Control systems

• US 7,440,290 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2004
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Asbill, Scott C., Cousineau, Kevin, Matthews, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Tuan T
• Application Number:
  US10/848,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20050254200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• Field of Search: 338/69, 338/114
• US Class Current: 361/761
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42213 for facilitating data entry

Abstract

The present invention provides systems, devices and methods for controlling a desired output of an output device. These systems, devices and methods include connecting an electrical resistance element having a selected one of a plurality of resistance values with an electrical circuit portion having a plurality of electrical components, determining an electrical characteristic associated with the connected electrical circuit portion and the variable resistance element, and generating a control signal based on the electrical characteristic to control the desired output of the output device.

Claims

1. A control system, comprising:

an electrical circuit portion having a plurality of electrical components;

a variable resistance element connectable with the electrical circuit portion and having a plurality of resistance values;

an input mechanism connectable with the variable resistance element and having a plurality of input positions, wherein the plurality of input positions represents circular positions ranging from zero degrees (0°

) to three hundred sixty degrees (360°

) relative to a center of the input mechanism, the input mechanism operable at each of the plurality of input positions to connect the variable resistance element to the electrical circuit portion with a predetermined one of the plurality of resistance values; and

a control signal producible by a connection between the electrical circuit portion and the variable resistance element, the control signal selectable from a plurality of control signals each corresponding to one of the plurality of input positions;

wherein the input mechanism comprises a navigational key-tiltable on a ball member in a plurality of directions each corresponding to one of the plurality of input positions, and wherein the control signal comprises a signal associated with a selected one of the plurality of directions, and

an output mechanism having a plurality of outputs each associated with a predetermined one of the plurality of control signals, wherein the output mechanism is operable to receive the control signal and generate the predetermined one of the plurality of outputs.

2. A control system, comprising:

an electrical circuit portion having a plurality of electrical components;

a variable resistance element connectable with the electrical circuit portion and having a plurality of resistance values;

an input mechanism connectable with the variable resistance element and having a plurality of input positions the input mechanism operable at each of the plurality of input positions to connect the variable resistance element to the electrical circuit portion with a predetermined one of the plurality of resistance values, wherein the input mechanism comprises a navigational key movable in a plurality of directions each corresponding to one of the plurality of input positions, and wherein the control signal comprises a signal associated with a selected one of the plurality of directions;

a control signal producible by a connection between the electrical circuit portion and the variable resistance element, the control signal selectable from a plurality of control signals each corresponding to one of the plurality of input positions; and

an output mechanism having a plurality of outputs each associated with a predetermined one of the plurality of control signals, wherein the output mechanism is operable to receive the control signal and generate the predetermined one of the plurality of outputs.