Patent ID: 7601924

Claim:
A joystick having more than two degrees of freedom, at least designed for movement in the x and y direction at right angles to a longitudinal axis thereof, and in a rotational direction ω around said longitudinal axis, and provided with a fourth degree of freedom in the direction of the longitudinal axis, and comprising: a handle for manual operation, the handle comprising a first tubular member surrounded by a second tubular member; wherein the first tubular member is designed for movement in the x and y direction; wherein the second tubular member is designed for sliding along and rotating around the first tubular member, wherein the first tubular member and the second tubular member are equipped with a sensor and an identification means suitable for detection by the sensor so as to detect the relative position of the first tubular member and the second tubular member in both said rotational direction around said longitudinal axis and in the direction of said longitudinal axis; and wherein the identification means comprises a grid.