Abstract:
A single knob for controlling at least an audio input signal to produce up to fourteen distinct results, plus one quiescent state, through axial translational states corresponding to: the knob being translationally biased out, pushed in, or pushed in and held; and rotational states corresponding to: rotationally biased to a first position, turned clockwise, turned clockwise and held, turned counterclockwise, and turned clockwise and held, and combinations of those translational and rotational states. The single knob controller can be linked to a Bluetooth device for controlling such device. Some applications include automotive electronics and audio systems generally.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application 62/025,646 filed 17 Jul. 2014 to the same inventors.  
     
    
     FIELD OF ART 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to electronic controls for Bluetooth and similar devices. In particular, the present invention relates to a controller in which all the control functions can be performed with a single knob. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
       [0003]    None. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    A controller for Bluetooth devices that can perform the functions of answering a call, hanging up a call, activating Siri or Google voice command, changing track up or down, turning volume up or down, and pairing Bluetooth devices, all with a single manually controllable knob. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a front-side perspective view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a exploded perspective view illustrating the exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a front side perspective cutaway view illustrating a portion of the exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a front top perspective cutaway view illustrating a portion of the exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a front elevation view illustrating the exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a side elevation view illustrating an exemplary installation of the exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating the exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic view illustrating the exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a front-side perspective view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller  100 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Single knob controller  100  includes outer housing  102 , threaded electronics housing  116  with annular flange  106 , annular support flange  104 , knob  110 , nut  114 , and power conduits  118 . Outer housing  102  has two fastener receivers  120  (one visible in this view) for receiving fasteners for securing the housing  102  to a panel  502  (see  FIG. 5 ). Various fastener receivers  120  that meet the functional requirements are within the scope of the invention. Housing  102  is preferably made of a translucent material that is preferably plastic. However, other materials that are rigid, durable, and translucent may be used in various other embodiments. 
         [0015]    Annular support flange  104  is non-rotationally coupled to outer housing  102  and supports the annular flange  106  and body of the threaded electronics housing  116 . Annular support flange  104  is preferably made of a translucent material that is preferably plastic. However, other materials that are rigid, durable, and translucent may be used in various other embodiments. Additional details about the annular support flange  104  will be provided below. 
         [0016]    Annular flange  106  of threaded electronics housing  116  is supported by the annular support flange  104 . Threaded electronics housing  116  extends rearward from rear surface of annular flange  106 , through the annular support flange  104 , through the outer housing  102 , and through nut  114 . Nut  114  has internal threads, but the annular support flange  104  and the annular flange  106  do not. In various other embodiments, either or both of the annular support flange  104  and the annular flange  106  may have internal threads. Threaded electronics housing  116  houses the circuitry that operates the single knob controller  100 . 
         [0017]    Knob  110  has a rotational position indicator  112 , a thin shaft  108 , and a wider portion  122  forward of the shaft  108 . Knob  110  operates as both a push button and as a knob that can be rotated clockwise and counterclockwise. In pushbutton mode, inward travel is limited to the length of the thin shaft  108 . At that limit, the wider portion  122  abuts annular flange  106  and prevents further inward travel. The knob  110  is biased into the outward position and into one rotational position. In another embodiment, knob  110  may not be biased into one rotational position. 
         [0018]    Power conduits  118  preferably include a positive direct current twelve volt conduit and a conduit to ground. In other embodiments, other voltages may be used, as may be customary in different countries. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  two is an exploded perspective view illustrating the exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is not shown in assembly order, as threaded electronics housing  116  would be between the annular support flange  104  and knob  110  in an assembly-ordered view. The annular support flange  104  is shown to have an opening  226  having a diameter to slidingly receive threaded electronics housing  116 . The annular support flange  104  also has a flat annular surface  232  which supports in abutment the underside of annular flange  106 . Notches  202  (two of four shown in this view, one labeled) in the annular support flange  104  correspond to keys  204  (one of four labeled) in outer housing  102  to secure the annular support flange  104  from rotation relative to the outer housing  102 . Upper notches  234  (one of two labeled) accept keys on the underside of annular flange  106  (not shown) to prevent rotation of the threaded electronics housing  116 . 
         [0020]    Outer housing  102  has an opening  228  having an inside diameter that slidingly received the threaded electronics housing  116 . Nut  114  is threaded onto threaded electronics housing  116  to tighten against a rear surface of the outer housing  102  to clamp the annular support flange  104 , the annular flange  106 , the outer housing  102 , and the threaded electronics housing  116  together. 
         [0021]    Annular flange  106  of threaded electronics housing  116  has a central opening  230  which slidingly receives actuator  208 , which extends beyond annular flange  106  to receive knob  110 . The electronics package  206  includes a small elongated printed circuit board (PCB)  210  that is sized to fit within the threaded electronics housing  116 . Rigidly mounted at right angles to the elongated PCB  210  is a small generally circular PCB  224  which supports the actuator  208  via its base and transducers  218  on the forward side and a cantilevered PCB  212  on its rearward side. The diameter of circular PCB is sized to snugly slidingly fit within the threaded electronics housing  116 . Elongated PCB  210  also supports audio input jack  220  and audio output jack  221 . Each jack  220  and  221  has associated a physical support  214  and may have signal conditioning circuitry therein. Power conduits  118  have been discussed above. End piece  216  can be fixed to close the end of the threaded electronics housing  116 . End piece  216  has two openings  222  (one labeled) through which jacks  220  and  221  extend after final assembly and another opening through which power conduits  118  extend after final assembly. 
         [0022]    The preferred assembly sequence is as follows: first, the annular support flange  104  is inserted into the outer housing  102  with keys  204  aligned to notches  202 . Second, the threaded electronics housing  116  is inserted through opening  226  and opening  228  with keys (not shown) beneath the annular flange  106  aligning with upper notches  234 , so that the underside surface of annular flange  106  abuts annular surface  232  of the annular support flange  104 . Third nut  114  is tightened to secure the annular support flange  104 , the annular flange  106 , outer housing  102 , and the threaded electronics housing  116  together. Fourth, the electronics package  206  is inserted into the threaded electronics housing  116  such that actuator  208  extends through opening  230  to receive knob  110  which may be attached to actuator  208  adhesively or by other known means. Fifth, the power conduits  118  are threaded through an opening in end piece  216  and end piece  216  is aligned such that jacks  220  and  221  pass through openings  222  and then end piece  216  is attached to threaded electronics housing  116 . In a particular embodiment, sealing material may be used to make a water resistant single knob controller  100 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a front side perspective cutaway view illustrating a portion of the exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Shown in greater detail here, the chamber  302  may hold the biasing device, such as a spring, for biasing knob  110  linearly and rotationally. Circular PCB supports light emitting diode (LED)  304 , which is selected in coordination with the color and translucency of the outer housing  102 , annular support flange  104 , and the annular flange  106  to be seen through the housing  102 , annular support flange  104 , and the annular flange  106  when activated. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a front top perspective cutaway view illustrating a portion of the exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A second LED  402  is shown mounted on circular PCB  224 . The LEDs  304  and  402  are used to communicate, among other things, that an attempt to pair a Bluetooth device to the single knob controller  100  has not yet completed. For example, the LEDs  304  and  402  may flash while waiting for the pairing process to complete and then stop flashing when pairing is complete. LEDs  304  and  402  may be of the same or different colors. 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a front elevation view illustrating the exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Screws  504  inserted through fastener receivers  120  fasten the single knob controller  100  on the surface of a panel  502 . While the panel  502  is shown as horizontal, that is not a limitation of the invention. Likewise, the illustrated type of fastener is not a limitation of the invention. 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a side elevation view illustrating an exemplary installation of the exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. To install the single knob controller  100  in a panel  500 , the outer housing  102  may be omitted, as shown, and the nut  114  may be used to tighten the annular support flange  104  to the panel  502 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating the exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Knob  110  may be provided with tactile assistive features  702 , illustrated here as grooves. Any known tactile assistive feature may be used in various embodiments. There are four conductors coupled to the electronics package  206 . Two power conduits  118 , an input audio wire  704  and an output audio wire  706  are connected to the electronics package  206 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic view illustrating the exemplary embodiment of the single knob controller  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Twelve volt DC power from a battery, automobile electrical system, or other power supply, in the form of a positive twelve volt line  810  and a ground line  812  (collectively power conduits  118 ) feeds a low drop out regulator  806  that supplies regulated power to the logic  804 , transducers, and other circuits in electronics package  206 . Logic  804  receives inputs from the rotary route switch  802 , implemented in hardware as actuator  208  and transducers  218 , and manipulates incoming audio  814  signals to produce audio output  816  through jacks  808  (implemented in hardware as jacks  220  and  221 ) responsive to the signals from the rotary route switch  802 . For example, the following actions using knob  110  will provide the following responses: 
         [0029]    You press knob  110  once to answer a call. 
         [0030]    You press and hold knob  110  for “Siri” or Google voice command. 
         [0031]    Turn knob  110  left (counterclockwise) for track down. 
         [0032]    Turn knob  110  left (counterclockwise) and hold for volume down. 
         [0033]    Turn knob  110  right (clockwise) for track up. 
         [0034]    Turn knob  110  right (clockwise) and hold for volume up. 
         [0035]    In various other embodiments, the results may be paired to various other actions, within the constraint that the controller has a single knob  110 .