EP0942391A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sensing and control devices using pressure sensitive resistive elements
Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc
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Filing: 1999-03-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2019-03-09
Abstract
Abstract A device for providing input information such as the position and movement of a cursor or pointer to a control for a visual display screen having a gravity responsive member mounted in a housing having a plurality of force sensitive resistive elements mounted in spaced relation to one another said gravity responsive member being mounted in position to selectively apply pressure on said resistive elements in response to the orientation of said housing.
Inventors
- 👤 Marcus Escobosa
- 👤 Robert Campbell
- 👤 Fusheng Frank Chen
- 👤 Patrick H. Hayes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 15:38
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/033; G06F3/0346
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
A device for sensing and controlling movements comprising: a) a casing; b) a plurality of force sensitive resistive elements mounted in spaced relation to one
another; and c) a weighted moveable body responsive to the gravitational orientation of said casing,
said weighted moveable body being mounted in position to selectively contact said resistive
elements to effect selective pressures on said resistive elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as in Claim 1 further including means for converting said resistance of
said force sensitive resistive elements to electronic signals and encoding said signals to position
indicating parameters.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
64 words
A device for sensing and controlling movements comprising: a) a casing; b) a plurality of force sensitive resistive elements; c) a platform for mounting said force resistive elements in spaced relation to one
another; and d) a pendulum having spaced outwardly extending arms, said pendulum being
responsive to the orientation of said platform to effect selective pressure on said resistive elements
via said arms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device as in Claim 3 wherein said pendulum is mounted to extend below said
platform and said arms extend to positions adjacent a respective resistive element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device as in Claim 3 further including electronic means to provide signal outputs
indicative of the orientation of said platform relative to said pendulum.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
126 words
A device for sensing and controlling movements comprising: a) a box-like container; b) a plurality of force sensitive resistive elements, said resistive elements being
mounted in spaced relation to one another along at least four interior surfaces of said container and
approximately in a plane along the center of said surfaces; and c) a moveable body of selected weight mounted within said container, said body being
in close contact with the sides of said container such that it can effect force on said resistive
elements dependent on the orientation of said container and said body providing respective
selective forces on one or more of said resistive elements dependent on the orientation of said
container relative to gravity to effect selective composite force on said resistive elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as in Claim 6 further including electronic means to provide a signal output
indicative of the gravitational orientation of said container.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
119 words
A device for sensing and controlling movements comprising: a) a triangular container; b) a plurality of pressure sensitive resistive elements, said resistive elements being
mounted in spaced relation to one another along the interior sides of said container and
approximately in a plane along the center of said sides; and c) a moveable body of selected weight mounted within said container, said moveable
body being in close contact with the sides of said container such that it is in contact with said
resistive elements and said moveable body providing respective selective forces on one or more
of said resistive means dependent on the orientation of said container relative to gravity to effect
selective composite force on said resistive elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as in Claim 8 further including electronic means to provide a signal output
indicative of the gravitational orientation of said container.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device as in Claim 3 wherein said pendulum includes four quadrilateral extending
arms and said resistive means are mounted on the ends of said arms to provide X-Y axes
responses.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device as in Claim 3 wherein said pendulum hangs on a coil spring to provide
relatively free movement between said platform and said pendulum.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as in Claim 6 wherein said container is essentially a cube, and
resistive elements are mounted on all of the interior surfaces of said cube to provide multiple axes
responses.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as in Claim 8 wherein said weighted moveable body is approximately
spherical having its sides in adjacent contact with said container.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
78 words
An apparatus as in Claim 8 wherein said triangular container comprises an inverted
pyramid having three sides, and wherein the horizontal orientation is calculated from the resistive
ratio of the resistive element of one side to the resistive element on the second side, and the
vertical orientation is calculated from the ratio of said resistive element of the third side to the sum
of the resistive element of side one and the resistive element of the second side.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus as in Claim 3 wherein the relative weight of said pendulum is related
to the length of said arms.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as in Claim 1 wherein a battery comprises the weight provided to said
moveable body.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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