Electronic device with functions comparable to joystick and tablet

A multifunction electronic device with function comparable to joystick and tablet, comprising: an electromagnetic signal emitting unit, having an electromagnetic signal emitter arranged at the bottom thereof; a supporting frame, for fixing and supporting the electromagnetic signal emitting unit at a position over an electromagnetic signal receiving unit while allowing the same to be tilted and spun freely; the electromagnetic signal receiving unit, having a sensing circuit disposed therein for receiving the signals emitted from the electromagnetic signal emitter, capable of executing an operation with respect to the received signals for obtaining a coordinate of movement corresponding to the electromagnetic signal emitting unit while converting the coordinate of movement into electronic signal and transmitting the converted electronic signal to a computer; wherein, the cooperative operating of the electromagnetic signal emitting unit and the electromagnetic signal receiving unit is functioned as a digitizing tablet while the supporting frame is removed from the position over the electromagnetic signal receiving unit and the electromagnetic signal emitting unit is freed from the supporting frame.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an electronic device with functions comparable to joystick and tablet, and more particularly, to a multifunction computer peripheral device configured by installing a light pen in a supporting frame arranged on a tablet, which is capable of functioning as a joystick for PC games or as a digitizing tablet with light pen while the light pen is freed from the supporting frame and the supporting frame is detached from the tablet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

More than just business tools and toys, computers can become vital agents of socially beneficial change. Nearly every person has to conduct some of his day-today activities using a computer, and almost without exception that the vast majority of computer users hold a high opinion of the computerized world as a place to conduct everyday tasks and pursue the everyday pleasures of life, such as writing homework/report, surfing the Internet, communicating with friends and families or conducting business affairs by e-mail, playing video games, and so on. Among all, the emerging of on-line games further boost the popularity of computer, since the on-line game not only presents a virtue world full of imagination and fun, but also provides a new way of communication through the chatting room provided by on-line games.

It is common for a computer game to employ certain computer peripherals, such as keyboard, mouse, joystick and gamepad, etc., as controlling device of the game. Nevertheless, joysticks are preferred by most computer games. However, whilst a variety of different types of joystick have previous been proposed, most of the improvements on joystick are focused on appearance that enables the joystick to have a hi-tech, glamorous, and stream-lined outlook, and only a few try to improve the mechanical structure of the conventional joystick for enhancing the precision of positioning and smoothness of converting movements of the joystick into electrical signals.

In this regard, it is preferred to have a multifunction peripheral which can be used as a joystick featuring the advantages of electromagnetic tablet, or can be used as a tablet by a certain structural variation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a multifunction electronic device configured by installing a light pen in a supporting frame arranged on a tablet, which is capable of functioning as a joystick for PC games and as a digitizing tablet with light pen for inputting characters, graphics and coordinates while the light pen is freed from the supporting frame and the supporting frame is detached from the tablet.

It is another object of the invention to provide a multifunction electronic device with functions comparable to joystick and tablet, capable of selectively functioning as a joystick or a digitizing tablet with respect to a mode selection controlled by a mechanic switch or a programmable tablet button.

To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a multifunction electronic device with functions comparable to joystick and tablet, comprising:an electromagnetic signal emitting unit, having an electromagnetic signal emitter arranged at the bottom thereof;a supporting frame, for fixing and supporting the electromagnetic signal emitting unit over an electromagnetic signal receiving unit while allowing the same to be tilted and spun freely;the electromagnetic signal receiving unit, having a sensing circuit disposed therein for receiving the signals emitted from the electromagnetic signal emitter, capable of executing an operation with respect to the received signals for obtaining a coordinate of movement corresponding to the electromagnetic signal emitting unit while converting the coordinate of movement into electronic signal and transmitting the converted electronic signal to a computer;wherein, the cooperative operating of the electromagnetic signal emitting unit and the electromagnetic signal receiving unit is functioned as a digitizing tablet while the supporting frame is removed from the device and the electromagnetic signal emitting unit is freed from the supporting frame.

The structure and principle of the present invention will be described in detail through the preferred embodiments as follows with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

For your esteemed members of reviewing committee to further understand and recognize the fulfilled functions and structural characteristics of the invention, several preferable embodiments cooperating with detailed description are presented as the follows.

Please refer toFIG. 1, which is a three dimensional view of a multifunction electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The multifunction electronic device with functions comparable to joystick and tablet ofFIG. 1comprises:an electromagnetic signal emitting unit1, having an electromagnetic signal emitter11arranged at the bottom thereof, and a first button12and a second button13disposed at the top thereof; wherein, as the electromagnetic signal emitting unit1is tilted and pivoted about a fixed point in at least two dimensional (X and Y) space, the positioning of the electromagnetic signal emitter is changed accordingly and the displacement of the same can be calculated, and the two buttons12and13can work cooperatively or independently for controlling the relating Z coordinate;a supporting frame2, being fixed onto an electromagnetic signal receiving unit3by pivotal axes22arranged at the two sides of the same in respective, further comprising a bushing21for fixing and supporting the electromagnetic signal emitting unit1at a position over the electromagnetic signal receiving unit3while allowing the same to be tilted and spun freely; wherein the means used for coupling the bushing211and the electromagnetic signal emitting unit1can be selected from the group consisting of screwing, riveting, and clipping, etc., and the bushing211is made of a flexible material for enabling the same to hold the electromagnetic signal emitting unit therein in a fixed status enabling the electromagnetic signal emitting unit1to spin freely.the electromagnetic signal receiving unit3, having a sensing circuit31disposed therein for receiving the signals emitted from the electromagnetic signal emitter11, capable of executing an operation with respect to the received signals for obtaining a coordinate of movement corresponding to the electromagnetic signal emitting11unit while converting the coordinate of movement into electronic signal and transmitting the converted electronic signal to a computer through an interface32selected from the group consisting of Gameport interface, USB interface, PS2 interface and RS232 interface, and so on;
wherein, the cooperative operating of the electromagnetic signal emitting unit1and the electromagnetic signal receiving unit3is functioned as a digitizing tablet while the supporting frame2is removed from the position over the electromagnetic signal receiving unit3and the electromagnetic signal emitting unit1is freed from the supporting frame3, in addition, the electromagnetic signal emitting unit1can be a wireless inputting pen.

Please refer toFIG. 2, which is a schematic representation showing a digitizing tablet formed by pivotally leveling off the supporting frame of the multifunction electronic device of the invention. As seen inFIG. 2, the supporting frame2is positioned over the electromagnetic signal receiving unit3for enabling the electromagnetic signal emitting unit1to be hold in a vertical status and the multifunction electronic device to act as a joystick, however, the supporting frame3is redundant while intending to enabling the multifunction electronic device to act as a tablet such that the supporting frames is pivotally leveled off to a horizontal status. Moreover, the multifunction electronic device of the present invention is capable of selectively functioning as a joystick or a digitizing tablet with respect to a mode selection controlled by a mechanic switch or a programmable tablet button, however, the foregoing mode selection is commonly practiced by those skilled in the prior and thud void from further description hereinafter.

Please refer toFIG. 3, which is a three dimensional view of a multifunction electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The multifunction electronic device ofFIG. 3comprises an electromagnetic signal emitting unit4, a supporting frame5and an electromagnetic signal receiving unit6, which are mostly the same as the device shown inFIG. 1. However, the supporting frame5further comprises a bushing51and a sheath53, which is different to the supporting frame2comprises only a bushing21. As seen inFIG. 3, the busing51is made of flexible material and the sheath52is capable of being screw-fixed to the bushing, i.e. by screwing the thread511of the bushing51to the internal thread531of the sheath53, such that the sheath52can receive the electromagnetic signal emitting unit4therein while holding the same in a fixed status for enabling the same to spin freely. Similar to that shown inFIG. 2that the multifunction electronic device is also capable of functioning as a digitizing tablet, nevertheless, the only additional to that ofFIG. 2is the detaching of sheath53from the bushing51.

Please refer toFIG. 4, which is a three dimensional view of a multifunction electronic device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The supporting frame7shown inFIG. 4is a hollow arc-shaped body which covers the electromagnetic signal receiving unit3completely and is fixed onto the electromagnetic signal receiving unit3by clipping the circumferences of the same to the edges of the electromagnetic signal receiving unit3. However, the means for fixing the supporting frame7onto the electromagnetic signal receiving unit3is not limited by clipping, but including any means capable of detaching the two easily and rapidly. In addition, the multifunction electronic device can provide a better dust-proof effect than that of the devices shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 3, since the supporting frame3covers the electromagnetic signal receiving unit3completely. Moreover, the bushing71of the supporting frame7is structured and functioned the same as those shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 3.

Please refer toFIG. 5, which is a three dimensional view of a multifunction electronic device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the multifunction electronic device shown inFIG. 4, the electromagnetic signal emitting unit is replaced by a shaft81with ergonimic design, which is installing in the supporting frame8and has two buttons82arranged thereon for the applications of PC game. However, there can be more than two buttons arranged in the shaft81basing the requirement of PC games.

From the above description, the present invention provides a multifunction electronic device with function comparable to joystick and tablet, which is functioned as a joystick while the electromagnetic signal emitting unit is installed in the supporting frame, and is functioned as a tablet while the supporting frame is removed from the position over the electromagnetic signal receiving unit and the electromagnetic signal emitting unit is freed from the supporting frame. By virtue of this, the multifunction electronic device is equipped with functions of a joystick and a tablet, that enables a user to pay a price of one but get a product of two in reality. In summary that this invention has been disclosed and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, the principles involved are susceptible for use in numerous other embodiments that will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. Consequently, the present invention has been examined to be progressive and has great potential in commercial applications.