Variable sensor having tactile feedback in a game control
First Claim
1. A variable sensor having a variable electrical output used to variably control electronic game imagery shown on a television according to variable depressive force applied by a finger of a user to said variable sensor, said variable sensor comprising:
- a portion of a rigid circuit board supporting interdigitated electrically conductive circuit traces, said circuit board at least in part supporting a flexible membrane sheet, said flexible membrane sheet positioned between said circuit board and a depressible resilient structure, said resilient structure shaped to provide, upon depression, a snap tactile feedback to a human user, whereby when the finger of the user applies depressive pressure to the variable sensor a tactile feedback is provided to the finger indicating that the variable sensor is activated, and releasing of pressure applied to the variable sensor provides a tactile feedback to the finger indicating that the variable sensor is deactivated.
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Abstract
A variable sensor having a variable electrical output used to variably control electronic game imagery shown on a television according to variable depressive force applied by a finger of a human user to the variable sensor. The variable sensor comprising: a circuit sheet supporting electrically conductive material, positioned above the circuit sheet is located a depressible resilient structure, the resilient structure shaped to provide, upon depression, a snap tactile feedback, whereby when the finger of the user applies depressive pressure to the variable sensor a tactile feedback is provided to the finger indicating that the variable sensor is activated, and releasing of pressure applied to the variable sensor provides a tactile feedback to the finger indicating that the variable sensor is deactivated.
18 Citations
84 Claims
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1. A variable sensor having a variable electrical output used to variably control electronic game imagery shown on a television according to variable depressive force applied by a finger of a user to said variable sensor, said variable sensor comprising:
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a portion of a rigid circuit board supporting interdigitated electrically conductive circuit traces, said circuit board at least in part supporting a flexible membrane sheet, said flexible membrane sheet positioned between said circuit board and a depressible resilient structure, said resilient structure shaped to provide, upon depression, a snap tactile feedback to a human user, whereby when the finger of the user applies depressive pressure to the variable sensor a tactile feedback is provided to the finger indicating that the variable sensor is activated, and releasing of pressure applied to the variable sensor provides a tactile feedback to the finger indicating that the variable sensor is deactivated.
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2. A variable sensor having a variable electrical output used to variably control electronic game imagery shown on a television according to variable depressive force applied by a finger of a human user to said variable sensor, said variable sensor comprising:
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a circuit board supporting electrical circuit traces, positioned above said circuit board is located a depressible resilient structure, said resilient structure shaped to provide, upon depression, a snap tactile feedback to the human user, whereby when the finger of the user applies depressive pressure to the variable sensor a tactile feedback is provided to the finger indicating that the variable sensor is activated, and releasing of pressure applied to the variable sensor provides a tactile feedback to the finger indicating that the variable sensor is deactivated. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A variable sensor having a variable electrical output used to variably control electronic game imagery shown on a television according to variable depressive force applied by a finger of a human user to said variable sensor, comprising:
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a rigid support board supporting an electrically non-conductive flexible membrane sheet supports at least one electrical conductor, positioned above said flexible membrane sheet is located a depressible resilient structure carrying electrically conductive material, said electrically conductive material having a deformable substantially convexed surface having an apex, said apex positioned to contact said at least one electrical conductor;
said resilient structure shaped to provide, upon depressiona soft snap tactile feedback to the human user, whereby when the finger of the user applies depressive pressure to the variable sensor a tactile feedback is provided to the finger indicating that the variable sensor is activated, and releasing of pressure applied to the variable sensor provides a tactile feedback to the finger indicating that the variable sensor is deactivated;
a hand held housing includes said variable sensor;
further included in said hand held housing ismeans for active tactile feedback;
a four way rocker is located in a left-hand area of said housing;
a second variable sensor is positioned within a right-hand area of said housing, said second variable sensor actuated by variable depression of a second single individual button;
a third variable sensor is positioned within said right-hand area of said housing, said third variable sensor actuated by variable depression of a third single individual button;
a fourth variable sensor is positioned within said right-hand area of said housing, said fourth variable sensor actuated by variable depression of a fourth single individual button;
an On/Off sensor is positioned within said housing located between said right-hand area and said left-hand area.
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20. A variable sensor having a variable electrical output used to variably control imagery of an electronic game shown on a television according to variable depressive force applied by a finger of a hand of a human user to said variable sensor, comprising:
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a circuit board supporting a flexible membrane sheet supporting electrically conductive material, positioned above said flexible membrane sheet is located a depressible resilient structure, said resilient structure shaped to provide, upon depression, a soft snap tactile feedback to the human user, whereby when the finger of the user applies depressive pressure to the variable sensor a tactile feedback is provided to the finger indicating that the variable sensor is activated, and releasing of pressure applied to the variable sensor provides a tactile feedback to the finger indicating that the variable sensor is deactivated;
said variable sensor is combined with structure providing active tactile feedback, whereby the electronic game causes said structure providing active tactile feedback to create vibration felt by the hand of the user. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A variable sensor having a variable electrical output used to variably control electronic game imagery shown on a television according to variable depressive force applied by a finger of a human user to said variable sensor, comprising:
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a rigid support board supporting a flexible membrane sheet supporting electrically conductive material, said conductive material positioned to contact at least one electrical circuit trace;
a depressible resilient structure having a deformable surface having an apex, said apex positioned to contact said flexible membrane upon depression of said depressible resilient structure;
depression of said depressible resilient structure also creatinga soft snap tactile feedback to the human user, whereby when the finger of the user applies depressive pressure to the variable sensor a tactile feedback is provided to the finger indicating that the variable sensor is activated, and releasing of pressure applied to the variable sensor provides a tactile feedback to the finger indicating that the variable sensor is deactivated;
a hand held housing includes said variable sensor;
further included in said hand held housing ismeans for active tactile feedback;
a four way rocker is located in a left-hand area of said housing;
a second variable sensor is positioned within a right-hand area of said housing, said second variable sensor actuated by variable depression of a second single individual button;
a third variable sensor is positioned within said right-hand area of said housing, said third variable sensor actuated by variable depression of a third single individual button;
a fourth variable sensor is positioned within said right-hand area of said housing, said fourth variable sensor actuated by variable depression of a fourth single individual button;
an On/Off sensor is positioned within said housing located between said right-hand area and said left-hand area. - View Dependent Claims (33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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34. A variable sensor and associated electrical circuitry, said variable sensor operated by variable depression of a single button, said single button variably depressed by a single finger of a hand of a user, variable operation of said variable sensor variably controls electronic game imagery, and operation of said variable sensor at least provides a soft snap tactile feedback to the finger of the user.
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40. A variable sensor and associated electrical circuitry, said variable sensor operated by variable depression of a single button, said single button variably depressed by a single finger of a hand of a user, variable operation of said variable sensor variably controls electronic game imagery, and operation of said variable sensor at least provides a soft snap tactile feedback to the finger of the user;
- said electrical circuitry reads said variable sensor and said electrical circuitry enables active tactile feedback to be sent to the hand of the user;
said variable sensor includes a resilient dome cap depressible by said button, said dome cap supplies said soft snap tactile feedback through said button to the finger of the user. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
- said electrical circuitry reads said variable sensor and said electrical circuitry enables active tactile feedback to be sent to the hand of the user;
- 44. A variable sensor combined with electronic imagery controls, said variable sensor structured for receiving variable depressive force applied to a single independent button by only a single human finger, said variable sensor including a depressible resilient dome cap, said dome cap structured to provide, upon depression of said dome cap, a soft snap tactile feedback to the human finger.
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56. A method of using a variable pressure analog sensor, depressed by a human thumb, to control variable movement of imagery in an electronic game, said method including the acts:
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a) decreasing pressure on said analog sensor, followed by b) receiving a soft snap tactile feedback, followed by c) increasing pressure on said analog sensor, said increasing pressure applied according to said imagery and substantially because of said receiving a soft snap tactile feedback.
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61. A method of using a variable sensor depressed by a human finger to variably control movement in an electronic game, said method including the acts:
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a) depressing said variable sensor with varying pressure;
b) receiving a user snap-through discernable tactile feedback. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63)
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64. A method of variably controlling electronic imagery by using a variable sensor, said method including the acts:
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a) pressing, with a human finger, a button associated with the variable sensor;
b) receiving, through said finger, a snap-through threshold tactile feedback. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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67. A method of interacting with an electronic game displayed on a television, comprising:
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receiving a first signal useful for controlling the electronic game, said first signal representing variable input applied to a variable sensor by a single finger of a hand of a human user;
sending a tactile feedback signal to cause vibration to be felt by the hand of the user;
receiving a second signal useful for controlling the electronic game, said second signal representing variable input applied to a second variable sensor;
receiving a first bi-directional signal useful for controlling the electronic game, said first bi-directional signal representing variable input applied to a first bi-directional proportional sensor;
receiving a second bi-directional signal useful for controlling the electronic game, said second bi-directional signal representing variable input applied to a second bi-directional proportional sensor;
receiving a third bi-directional signal useful for controlling the electronic game, said third bi-directional signal representing variable input applied to a third bi-directional proportional sensor;
receiving a fourth bi-directional signal useful for controlling the electronic game, said fourth bi-directional signal representing variable input applied to a fourth bi-directional proportional sensor.
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69. A method of interacting with an electronic game displayed on a television, comprising:
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receiving a first signal useful for controlling the electronic game, said first signal representing variable input applied to a variable sensor by a single finger of a hand of a human user;
sending a tactile feedback signal to cause vibration to be felt by the hand of the user.
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74. A method of using a variable pressure analog sensor, depressed by a human thumb, to control variable movement of imagery in an electronic game, said method comprising:
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a) decreasing pressure on said analog sensor, followed by b) receiving a soft snap tactile feedback, followed by c) increasing pressure on said analog sensor, said increasing pressure applied according to said imagery and substantially because of said receiving a soft snap tactile feedback. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 81)
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79. A method of using a variable sensor depressed by a human finger to variably control movement in an electronic game, said method comprising:
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a) depressing said variable sensor with varying pressure;
b) receiving a user snap-through discernable tactile feedback.
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82. A method of variably controlling electronic imagery by using a variable sensor, said method comprising:
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a) pressing, with a human finger, a button associated with the variable sensor;
b) receiving, through said finger, a snap-through threshold tactile feedback. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84)
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Specification