Patent ID: 6995680

Claim:
A sensor for use in an interactive electronic device, the sensor comprising: a housing having: a side wall defining an inner surface; a top plate attached to the side wall and defining an inner surface; a bottom plate attached to the side wall and defining an inner surface; the inner surfaces of the side wall and the top and bottom plates collectively defining an interior chamber; at least one top pad disposed on the inner surface of the top plate; at least one bottom pad disposed on the inner surface of the bottom plate; at least one switch communicating with the interior chamber; and a trigger mechanism disposed within the interior chamber and rotatably connected to the housing, the trigger mechanism being sized and configured to selectively engage the top and bottom pads and the switch; the sensor being operative to generate a plurality of different states corresponding to respective positions of the housing relative to a reference plane, the states being generated by the movement of the housing relative to the reference plane and the resultant contact between the trigger mechanism and at least one of the top pad, the bottom pad, and the switch.