Operating element with settable selectivity

• US 7,193,533 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2003
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gvbb Holdings SARL (Vislink Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Loew, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanglaude; Jean Bruner
• Application Number:
  US10/612,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20040076227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 341/50, 341/2, 348/345, 348/224, 700/186
• US Class Current: 341/2
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/09 Autoranging circuits

Abstract

An operating element with a settable operating characteristic for generating numerical control values A converts position signals P corresponding to the position of a linear sensor element into control values A using an assignment characteristic curve. Different assignment characteristic curves can be selected by means of a control quantity K. An arrangement for processing video or audio signals processes input signals S_in accordance with a function S_out (A, S_in). The numerical control values A are fed by means of an operating element to the arrangement for processing video or audio signals.

Claims

1. A control apparatus having a user manipulated operating element and a pickup, which generates position signals corresponding to the position of the operating element, which position signals are translated into first numerical values by means of a first converter and are available as numerical values at an output,

wherein the first numerical values are translated into second numerical values in accordance with an assignment characteristic curve in a second converter,

wherein a control quantity is applied to the second converter, which effects the selection of a specific assignment characteristic curve from a plurality of curves.

2. The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the achievable range of the numerical values available at the output encompasses the range of the position signals.

3. The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating element comprises an actuation element, and the gradient of the assignment characteristic curve is set in the range around the central position of the actuation element.

4. The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating element comprises an actuation element, and the assignment characteristic curve is centrosymmetrical with respect to the central position of the actuation element.

5. The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating element comprises an actuation element, and the conversion of the position signals into numerical values available at the output correspond to a fine resolution in the range around the central position of the actuation element and to a coarse resolution in the region of the smallest and largest position signals, respectively.

6. The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating element comprises an actuation element, and the conversion of the position signals into numerical values available at the output correspond to a coarse resolution in the range around the central position of the actuation element and to a fine resolution in the region of the smallest and largest position signals, respectively.

7. The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating element comprises an actuation element, and the selection of an assignment characteristic curve by means of the control quantity corresponds to a selection of the sensitivity of the actuation element.

8. An arrangement for processing at least one of video and audio signals having a control apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 1 to 6.

9. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processing of video signals comprises the correction of color signals.

10. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processing of video signals comprises at least one of setting picture brightness and picture contrast.

11. The control apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the operating element selects a position in an editing control unit.

12. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processing of at least one of video and audio signals comprises setting a pitch.

13. A control apparatus comprising:

a user manipulated operating element, which operating element generates position signals corresponding to the position of the operating element;

a first converter translating the position signals into first numerical values; and

a second converter translating the first numerical values into second numerical values in accordance with an assignment characteristic curve;

wherein, a control quantity is applied to the second converter, which effects the selection of the assignment characteristic curve from a plurality of characteristic curves.