Analog sensor(s) with tactile feedback

• US 20030201869A1
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brad A. Armstrong
• Original Assignee: Brad A. Armstrong
• Inventors: Armstrong, Brad A.
• Application Number:
  US10/437,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20030201869A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 338/47
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/106 on resistive material dispersed in an elastic material H01C10/103 and H01C10/12 take precedence; for electric switches H01H1/029
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/48 using buckling of disc springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/785 characterised by the material of the contacts, e.g. conductive polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/036 Variable resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2237/002 Bell crank

Abstract

An analog sensor depressible by a single human finger/thumb. Depressive force is applied to a dome-cap and to structuring capable of defining analog output of the sensor responsive to varying force applied by a single finger or thumb. Depressive force causes the dome-cap to bow downward passing through a user discernable threshold, causing a snap-through tactile sensation. The analog sensor is further taught in combination with additional sensors and tactile feedback structures, for example, sensors such as rotary potentiometers and the tactile feedback structure of an electric motor rotating an offset weight.

Claims

1. A variable sensor, said variable sensor comprising:

a rigid support board, said board at least in part supporting

a flexible membrane sheet, said sheet positioned between said board and

a depressible resilient dome cap, said dome cap providing upon activation of said sensor a first soft snap tactile feedback to a thumb of a hand of a human user; and

said dome cap providing

upon deactivation of said sensor a second soft snap tactile feedback to the thumb of the hand of the human user;

structured in combination with said variable sensor is

a motor and

offset weight, said motor and offset weight providing active tactile feedback vibration to the hands of the user.

2. A variable sensor according to claim 1 further comprising:

said board is a circuit board supporting electrical circuit traces.

3. A variable sensor according to claim 2 further comprising:

said dome cap has a deformable surface having an apex located to contact said sheet.

4. A variable sensor according to claim 3 further comprising:

said sheet supports electrically conductive material.

5. A variable sensor according to claim 4 further comprising:

said conductive material is located to contact said circuit traces.

6. A variable sensor according to claim 5 further comprising:

said circuit traces are interdigitated.

7. A variable sensor according to claim 5 further comprising:

said variable sensor at least in part is variably controlling imagery of

an electronic game displayed on a television.

8. A variable sensor according to claim 2 further comprising:

said variable sensor is positioned at least in part within

a two hand held device, said two hand held device further comprises

a first pivotally mounted button, said first pivotally mounted button positioned to be depressed by a first human finger of the human user.

9. A variable sensor according to claim 8 wherein said two hand held device further comprises:

a second pivotally mounted button, said second pivotally mounted button positioned to be depressed by a second human finger of the human user.

10. A variable sensor according to claim 9 further comprises:

a second variable sensor is structured in combination with the first variable sensor.

11. A variable sensor according to claim 9 further comprising:

varying depression of said first pivotally mounted button correspondingly varies

imagery of

an electronic game shown on a television.

12. A variable sensor according to claim 11 further comprising:

varying depression of said second pivotally mounted button correspondingly varies said imagery.

13. A variable sensor according to claim 12 further comprising:

said variable sensor outputs signals representing On/off data and proportional data.

14. A variable sensor according to claim 12 further comprising:

a first variable resistor which is a first rotary potentiometer, and

a second variable resistor which is a second rotary potentiometer, said first variable resistor and said second variable resistor structured in combination with said variable sensor, and said first variable resistor and said second variable resistor controlling at least in part said imagery.

15. A variable sensor according to claim 14 further comprising:

said first variable resistor is mounted to said circuit board, and said second variable resistor is mounted to said circuit board.

16. A variable sensor according to claim 15 further comprising:

a third variable resistor which is a third rotary potentiometer, and

a fourth variable resistor which is a fourth rotary potentiometer, said third variable resistor and said fourth variable resistor structured in combination with said variable sensor, and said third variable resistor and said fourth variable resistor controlling at least in part said imagery.

17. A variable sensor according to claim 16 further comprising:

said third variable resistor is mounted to said circuit board, and said fourth variable resistor is mounted to said circuit board.

18. A variable sensor according to claim 17 further comprising:

a rotatable member positioned to activate

four contact sensors, said rotatable member and said four contact sensors are structured in combination with said variable sensor.

19. A variable sensor according to claim 1 further comprising:

electrically conductive material carried within said dome cap.

20. A variable sensor according to claim 19 further comprising:

said conductive material has

a surface which variably deforms according to variable pressure applied to said sensor.

21. A variable sensor according to claim 20 further comprising:

said surface achieving a greater surface contact area with a greater amount of force applied to said variable sensor.

22. A variable sensor according to claim 1 further comprising:

said sheet is an electrically non-conductive sheet supporting electrically conductive material.

23. A variable sensor according to claim 22 further comprising:

said conductive material contacts high resistance material.

24. A variable sensor according to claim 23 further comprising:

said high resistance material spans between

two circuit traces, said two circuit traces comprise

a first circuit trace and

a second circuit trace.

25. A variable sensor according to claim 24 further comprising:

said variable sensor at least in part controls

imagery of

an electronic game displayed on a TV.

26. A variable sensor according to claim 25 further comprising:

a rotation actuating member is structured in combination with said variable sensor.

27. A variable sensor according to claim 24 further comprising:

four moveable contacts are positioned to be activated by said rotation actuating member, said four moveable contacts are unidirectional sensors controlling at least in part said imagery.

28. A variable sensor according to claim 27 further comprising:

said variable sensor outputs signals representing On/off data and proportional data.

29. A variable sensor according to claim 27 further comprising:

a hand-held housing is structured in combination with said variable sensor.

30. A variable sensor according to claim 29 further comprising:

said variable sensor at least in part variably controls

imagery of

an electronic game displayed by a TV.

31. A variable sensor according to claim 30 further comprising:

a second variable sensor is positioned within said housing, said second variable sensor actuated by variable depression of

a second single individual button.

32. A variable sensor according to claim 31 further comprising:

a rotation actuating member positioned to depress

four moveable contacts at least in part controlling said imagery.

33. A variable sensor according to claim 32 further comprising:

a first variable sensor and

a second variable sensor, said first variable sensor and said second variable sensor are mounted to

a circuit board, mounted on said circuit board is circuitry.

34. A variable sensor activated by depression of a single button, said single button depressed by a single finger of a hand of a user, said variable sensor at least in part controlling game imagery, said variable sensor comprising:

a proportional sensor creating a proportional output, said proportional output representing varying depression applied by the finger of the user, said proportional output at least in part controlling the game imagery;

a resilient dome providing a soft snap tactile feedback to the finger of the hand of the user, said soft snap tactile feedback is provided upon activation and deactivation of said sensor.

35. A variable sensor according to claim 34 further comprising:

a motor and

an offset weight, said motor and said offset weight are structured in combination with said sensor, said motor and said offset weight providing vibration to the hand of the user, the vibration is provided according to the game imagery.

36. A variable sensor according to claim 34 further comprising:

conductive material carried within said dome is deformable and increasingly deforms with increasing pressure applied to said variable sensor by the finger of the hand of the user.

37. A variable sensor according to claim 35 further comprising:

a first variable resistor is structured in combination with said variable sensor, said first variable resistor at least in part controlling the game imagery.

38. A variable sensor according to claim 37 further comprising:

a second variable resistor is structured in combination with said variable sensor, said second variable resistor at least in part controlling the game imagery.

39. A variable sensor according to claim 38 further comprising:

a third variable resistor is structured in combination with said variable sensor, said third variable resistor at least in part controlling the game imagery.

40. A variable sensor according to claim 39 further comprising:

a fourth variable resistor is structured in combination with said variable sensor, said fourth variable resistor at least in part controlling the game imagery.

41. A variable sensor according to claim 40 further comprising:

a circuit board, said first variable resistor and said second variable resistor are mounted to said circuit board.

42. A variable sensor according to claim 41 further comprising:

said third variable resistor and said fourth variable resistor are mounted to said circuit board.

43. A variable sensor according to claim 42 further comprising:

circuitry is mounted on said circuit board.

44. A variable sensor variably controlling electronic imagery according to variable depressive force applied to said variable sensor by only a single human finger of a hand of a human user, comprising:

a depressible resilient dome cap, said dome cap structured to provide, upon activation of said variable sensor

a snap-through threshold tactile feedback to the human finger;

further structured in combination with said variable sensor are a motor and offset weight structured to provide an active tactile feedback vibration to the hand of the user, said vibration is provided according to the electronic imagery.

45. A variable sensor according to claim 44 further comprising:

electrically conductive material is carried by said dome cap.

46. A variable sensor according to claim 45 further comprising:

said conductive material deforms under said depressive force.

47. A variable sensor according to claim 46 further comprising:

a first variable resistor which is a rotary potentiometer is structured in combination with said variable sensor.

48. A variable sensor according to claim 47 further comprising:

a second variable resistor which is a rotary potentiometer is structured in combination with said variable sensor.

49. A variable sensor according to claim 48 further comprising:

a third variable resistor which is a rotary potentiometer is structured in combination with said variable sensor.

50. A variable sensor according to claim 49 further comprising:

a fourth variable resistor which is a rotary potentiometer is structured in combination with said variable sensor.

51. A variable sensor according to claim 50 further comprising:

a circuit board is structured in combination with said variable sensor.

52. A variable sensor according to claim 51 further comprising:

said first variable resistor is mounted to said circuit board, and said second variable resistor is mounted to said circuit board.

53. A variable sensor according to claim 52 further comprising:

circuitry is mounted on said circuit board.

54. A variable sensor according to claim 53 further comprising:

said third variable resistor is mounted to said circuit board, and said fourth variable resistor is mounted to said circuit board.

55. A variable sensor according to claim 54 further comprising:

said electronic imagery is

an electronic game displayed by

a television;

the variable resistors at least in part controlling said electronic imagery.

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 comprising:

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.

57. A method according to claim 56 further comprising:

said variable movement of imagery is movement of a viewpoint through three-dimensional graphics.

58. A method according to claim 56 further comprising:

said variable movement of imagery is variable movement of a game object.

59. A method according to claim 58 further comprising:

said game object is a three-dimensional game object moving through three-dimensional graphics.

60. A method according to claim 56 further comprising:

said variable movement of imagery is movement of a game character in three-dimensional graphics.