Control device integrating touch and displacement controls

• US 9,904,459 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2015
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Qi, Loiler, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): SHERMAN, STEPHEN G
• Application Number:
  US14/666,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20160283078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 178 1801- 1809, 178 1811
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04774 with additional switches or sensors on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• 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: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

System and method of controlling an object via control device having integrated touch and displacement control. An embodiment includes an input device having a control stick with an integrated touch sensor, where the control stick may be displaced to provide control of a first functionality of an object, and a user touch sensed by the integrated touch sensor provides control of a second functionality of the object. Additionally, a method is described for controlling an object using a control device integrating displacement and touch control modes. A motion of the object may be controlled, such that inputs from the control device control a relative movement, an absolute movement, and/or a combination of relative and absolute movement for the object. An embodiment includes a game controller having a control device according to the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An input apparatus, the input apparatus comprising:

a moveable control device configured to provide first signals for control of a first object function based on a user interaction with the control device, wherein the control device has a non-displaced, central rest position and wherein movement of the control device comprises rotation of the control device around the central rest position;

a touch sensor disposed on a surface of the control device, the touch sensor configured to receive a user touch input; and

a touch sensor controller in electrical communication with the touch sensor, the touch sensor controller configured to provide second signals for recording a beginning and an ending of a continuous user interaction with the control device, based on the user touch input, wherein the second signals function to convert the first object function from a rate of movement of an object to an absolute position of the object.

2. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a control stick, wherein the touch sensor is disposed on a top surface of the control stick, and further wherein the continuous user interaction comprises an angular deflection of the control stick.

3. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user touch input is selected from the group consisting of:

a user pressure;

a user sliding contact motion; and

a user proximity.

4. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to vibrate at the ending of the continuous user interaction.

5. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a capacitive sensor;

a resistive sensor;

an optical sensor; and

a pressure sensor.

6. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a neutral position is defined for the control device being in a non-displaced rest position, and wherein a dead band region is defined for the control device around the neutral position wherein displacement of the control device within the dead band region does not cause movement of the object except movement of the object occurs with the control device in the dead band region when one of the second signals is received concurrently with the displacement of the control device.

7. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object comprises a graphical representation displayed on a graphical display.

8. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user touch input controls a vertical motion of the object.

9. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensor is operable for detecting a change in a surface area of the user touch input.

10. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device and the touch sensor are each communicatively coupled to a processor and to a memory operable to store a game controller configuration, wherein a user input causes the processor to perform a game controller function based upon the user input and the game controller configuration, wherein the user input is selected from the group consisting of:

the user interaction with the control device; and

the user touch input received by the touch sensor.

11. An input apparatus, the input apparatus comprising:

a moveable control device configured to provide first signals for control of a first object function based on a user interaction with the control device, wherein the control device has a non-displaced, neutral rest position and wherein movement of the control device comprises movement of the control device around the central rest position;

a touch sensor disposed on a surface of the control device, the touch sensor configured to sense a user touch input; and

a touch sensor controller in electrical communication with the touch sensor, the touch sensor controller configured to provide second signals based on the user touch input for recording a beginning and an ending of a continuous user interaction with the control device, wherein a dead band region is defined around the neutral position and wherein the dead band region is removed and is not implemented when and while the touch sensor senses the user touch input.

12. The input apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the user touch input is selected from the group consisting of:

a user pressure;

a user sliding contact motion; and

a user proximity.

13. The input apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the touch sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a capacitive sensor;

a resistive sensor;

an optical sensor; and

a pressure sensor.

14. The input apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the user touch input controls a positional aspect of an object.

15. The input apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the touch sensor is operable for detecting a change in a surface area of the user touch input.

16. The input apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a mode of operation for the control device and for the touch sensor is determined, wherein the user touch input received by the touch sensor controls a selection of the mode of operation, independently, according to the control device configuration and wherein the mode of operation is selected from the group consisting of:

a rate of movement;

an acceleration; and

an absolute position.

17. The input apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control device and the touch sensor are each communicatively coupled to a processor and to a memory operable to store a game controller configuration, wherein a user input causes the processor to perform a game controller function based upon the user input and the game controller configuration, wherein the user input is selected from the group consisting of:

the user interaction with the control device; and

the user touch input received by the touch sensor.