Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device – Cursor mark position control device
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-04
2001-01-30
Shalwala, Bipin (Department: 2778)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
Cursor mark position control device
C345S156000, C345S158000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181327
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer joystick, and more particularly, to a computer joystick having a sliding plate for actuating two guiding plates for detecting displacements of its control stick.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computer joysticks are widely used in computer games for controlling cursor or object movements on a screen. A typical computer joystick comprises a housing for storing electronic or mechanical components, an upright control stick rotatable within a fixed angle for controlling cursor movements on the screen, and a plurality of displacement sensors installed at the bottom of the control stick for detecting movements of the control stick in various directions and converting the movements into corresponding displacement signals.
The displacement sensors of a computer joystick typically use variable resistors to detect movements of the control stick. However, utilizing variable resistors has the following three drawbacks:
1. Before each use, the variable resistor of the computer joystick must be calibrated such that control signals are zero.
2. The variable resistor is a passive element and, as such, its output signals easily become inaccurate and unstable upon exposure to environmental factors such as temperature and humidity.
3. Variation in contact point alters the resistance of the variable resistor, however this action may cause damage to the variable resistor leading to a reduction in life span and reduced accuracy of the output signals through mechanical friction and continuous hard contact between the bottom of the control stick and the variable resistor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention to provide a computer joystick to solve the above mentioned problems.
Briefly, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a computer joystick comprising:
a housing having an opening installed at its top;
a control stick comprising a handle at its top section, a ball-shaped portion at its middle section rotatably installed in the opening of the housing, and a guiding knob at its bottom section;
two mutually perpendicular sliding channels horizontally installed in the housing;
two guiding plates slidably installed in the two sliding channels, each guiding plate comprising a protruding button for actuating the guiding plate;
a sliding plate slidably positioned in the housing comprising a recess for engaging the guiding knob of the control stick and two linear sliding holes perpendicular to each other for engaging the two protruding buttons of the two guiding plates separately; and
two optical encoders installed in the housing for detecting displacements of the two guiding plates in the two sliding channels and generating corresponding displacement signals;
wherein when the handle at the top section of the control stick is horizontally rotated, the guiding knob at the bottom section of the control stick will actuate the sliding plate horizontally, and the two linear sliding holes of the sliding plate will concurrently drive the two guiding plates by using the protruding buttons of the two guiding plates so that the two optical encoders can generate the displacement signals corresponding to the displacement of the control stick.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the computer joystick uses two mutually perpendicular linear sliding holes on the sliding plate to control movements of the two guiding plates and to concurrently interact with optical panels for detecting twodimensional movements of the control stick thereby improving the accuracy and stability of the computer joystick.
These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4856785 (1989-08-01), Lantz et al.
patent: 4879556 (1989-11-01), Duimel
patent: 5589854 (1996-12-01), Tsai
patent: 5694153 (1997-12-01), Aoyagi et al.
patent: 5760764 (1998-06-01), Martinelli
patent: 5847694 (1998-12-01), Redford et al.
patent: 5883718 (1999-03-01), Shu-Ming
patent: 5929846 (1999-07-01), Rosenberg et al.
Chang A-Ming
Lin Shu-Ming
Hsu Winston
Kovalick Vincent E.
Primax Electronics LTD
Shalwala Bipin
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