Patent ID: 6154201
Filing Date: 2000-11-28
Classification: A63F,G01C,G05G,G06F,H01H,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A control knob device for providing input to a processor of a device, said control knob comprising:a control knob coupled to a grounded surface, said knob rotatable in a rotary degree of freedom about an axis extending through said knob, said knob also moveable in a plurality of transverse directions approximately perpendicular to said axis;a rotational sensor that detects a rotary position of said knob in said rotary degree of freedom, said position of said knob provided to said processor;a transverse sensor operative to detect a transverse position of said knob in any of said transverse directions, wherein said position of said knob in a particular transverse direction is provided to said processor to select one of a plurality of modes of said device to be active, wherein at least two of said transverse directions each select a different one of said modes; andan actuator coupled to said knob and operative to output a processor-controlled force sensation in said rotary degree of freedom about said axis, wherein said force sensation is based on said selected mode, and wherein one of said modes, when active, provides different force sensations to said knob than another one of said modes, when active.