Pointing stick device

• US 8,593,403 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprintek Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sprintek Corporation
• Inventors: Zhang, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): MANDEVILLE, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US12/157,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20090309832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,992 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-157, 345159-161, 345/163
• US Class Current: 345/161
• 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 present invention provides a pointing stick device circuit which is using fewer components. The circuit is using current sources instead of voltage sources. This will be more convenient to integrate the circuit and largely reduce the cost. Also, using this circuit and the relative process, the requirement of high quality and low tolerance of some critical components is reduced. The performance of the device is improved.

Claims

1. A pointing stick device, comprising:

a signal source element which comprises a plurality of strain gauges for sensing forces exerted onto a pointing stick and generating voltage signals;

a voltage approaching element providing an incremental voltage for comparing with said voltage signals generated by said signal source element, wherein said voltage approaching element comprises a voltage division circuit providing a predetermined voltage to said incremental voltage according to said strain gauges of said signal source element, a first approaching unit lifting said incremental voltage close to said voltage signals such that said incremental voltage is lifted not to exceed said voltage signals, and a second approaching unit lifting said incremental voltage linearly, wherein said first approaching unit comprises a first current source, a first approaching capacitor, and a first switch for coarse approaching and for adjusting an error introduced by an inaccuracy of resistors, wherein said first approaching capacitor is connected with said first current source through said first switch, wherein when said first switch is closed in a predetermined period of time, said first approaching capacitor is charged to a predetermined voltage level, wherein said second approaching unit comprises a second current source, a second approaching capacitor, and a second switch, wherein said second approaching capacitor is connected with said second current source through said second switch, wherein when said second switch is closed, said second approaching capacitor is being charged while said incremental voltage is lifted linearly with a predetermined rate, wherein said first and second current sources are programmable to provide different values; and

a signal process element comparing said voltage signals of said signal source element and said incremental voltage of said voltage approaching element, and counting the time for said incremental voltage to reach to a level related to said voltage signals for calculating said forces exerted onto said pointing stick.

2. The device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said first current source charges, said first approaching capacitor for the predetermined period of time when said first switch is closed to increase said voltage level of said first approaching unit to said predetermined level.

3. The device, as recited in claim 2, wherein said second current source charges said second approaching capacitor when said second switch is closed to increase said voltage level of said second approaching unit linearly with the predetermined rate.

4. The device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said first approaching unit adjusts an error voltage of said voltage division circuit caused by a tolerance of said strain gauges.

5. The device, as recited in claim 3, wherein said first approaching unit adjusts an error voltage of said voltage division circuit caused by a tolerance of said strain gauges.

6. The device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said signal process element further comprises a comparator comparing said voltage signal with said incremental voltage and a counter counting the time for said incremental voltage to reach to said level related to said voltage signals.

7. The device, as recited in claim 3, wherein said signal process element further comprises a comparator comparing said voltage signal with said incremental voltage and a counter counting the time for said incremental voltage to reach to said level related to said voltage signals.

8. The device, as recited in claim 5, wherein said signal process element further comprises a comparator comparing said voltage signal with said incremental voltage and a counter counting the time for said incremental voltage to reach to said level related to said voltage signals.

9. A method of sensing forces exerted on a pointing stick device, comprising the steps of:

(a) resetting a circuit of said pointing stick device;

(b) sampling a signal source from said circuit;

(c) increasing an incremental voltage via a first approaching unit to a predetermined voltage level, wherein said first approaching unit comprises a first current source, a first approaching capacitor, and a first switch for coarse approaching and for adjusting an error introduced by an inaccuracy of resistors, wherein said first approaching capacitor is connected with said first current source through said first switch, wherein when said first switch is closed in a predetermined period of time, said first approaching capacitor is charged to a predetermined voltage level;

(d) linearly increasing said incremental voltage via a second approaching unit at a predetermined linear incremental rate, wherein said second approaching unit comprises a second current source, a second approaching capacitor, and a second switch, wherein said second approaching capacitor is connected with said second current source through said second switch, wherein when said second switch is closed, said second approaching capacitor is being charged while said incremental voltage is lifted linearly with a predetermined rate, wherein said first and second current sources are programmable to provide different values;

(e) comparing said voltage signal of said sampled signal source with said incremental voltage from said second approaching unit; and

(f) determining a time for said incremental voltage in responsive to said incremental rate thereof for calculating said force exerted onto said pointing stick device.

10. The method, as recited in claim 9, wherein, in step (c) further comprises steps:

(c1) connecting with a voltage division circuit; and

(c2) charging said first approaching capacitor by said first current source for the predetermined period of time when said first switch is closed in order to increase said incremental voltage to reach said voltage level.

11. The method, as recited in claim 10, wherein, in step (d) further comprises a step:

(d1) linearly charging said second approaching capacitor by said second current source when said second switch is closed in order to linearly increase said incremental voltage.

12. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein, in the step (f), said time is determined by said incremental voltage linearly increased at said incremental rate to reach said voltage signal.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein, in the step (f), said time is determined by said incremental voltage linearly increased at said incremental rate to reach said voltage signal.

14. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein, in the step (e) a comparator compares the sum voltage of said voltage signal and said incremental voltage with a referent voltage, wherein in the step (f) said time is determined by said incremental voltage linearly increased at said incremental rate to reach said voltage signal.

15. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein, in the step (e) a comparator compares the sum voltage of said voltage signal and said incremental voltage with a referent voltage, wherein in the step (f) said time is determined by said incremental voltage linearly increased at said incremental rate to reach said voltage signal.