Faceted eight-direction control pad

Abstract

A direction control pad includes a body with a top side. The top side includes a center surface with a plurality of cardinal surfaces oriented at an angle to the center surface and a plurality of diagonal surface oriented at an angle to the center surface. The cardinal surfaces are recessed below the cardinal surfaces. Each of the cardinal surfaces connect to the center surface at a discontinuity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A directional control pad, the control pad comprising:
 a body having a center axis tiltable around a pivot point; and   a plurality of a cardinal surfaces on a top side of the body and oriented at an angle to the center axis, wherein a first cardinal surface is oriented at a different angle relative to the axis than a second cardinal surface.   
     
     
         2 . The control pad of  claim 1 , further comprising a center surface normal to the center axis. 
     
     
         3 . The control pad of  claim 1 , wherein the cardinal surfaces are each planar. 
     
     
         4 . The control pad of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of diagonal surfaces on the top side of the body between the cardinal surfaces, wherein the diagonal surfaces are recessed below the cardinal surfaces and wherein the diagonal surfaces are each planar. 
     
     
         5 . The control pad of  claim 4 , wherein the diagonal surfaces are oriented less than 75° from the center axis. 
     
     
         6 . The control pad of  claim 4 , wherein a top edge of the direction control pad is defined by the top edges of the cardinal surfaces and the diagonal surfaces and the top edge has less than 2 millimeters (mm) of relief between the cardinal surfaces and adjacent diagonal surfaces. 
     
     
         7 . The control pad of  claim 4 , wherein a first cardinal surface is oriented at a higher angle relative to the center surface than a second cardinal surface and a first relief between the first cardinal surface and an adjacent first diagonal surface is equal to a second relief between the second cardinal surface and an adjacent second diagonal surface. 
     
     
         8 . The control pad of  claim 4 , wherein a first diagonal surface is oriented at a different angle relative to the center axis than a second diagonal surface. 
     
     
         9 . The control pad of  claim 1 , wherein the cardinal surfaces are oriented less than 75° from the center axis. 
     
     
         10 . An electronic device controller, the controller comprising:
 a housing having a face with an opening therein; and   a directional control pad positioned in the opening and movable relative to the face to receive user inputs, the directional control pad including:
 a body having a center axis tiltable around a pivot point, 
 a plurality of a cardinal surfaces on a top side of the body and oriented at an angle to the center surface, wherein a first cardinal surface is oriented at a different angle relative to the center axis than a second cardinal surface. 
   
     
     
         11 . The controller of  claim 10 , wherein the directional control pad is asymmetrical along at least one direction across the top side of the body. 
     
     
         12 . The controller of  claim 10 , wherein the face is asymmetrical across the opening relative to the center axis. 
     
     
         13 . The controller of  claim 10 , wherein at least two cardinal surfaces of the plurality of cardinal surfaces have equal face reliefs between a top edge of the cardinal surfaces and the face. 
     
     
         14 . The controller of  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of diagonal surfaces on the top side of the body and oriented at an angle to the center surface, wherein each of the diagonal surfaces is recessed below the adjacent cardinal surface. 
     
     
         15 . The controller of  claim 14 , wherein at least two diagonal surfaces of the plurality of diagonal surfaces have equal face reliefs between a top edge of the diagonal surfaces and the face. 
     
     
         16 . The controller of  claim 14 , wherein all reliefs between a top edge of the cardinal surfaces and adjacent diagonal surfaces are equal. 
     
     
         17 . The controller of  claim 10 , wherein depressed face reliefs between a top edge of the cardinal surfaces and the face of the controller are equal. 
     
     
         18 . An electronic device controller, the controller comprising:
 a housing having a face with an opening therein;   a switch positioned in the opening; and   a directional control pad positioned in the opening and movable relative to the face around a pivot point to contact and activate the switch, the directional control pad including:
 a body having a center axis tiltable around the pivot point, and 
 a plurality of a cardinal surfaces on a top side of the body and oriented at an angle to the center axis, wherein a first cardinal surface is oriented at a different angle relative to the axis than a second cardinal surface. 
   
     
     
         19 . The controller of  claim 18 , wherein a first cardinal surface is oriented at about 68° to the center axis and a second cardinal surface is oriented at about 75° to the center axis. 
     
     
         20 . The controller of  claim 18 , further comprising a planar center surface normal to the center axis.