Interface apparatus combining display panel and shaft

• US 7,436,400 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chien Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Qisda Corporation
• Inventors: Cheng, Linix
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz; Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beck; Alexander S.
• Application Number:
  US10/710,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20050068294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 345/204
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04774 with additional switches or sensors on the handle
• 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 2200/1612 Flat panel monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks

Abstract

The interface apparatus includes a base, a shaft installed on the base in a moveable way, a detecting module for detecting movement of the shaft, and a display panel with at least a handle installed on the shaft. When a user holds the handle to move the display panel/shaft, a detecting signal, accordingly generated by the detecting module, can be transmitted to a mainframe of the computer system as an input of the computer system.

Claims

1. An interface apparatus comprising:

a base;

a receiving circuit for receiving a video signal;

a display panel for transforming the video signal into an image and displaying the image thereon;

a shaft connected to the display panel and movably disposed on the base, the shaft comprising at least one handle connected to the display panel for a user to move the shaft, the position of each handle being adjustable with respect to the display panel, wherein the shaft is movable in up, down, left, right, or diagonal directions, and is rotatable in a plane parallel with a plane of the display panel; and

a detecting module for detecting a movement of the shaft relative to the base and generating a detecting signal correspondingly;

wherein when the shaft is moved, the shaft simultaneously moves the display panel, and the detecting module generates the detecting signal, and when the shaft and the display panel are rotated in the plane parallel with a plane of the display panel, the images displayed on the display panel move corresponding to the rotation of the interface apparatus.

2. The interface apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shaft further comprises:

at least one button disposed on the handle for the user to press; and

a button circuit outputting a corresponding button signal while the button is pressed.

3. The interface apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display panel is a liquid crystal display.

4. A computer system comprising:

a mainframe providing a video signal; and

an interface apparatus electrically connected to the mainframe, the interface apparatus comprising;

a base;

a receiving circuit for receiving the video signal;

a display panel for transforming the video signal into an image and displaying the image;

a shaft connected to the display panel and movably disposed on the base, the shaft comprising at least one handle connected to the display panel for a user to move the shaft, the position of each handle being adjustable with respect to the display panel, wherein the shaft is movable in up, down, left, right, or diagonal directions, and is rotatable in a plane parallel with a plane of the display panel; and

a detecting module for detecting a movement of the shaft relative to the base and outputting a detecting signal;

wherein when the shaft is moved, the shaft simultaneously moves the display panel, and the detecting module outputs the detecting signal to the mainframe, and when the shaft and the display panel are rotated in the plane parallel with a plane of the display panel, the images displayed on the display panel move corresponding to the rotation of the interface apparatus.

5. The computer system of claim 4 wherein the shaft further comprises:

at least one button located on the handle for the user to press; and

a button circuit outputting a corresponding button signal while the button is pressed, and the mainframe receiving the button signal and performing a relative operation.

6. The computer system of claim 4 wherein the display panel is a liquid crystal display.