Interface control

Abstract

An improved interface control advantageously may be operated by one hand. A thumbpiece is slidably disposed within a longitudinal arm member which moves in an arcuate path. Placing his or her thumb in the thumbpiece, a user controls the horizontal positioning of a cursor by moving the arm member along the arcuate path. Vertical positioning of the cursor is controlled by sliding the thumbpiece along the length of the arm member. Trigger functions are implemented by exerting a downward force on the thumbpiece. Since the downward force used to implement the trigger function is orthogonal to motions used to control positioning of the cursor irrespective of the particular positions of the arm member and thumbpiece, the disclosed interface control prevents a user from inadvertently altering the positioning of the cursor during implementation of the trigger function. The arm member and sliding thumbpiece emulate the natural pivoting and curling/extending motions of the thumb, thereby resulting in a precise, easy to use, and ergonomically superior interface control.

1. An apparatus for generating at least two control signals, said apparatus comprising:
 a support;    an arm member disposed within said support, said arm member being moveable in an arcuate path within said support;    a contact member slidably mounted on said arm member, said contact member being slidable along said arm member;    a first sensor coupled to said arm member for sensing movement of said arm member along said arcuate path; and    a second sensor coupled to said contact member for sensing linear movement of said contact member along said arm member.    
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 first guide means disposed along said arm member; and  
 second guide means disposed on said contact member, said second guide means matingly coupled with said first guide means so as to facilitate the movement of said contact member along said arm member.  
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said first guide means comprise first and second grooves horizontally disposed in first and second side walls, respectively, of said arm member, said second guide means comprising first and second flanges disposed on first and second side walls of said contact member, respectively. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said arm member is pivotally coupled to said support at a pivot point, said arm member moving in said arcuate path as said arm member pivots about said pivot point. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a track means disposed within said support, said track means defining said arcuate path; and  
 one or more guide elements disposed on an outer surface of said arm member, said one or mere guide elements being matingly coupled to said track means for facilitating the movement of said arm member in said arcuate path.  
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first sensor detects the magnitude and direction of arcuate movement of said arm member along said arcuate path and generates a first control signal in response thereto. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said second sensor detects the magnitude and direction of linear movement of said contact member and generates a second control signal in response thereto. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a third sensor coupled to said arm member, said third sensor detecting a downward pressure on said contact member and in response thereto generating a signal for implementing a first predetermined function. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus for generating at least two control signals, said apparatus comprising:
 a support;    an arm member having a first end portion pivotally coupled to said housing at a point, said arm member being rotatable about said point;    a contact member slidably mounted on said arm member, said contact member being slidable along said arm member;    a first sensor coupled to said arm member for sensing arcuate movement of said arm member; and    a second sensor coupled to said contact member for sensing linear movement of said contact member along said arm member.    
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said support is of a size such that said apparatus is capable of being operated with one hand of a person. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said first sensor generates a first control signal representing the angle and direction of rotation of said arm member, said first control signal being capable of being used to alter the position of a cursor or pointer in a first direction on a display screen. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said second sensor generates a second control signal representing the magnitude and direction of linear movement of said contact member, said second control signal bang capable of being used to alter the position of a cursor or pointer in a second direction on a display screen. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising a third sensor disposed on said arm member, said third sensor detecting a downward pressure on said contact member. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said third sensor generates a third control signal indicative of said downward pressure on said contact member, said third control signal implementing a first predetermined function. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising a first actuator, wherein in response to a first feedback signal said first actuator restrains said rotation of said arm member. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said first actuator is contained within said first sensor. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising a second actuator, wherein in response to a second feedback signal said second actuator restrains the linear movement of said arm member. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein said second actuator is contained within said second sensor. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said contact member has a concave upper surface so that a human thumb may matingly situate on said contact member. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said arm member has disposed therein one or more first guide means, said contact member having disposed thereon one or more second guide means, each of said first guide means being matingly coupled with an associated one of said second guide means for facilitating sliding of said contact member along said arm member. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein said first guide means comprise first and second grooves horizontally disposed in first and second side walls, respectively, of said arm member, said second guide means comprising first and second flanges disposed on first and second side walls of said contact member, respectively. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said housing has a bottom surface, said apparatus further comprising:
 one or more cavities formed in said bottom surface of said housing;  
 one or more switches, each of said switches being associated with and coupled to an associated one of said cavities.  
 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein said switches comprise pressure sensitive devices, the actuation of which generates one or more fourth control signals for implementing one or more second predetermined functions. 
     
     
       24. An interface control device, comprising:
   a support housing configured to be held by one hand of a user;        a user manipulatable member engageable and moveable by a single thumb of said user;        at least one sensor coupled to said user manipulatable member and operative to sense movement in a first and second degree of freedom and to generate at least one sensor signal associated with said movement;        said user manipulatable member moveable in a third degree of freedom and configured to cause a trigger signal to be sent to an application on a computer, said third degree of freedom approximately orthogonal to said first and second degrees of freedom; and        at least one actuator coupled to said interface control device, said actuator operative to provide a feedback force to said user,      wherein said interface control device is configured to be operated by said one hand of a user, and wherein said user manipulatable member is coupled to an arm member having rotary motion about a pivot point to provide motion in one of said first or second degrees of freedom, wherein said actuator is coupled to said arm member to output forces about said pivot point.        
     
     
       25. The interface control device as recited in  claim 24  wherein said rotary motion of said arm member is limited to an arcuate path of less than ninety degrees.  
     
     
       26. The interface control device as recited in  claim 24  further comprising a second actuator, and wherein said first actuator is grounded to said housing and wherein said second actuator is carried by said arm member.  
     
     
       27. The interface control device as recited in  claim 24  wherein said user manipulatable member is a sliding contact member which can be moved in a linear degree of freedom approximately perpendicular to an axis of rotation of said arm member and in substantially the same plane as said rotary motion, thereby providing said motion in one of said first or second degrees of freedom.  
     
     
       28. An interface control device, comprising:
   a support housing configured to be held by one hand of a user;        a user manipulatable member engageable and moveable by a single thumb of said user;        at least one sensor coupled to said user manipulatable member and operative to sense movement in a first and second degree of freedom and to generate at least one sensor signal associated with said movement;        said user manipulatable member moveable in a third degree of freedom and configured to cause a trigger signal to be sent to an application on a computer, said third degree of freedom approximately orthogonal to said first and second degrees of freedom; and        at least one actuator coupled to said interface control device, said actuator operative to provide a feedback force to said user,      wherein said interface control device is configured to be operated by said one hand of a user, and wherein a centering spring bias on said user manipulatable member may be electrically actuated by a signal received from said computer, allowing said interface control device to have a centering mode and a non-centering mode, selected by said computer.       
     
     
       29. An interface control device in communication with a computer for providing positioning signals to said computer for manipulating an image in a computer environment displayed on a screen by said computer, said device comprising:
   a handheld support housing configured to be held by one hand of a user;        a user manipulatable member coupled to said housing and engageable and moveable by a single thumb of said user in two degrees of freedom relative to said housing, and configured with a contact surface configured to be contacted by said thumb;        at least one sensor coupled to said user manipulatable member and operative to sense movement of said user manipulatable member in said two degrees of freedom, said sensor operative to provide positioning signals;        at least one actuator coupled to said interface control device, wherein said actuator is operative to provide a feedback force to said user, and wherein said at least one actuator includes a first brake providing a drag in a first of said two degrees of freedom, and a second computer controlled brake coupled to said user manipulatable member and providing a drag in a second one of said degrees of freedom of said user manipulatable member; and        a thumb trigger sensor operative to detect a trigger command from said user and to cause a trigger signal to be sent to said computer, said trigger command including a pressing motion by said thumb causing said user manipulatable member to move in a trigger degree of freedom different from said two degrees of freedom, wherein said user manipulatable member is configured to allow said user to control said movement in said two degrees of freedom and perform said trigger command simultaneously using said single thumb on said contact surface, and        wherein said interface control device is configured to be operated by said one hand of a user, and wherein said user manipulatable member is coupled to an arm member having rotary motion about a pivot point and is a sliding member which can be moved along at least a portion of said arm member in a linear degree of freedom, and wherein said second brake outputs forces in said linear degree of freedom, wherein said first brake is coupled to said arm member to output forces about said pivot point.      
     
     
       30. An interface control device in communication with a computer for providing positioning signals to said computer for positioning an image displayed on a screen said device comprising:
   a support housing configured to be held by one hand of the user;        a user manipulatable member coupled to said housing and engageable and moveable by a digit of said user in two degrees of freedom relative to said housing while said housing is held by said hand of said user, wherein at least one of said degrees of freedom is a rotary degree of freedom about an axis of rotation;        a spring return mechanism coupled to said user manipulatable member to provide a centering bias on said user manipulatable member toward a center position of said rotary degree of freedom when said user manipulatable member has been moved from said center position, wherein said spring return mechanism is electrically actuated by an external signal received from said computer, allowing said spring return mechanism to be selectively applied in a centering mode and allowing said spring return mechanism to have no effect in a non-centering model;        at least one sensor coupled to said user manipulatable member and sensing movement of said user manipulatable member in said two degrees of freedom, said sensor providing positioning signals which control said positioning of said image on said screen;        at least one actuator coupled to said user manipulatable member; and        a trigger sensor for detecting a trigger command from said user, said trigger command including a pressing motion causing said user manipulatable member to move in a trigger degree of freedom different from said two degrees of freedom.      
     
     
       31. The interface control device as recited in  claim 30  wherein said external signal is controlled by a video game running on said computer.  
     
     
       32. The interface control device as recited in  claim 30  wherein said spring return mechanism is coupled to a pivotable arm member providing said rotary degree of freedom, and further comprising a centering spring coupled to said user manipulatable member to provide a centering bias in another of said two degrees of freedom.  
     
     
       33. An interface control feedback device in communication with a computer for providing positioning signals to said computer for manipulating an image in a computer environment displayed on a screen by said computer; said device comprising:
   a support housing configured to be held by one hand of a user;        a sliding contact member engageable and moveable by a thumb of said user in two degrees of freedom relative to said support housing while said support housing is held by said hand of said user, one of said two degrees of freedom being a linear degree of freedom, wherein said movement in said two degrees of freedom positions said image in two screen dimensions on said display device;        an arm member coupled to said sliding contact member, said arm member operative to rotationally move about a pivot point to provide motion in one of said two degrees of freedom, wherein said linear degree of freedom is approximately perpendicular to an axis of rotation of said arm member and is in substantially the same plane as said rotary motion;        at least one sensor coupled to said user manipulatable member and operative to sense movement of said sliding contact member in said two degrees of freedom, said sensor operative to provide positioning signals which control said positioning of said image on said display device;        at least one actuator coupled to said arm member to output forces about said pivot point, wherein said forces facilitate the selection of options or icons displayed on said display device based on feedback signals generated by an application running on said computer; and        a trigger sensor for detecting a trigger command from said user, said trigger command including moving said sliding contact member approximately orthogonally to said two degrees of freedom,        wherein said interface control device is configured to be operated by said one hand of a user.      
     
     
       34. The interface control device as recited in  claim 33  further comprising a second actuator to output forces on said sliding contact member in said linear degree of freedom, and wherein said first actuator is grounded to said housing and wherein said second actuator is carried by said arm member.  
     
     
       35. The interface control device as recited in  claim 33  wherein said image is a cursor controlled to move in two dimensions of said screen, wherein said cursor can be used to select an icon, wherein said trigger command selects said icon when said cursor is positioned over said icon.  
     
     
       36. The interface control device as recited in  claim 33  wherein said image is a video game character provided in a video game environment.  
     
     
       37. An interface control feedback device in communication with a computer for providing positioning signals to said computer for positioning an image displayed on a display device, said device comprising:
   a support housing configured to be held by one hand of a user;        a user manipulatable member engageable and moveable by a thumb of said user in two degrees of freedom relative to said support housing while said support housing is held by said hand of said user, wherein said movement in said two degrees of freedom positions said image in two screen dimensions on said display device;        at least one sensor coupled to said user manipulatable member and operative to sense movement of said user manipulatable member in said two degrees of freedom, said sensor operative to provide positioning signals which control said positioning of said image on said display device;        at least one actuator coupled to said user manipulatable member, wherein said actuator provides a force in at least one of said degrees of freedom of said user manipulatable member, wherein said force facilitates the selection of options or icons displayed on said display device based on feedback signals generated by an application running on said computer, wherein a centering spring bias on said user manipulatable member is electrically actuated by a signal received from said computer in a centering mode, allowing said force feedback device to have said centering mode and a non-centering mode selected by said computer; and        a trigger sensor for detecting a trigger command from said user, said trigger command including moving said user manipulatable member approximately orthogonally to said two degrees of freedom,        wherein said interface control device is configured to be operated by said one hand of a user.      
     
     
       38. A device comprising:
   a housing configured to be held in one hand such that no additional support is needed to operate the device;        a user manipulatable member coupled to said housing and configured to be manipulated by a single digit of a user in two degrees of freedom, wherein said user manipulatable member comprises an arm member operable to rotate in said rotary degree of freedom, and a sliding contact member operable to move in a linear degree of freedom approximately perpendicular to an axis of rotation of said arm member;        a sensor coupled to said user manipulatable member and operative to sense movement of said user manipulatable member in said two degrees of freedom, wherein one of said two degrees of motion comprises a rotary degree of freedom;        an actuator operative to provide a feedback force to said user;        a trigger operative to move in a degree of freedom different from said two degrees of freedom and configured to be actuated by said single digit simultaneously with said user manipulatable object,        wherein said device is configured to be operated by said one hand of a user.