Proportional controls used with displayed imagery

Abstract

Proportional (or analog) controls for controlling imagery shown by a display, and more particularly electronic game imagery shown on a television. Proportional controls creating signals according to varying depression applied by a finger or thumb finger of a human user to the proportional control. In one preferred embodiment the proportional controls include resilient dome caps for providing tactile feedback to the user. In another preferred embodiment the proportional controls are included in a controller with active tactile feedback. In another preferred embodiment multiple axes of input are taught and the structures of the various preferred embodiments are taught in combination for controlling three-dimensional electronic game imagery and communicating tactile feedback to the user.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An electronic device for controlling imagery, comprising: 
 a housing;    electronic circuitry located in said housing;    a general image display located in said housing, said general image display operatively connected to said circuitry; at least one finger depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said at least one finger depressible surface operatively connected to    at least one pressure-sensitive analog sensor, said pressure-sensitive analog sensor for inputting a signal to said circuitry, said signal having variable value depending on variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface;    said circuitry structured to receive said signal and to provide variable visual feedback data shown by said general image display, said variable visual feedback data at least in part representing the variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface, whereby said variable visual feedback data may be controlled at varying rates according to variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface.    
     
     
         2 . An electronic device according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one finger depressible surface is a first depressible surface, said electronic device further includes a finger depressible surface which is a second depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said second depressible surface operatively connected to 
 a second pressure-sensitive analog sensor, said second pressure-sensitive analog sensor for inputting a second signal to said circuitry, said second signal having variable value depending on variable pressure applied to said second depressible surface;  
 said circuitry structured to receive said second signal and to provide variable visual feedback data shown by said general image display, said variable visual feedback data at least in part representing the variable pressure applied to said second depressible surface, whereby said variable visual feedback data may be scrolled at varying rates according to variable pressure applied to said second depressible surface.  
 
     
     
         3 . An electronic device according to  claim 2  wherein said first depressible surface and said second depressible surface are thumb depressible single individual buttons.  
     
     
         4 . An electronic device according to  claim 3  wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.  
     
     
         5 . An electronic device according to  claim 2  wherein said electronic device is a desktop display or monitor.  
     
     
         6 . An electronic device according to  claim 5  wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.  
     
     
         7 . An electronic device according to  claim 2  wherein said electronic device is a telephone.  
     
     
         8 . An electronic device according to  claim 7  wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.  
     
     
         9 . An electronic device according to  claim 3  wherein said electronic device is a hand-held game system, and said thumb depressible single individual buttons are located in a right hand area of said housing.  
     
     
         10 . An electronic device according to  claim 9  wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.  
     
     
         11 . An electronic device according to  claim 10  wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured with resilient dome caps, said dome caps providing said tactile feedback.  
     
     
         12 . An electronic device according to  claim 5  wherein said first depressible and second depressible surface are portions of a 2-way rocker located on said desktop monitor.  
     
     
         13 . An electronic device according to  claim 12  wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.  
     
     
         14 . An electronic device according to  claim 3  wherein said hand holdable electronic device is a hand-held wireless web browser.  
     
     
         15 . An electronic device according to  claim 14  wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.  
     
     
         16 . An electronic device according to  claim 3  wherein said hand holdable electronic device is a hand-held remote controller.  
     
     
         17 . An electronic device according to  claim 16  wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.  
     
     
         18 . An electronic device according to  claim 5  wherein said first depressible and second depressible surface are portions of a 4-way rocker located on said desktop monitor.  
     
     
         19 . An electronic device according to  claim 18  wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.  
     
     
         20 . A household device for controlling time imagery, comprising: 
 a housing;    electronic circuitry located in said housing, said electronic circuitry at least calculating units of time;    a time display located in said housing, said time display operatively connected to said circuitry; said time display displaying time information;    at least one finger depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said at least one finger depressible surface operatively connected to    at least one pressure-sensitive analog sensor, said pressure-sensitive analog sensor for inputting a signal to said circuitry, said signal having variable value depending on variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface;    said circuitry structured to receive said signal and to cause said time display to provide visual feedback time information, said visual feedback time information changeable at a variable rate representing the variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface.    
     
     
         21 . A household device according to  claim 20  wherein said at least one finger depressible surface is a first depressible surface, said electronic device further includes a finger depressible surface which is a second depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said second depressible surface operatively connected to 
 a second pressure-sensitive analog sensor, said second pressure-sensitive analog sensor for inputting a second signal to said circuitry, said second signal having variable value depending on variable pressure applied to said second depressible surface; said time display having at least three seven-element numeric displays,  
 said circuitry structured to receive said second signal and to cause said time display to provide visual feedback time information changeable at a variable rate representing the variable pressure applied to said second depressible surface.  
 
     
     
         22 . A household device according to  claim 21  wherein said first depressible surface and said second depressible surface are depressible single individual buttons.  
     
     
         23 . A household device according to  claim 22  wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.  
     
     
         24 . A household device according to  claim 22  wherein said device is a household clock.  
     
     
         25 . A household device according to  claim 24  wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.  
     
     
         26 . A household device according to  claim 22  wherein said device is a coffee maker.  
     
     
         27 . A household device according to  claim 26  wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.  
     
     
         28 . A household device according to  claim 22  wherein said device is an oven.  
     
     
         29 . A household device according to  claim 28  wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.  
     
     
         30 . A household device according to  claim 28  wherein said oven is a microwave oven.  
     
     
         31 . A household device according to  claim 30  wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.  
     
     
         32 . An electronic game imagery control device, comprising: 
 a proportional sensor providing a varying value according to varying depression applied by a finger of a user to said proportional sensor; associated with said proportional sensor is 
 structure providing user discernable tactile feedback, said tactile feedback communicated to the user;  
   circuitry connected to said proportional sensor, said circuitry reading said varying value from said proportional sensor and causing representative varying of said electronic game imagery.    
     
     
         33 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 32  wherein said proportional sensor is a pressure-sensitive proportional sensor.  
     
     
         34 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 32  wherein said structure providing user discernable tactile feedback comprises active tactile feedback.  
     
     
         35 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 32  wherein said structure providing user discernable tactile feedback comprises a resilient dome cap supplying a passive tactile feedback to the finger of the user, said passive tactile feedback has a break-over threshold supplied by depression of said dome cap.  
     
     
         36 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 35  wherein said structure providing user discernable tactile feedback also comprises active tactile feedback.  
     
     
         37 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 36  wherein said proportional sensor is a pressure-sensitive proportional sensor.  
     
     
         38 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 37  wherein said proportional sensor is activated by a thumb depressible single individual button located in a right-hand area of a housing.  
     
     
         39 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 34  wherein said active tactile feedback includes a motor and offset weight.  
     
     
         40 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 36  wherein said active tactile feedback includes a motor and offset weight.  
     
     
         41 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 40  wherein said control device supports a first bi-directional axis structure, said first bi-directional axis structure capable of controlling two axes of the electronic game imagery.  
     
     
         42 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 41  wherein said control device supports a second bi-directional axis structure, said second bi-directional axis structure capable of controlling a second two axes of the electronic game imagery.  
     
     
         43 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 42  wherein said control device supports a third bi-directional axis structure, said third bi-directional axis structure capable of controlling a third two axes of the electronic game imagery.  
     
     
         44 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 40  wherein said control device supports a first two bi-directional sensors, operation of said first two bi-directional sensors creating outputs used to control a first two axes of the electronic game imagery.  
     
     
         45 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 44  wherein said control device supports four codependent uni-directional sensors, operation of said four codependent uni-directional sensors creating outputs used to control a second two axes of the electronic game imagery.  
     
     
         46 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 45  wherein said control device supports a second two bi-directional sensors, operation of said second two bi-directional sensors creating outputs used to control a third two axes of the electronic game imagery.  
     
     
         47 . An electronic game imagery control device, comprising: 
 a proportional sensor providing a varying value according to varying depression applied by a finger of a user to said proportional sensor; associated with said proportional sensor is 
 structure providing user discernable tactile feedback communicated to the user;  
   circuitry connected to said proportional sensor, said circuitry reading said varying value from said proportional sensor and causing representative varying of said electronic game imagery;    a first two bi-directional sensors supported within said control device, operation of said first two bi-directional sensors creating outputs used to control a first two axes of the electronic game imagery;    four codependent uni-directional sensors supported within said control device, operation of said four codependent uni-directional sensors creating outputs used to control a second two axes of the electronic game imagery;    a second two bi-directional sensors supported within said control device, operation of said second two bi-directional sensors creating outputs used to control a third two axes of the electronic game imagery.    
     
     
         48 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 47  wherein said proportional sensor is a pressure-sensitive proportional sensor.  
     
     
         49 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 47  wherein said structure providing user discernable tactile feedback comprises active tactile feedback.  
     
     
         50 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 47  wherein said structure providing user discernable tactile feedback comprises a resilient dome cap supplying a passive tactile feedback to the finger of the user, said passive tactile feedback has a break-over threshold supplied by depression of said dome cap.  
     
     
         51 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 50  wherein said structure providing user discernable tactile feedback also comprises active tactile feedback.  
     
     
         52 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 51  wherein said proportional sensor is a pressure-sensitive proportional sensor.  
     
     
         53 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 52  wherein said proportional sensor is activated by a thumb depressible single individual button located in a right-hand area of a housing.  
     
     
         54 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 49  wherein said active tactile feedback includes a motor and offset weight.  
     
     
         55 . An electronic game imagery control device according to  claim 51  wherein said active tactile feedback includes a motor and offset weight.