Patent ID: 8305347

Claim:
An operating device comprising: a receiver module having an array of receiver coils that extends in longitudinal and transverse directions; a control lever defining, rotatable about, and displaceable along an axis extending through the receiver module and having an end shiftable radially, angularly, and axially and thereby longitudinally and transversely relative to the array of coils of the receiver module; and a transmitter module mounted on the end and having a center part comprised of a magnet, transmitter coil, a portion of the transmitter coil, or a magnet traversed by the axis and an offset part comprised of a magnet, another part of the transmitter coil, or another transmitter coil radially offset from the axis such that on rotation of the lever about the axis the offset part moves angularly about the axis relative to the coil array, whereby the array of receiver coils in the module can detect axial, radial, and angular movement of the lever.