The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 29, 2012
Filed:
Dec. 02, 2008
Michael D Levin, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Kenneth M Martin, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Bruce M Schena, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Adam C Braun, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Louis B Rosenberg, San Jose, CA (US);
Michael D Levin, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Kenneth M Martin, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Bruce M Schena, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Adam C Braun, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Louis B Rosenberg, San Jose, CA (US);
Immersion Corporation, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a control knob on a device that allows a user to control functions of the device. In one embodiment, the knob is rotatable in a rotary degree of freedom and moveable in at least one transverse direction approximately perpendicular to the axis. An actuator is coupled to the knob to output a force in the rotary degree of freedom about the axis, thus providing force feedback. In a different embodiment, the knob is provided with force feedback in a rotary degree of freedom about an axis and is also moveable in a linear degree of freedom approximately parallel to the axis, allowing the knob to be pushed and/or pulled by the user. The device controlled by the knob can be a variety of types of devices, such as an audio device, video device, etc. The device can also include a display providing an image updated in response to manipulation of the knob. Detent forces can be provided for the knob by overlapping and adjusting ranges of closely-spaced detents in the rotary degree of freedom of the knob.