range of pressure forces at said positions on said second sensing surface, wherein second transducer is further capable of providing a second range of z coordinates of opposite polarity to said first range of z coordinates in response to said range of forces on second sensing surface, said second range of z coordinates provided only if said range of pressure forces are greater than a second threshold pressure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a multiple coordinate controller device having a three-dimensional body with a first surface portion and a second surface portion where the second surface portion is not coplanar with the first surface. A first transducer with a first sensing surface is coupled to the first surface portion of the body and capable of detecting both positions and a range of pressure forces at positions on the first sensing surface. The first transducer is further capable of providing a first range of z coordinates at a detected x,y coordinate in response to the range of pressure forces on said first sensing surface. A second transducer having a second sensing surface is coupled to the second surface portion of the body and capable of detecting both positions and a range of pressure forces at the positions on the second sensing surface. The second transducer is further capable of providing a second range of z coordinates of opposite polarity to the first range of z coordinates in response to the range of forces on second sensing surface.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A multiple coordinate controller device comprising:
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a three-dimensional body having a first surface portion and a second surface portion which is not coplanar with said first surface;
a first transducer having a first sensing surface, said first transducer being coupled to said first portion of said body and being capable of detecting both positions and a range of pressure forces at said positions on said first sensing surface, wherein said first transducer is further capable of providing a first range of z coordinates at a detected x,y coordinate in response to said range of pressure forces on said first sensing surface, said first range of z coordinates provided only if said range of pressure forces are greater than a first threshold pressure;
a second transducer having a second sensing surface, said second transducer being coupled to said second surface portion of said body and being capable of detecting both positions and a range of pressure forces at said positions on said second sensing surface, wherein second transducer is further capable of providing a second range of z coordinates of opposite polarity to said first range of z coordinates in response to said range of forces on second sensing surface, said second range of z coordinates provided only if said range of pressure forces are greater than a second threshold pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A multiple coordinate controller device comprising;
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a three-dimensional body having a first surface portion and a second surface portion which is not coplanar with said first surface; and
a sensor consisting essentially of;
a first transducer having a first sensing surface, said first transducer being coupled to said first surface portion of said body and being capable of detecting both positions and a range of pressure forces at said positions on said first sensing surface, wherein said first transducer is further capable of providing a first range of z coordinates at a detected x,y coordinate in response to said first range of forces, said first range of z coordinates provided only if said range of pressure forces are greater than a first threshold pressure;
a second transducer having a second sensing surface, said second transducer being coupled to said second surface portion of said body and being capable of detecting both positions and a range of pressure forces at said positions on said second sensing surface, wherein said second transducer is further capable of providing a second range of z coordinates of opposite polarity for said first range of z coordinates in response to said second range of forces, said second range of z coordinates provided only if said range of pressure forces are greater than a second threshold pressure;
whereby said sensor is capable of providing x,y and z coordinates from said first transducer and said second transducer, and whereby, said first sensing surface and said second sensing surface do not substantially deform under pressure.
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11. A two sided controller comprising:
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a body having a first surface and an opposing second surface, said first surface and said second surface having dimensions that are substantially greater than a separation between said first surface and said second surface;
a first sensor assembly supported by said first surface and including a first generally flat pressure sensor surrounded, at least in part, by a first generally flat edge pressure sensor;
a second sensor assembly supported by said second surface and including a second generally flat pressure sensor surrounded, at least in part, by a second generally flat edge pressure sensor;
wherein said body is sized to be contacted on said first sensor assembly with the thumb of a hand and simultaneously on said second sensor assembly with a finger of said hand.
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12. A wedge shaped controller comprising:
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a body having a front edge surface having a first area, a back edge surface having a second area less than said first area, and a pair of side edge surfaces coupling said front edge surface to said back edge surface, whereby said body has a wedge shaped with angled side edges;
a first sensor assembly supported by said front edge surface and including a first generally flat pressure sensor surrounded, at least in part, by a first generally flat edge pressure sensor; and
a second sensor assembly supported by one of said pair of side edge surfaces and including a second generally flat pressure sensor surrounded, at least in part, by a second generally flat edge pressure sensor. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
a third sensor assembly supported by the other of said pair of side edge surfaces and including a third generally flat pressure sensor surrounded, at least in part, by a third generally flat edge pressure sensor.
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14. A wedge shaped controller as recited in claim 12 wherein said body further has a top surface and a bottom surface, and is provided with a pressure sensor on at least one of said top surface and said bottom surface.
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15. A touch-sensitive manually operable controller for providing position control information relative to three axes, the controller comprising:
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a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral side surface;
a first sensor positioned on the side surface of the controller and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an X-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the first sensor adapted for providing a first Y-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Y-axis and a first Z-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Z-axis;
a second sensor positioned on the top surface of the controller and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an Y-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the second sensor adapted for providing a first X-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the X-axis and a second Z-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Z-axis;
a third sensor positioned on the side surface of the controller and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an Z-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the third sensor adapted for providing a second X-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the X-axis and a second Y-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Y-axis; and
a fourth sensor positioned on the side surface of the controller opposite the first sensor and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an X-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the fourth sensor adapted for providing a third Y-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Y-axis and a third Z-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Z-axis.
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16. A touch-sensitive manually operable controller for providing position control information relative to three axes, the controller comprising:
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a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral side surface;
a first sensor positioned on the side surface of the controller and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an X-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the first sensor adapted for providing a first roll-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Y-axis and a first yaw-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Z-axis;
a second sensor positioned on the top surface of the controller and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an Y-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the second sensor adapted for providing a second roll-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the X-axis and a first pitch-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Z-axis;
a third sensor positioned on the side surface of the controller and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an Z-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the third sensor adapted for providing second pitch-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Y-axis; and
a fourth sensor positioned on the side surface of the controller opposite the first sensor and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an X-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the fourth sensor adapted for providing a third roll-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Y-axis and a second yaw-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Z-axis.
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Specification