Patent ID: 6068554
Filing Date: 2000-05-30
Classification: G05G,G06F

Abstract:
A hand manipulated dual controller assembly for outputting control information to a graphic generation device for control of graphic images, said dual controller assembly comprising:a single base member having a width W1 in the range of 5-20 inches, a depth D1 in the range of 3-12 inches, and a height H1 at its highest point in the range of 3/4-3 inches, said base having a front edge, a rear edge, a left edge, a right edge, and a top surface;a trackball type controller that allows a video game character to look with his eyes in any desired direction; said trackball type controller being mounted in a recess in said top surface of said base member and it has a vertical Y-axis; said recess having a height H2 in the range of 1/4-2 inches and a rollerball having a diameter D4 in the range of 1/2-4 inches is received in said recess; said rollerball being spherically rotatable 360 degrees in any direction independent of said base member;means for sensing rotation of said rollerball relative to said base member and for creation of rotational information indicative of the direction that a game character may be looking with his eyes and amount of rotation of said rollerball;a joystick type controller that allows a video game character to move in any desired direction; said joystick type controller being mounted in a recess in said top surface of said base member and it has an upright oriented joystick handle having a top end, a bottom end, a vertical Z-axis and a height H5 in the range of 1/2-8 inches;the distance between said Y-axis and said Z-axis is W2 and is in the range of 1-15 inches;means for sensing linear and/or rotational movement of said joystick handle relative to said base member and for producing electrical output signals indicative of linear and rotational hand input force directed against said joystick handle that allows a video game character to move in any direction; andsaid top surface of said base member surrounding said recess for said trackball type controller has a surface contoured to mate with the bottom surface of a person's hand in its cup-shaped state.