# US 11,112,885 B2 · Rotary input device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,112,885 B2 - Document ID: US11112885B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/422,985 - Filed: 2019-05-25 - Published: 2020-01-02 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-27 - Assignees: Acer Incorporated - Applicants: Acer Incorporated - Inventors: Tai Ju; Chueh-Pin Ko; Chih-Chiang Chen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112885B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/033: Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user {, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks}; Accessories therefor (digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041) - G01D 5/145: {influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields (see G01R33/06)} - G06F 3/0362: with detection of one-dimensional [1D] translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts - H01H 36/00: Switches actuated by change of magnetic field or of electric field, e.g. by change of relative position of magnet and switch, by shielding - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) ## Abstract A rotary input device includes a base, a cover, a column, one or more first magnets, one or more second magnets, a plurality of magnetic sensors, and a signal processing circuit. The cover includes a cap portion and a side wall vertically extending from the cap portion. The column surrounded by the side wall includes a first end for connecting to the base and a second end for connecting to the cover. The first magnet surrounds the column and is configured on the cover. The second magnet surrounds the first magnet and is configured on the base. The magnetic sensors are configured on a lateral surface of the column and coupled to the signal processing circuit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotary input device, comprising a base; a cover having a cap portion and a side wall vertically extending from the cap portion; a column surrounded by the side wall and having a first end for connecting to the base and a second end for connecting to the cover; one or more first magnets surrounding the column and configured on either the base or the cover; one or more second magnets surrounding the first magnets and configured on the other of the base or the cover; a plurality of magnetic sensors configured on a lateral surface of the column; and a signal processing circuit coupled to the plurality of magnetic sensors, wherein when the cover is rotated relative to the base, the following operation will be performed: the magnets rotate around the column and the magnetic sensors; the magnetic sensors sense a plurality of magnetic signals having different values correspondingly; and the signal processing circuit determines a relative rotation direction of the cover and the base according to the plurality of magnetic signals sensed by the magnetic sensors, and outputs a clockwise rotation signal or a counterclockwise rotation signal, wherein when the cover is moved horizontally or obliquely relative to the base, the following operation will be performed: a portion of the first magnets are moved close to the column, and the magnetic sensors sense the magnetic signals of the part of the magnetic sensors to be decreased; the other portion of the first magnets are moved away from the column, and the magnetic sensors sense the magnetic signals of the other portion of the magnetic sensors to be increased; and the signal processing circuit determines a relative movement direction of the cover and the base according to the plurality of magnetic signals sensed by the magnetic sensors, and outputs a movement signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first magnets are opposite to the second magnets with the same polarity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first magnets comprise a single magnet that spirally surrounds the column. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first magnets comprise a plurality of magnets having the same magnetic field strength, and the plurality of magnets spirally surround the column. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first magnets comprise a plurality of magnets surrounding the column, wherein the plurality of magnets are respectively the same distance from the column, and the plurality of magnetic fields of the plurality of magnets monotonically increase or decrease in a clockwise direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the column is fixedly coupled to the base and rotatably and movably coupled to the cover, wherein the first magnets are disposed on the cover and surround the column, and the second magnets are disposed on the base and surround the first magnets. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the column is fixedly coupled to the cover and rotatably and movably coupled to the base, wherein the first magnets are disposed on the base and surround the column, and the second magnets are disposed on the cover and surround the first magnets. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a push switch electrically connected to the signal processing circuit and disposed between the cover and the column, wherein when the cover is pressed to approach the base, the push switch is triggered, and the signal processing circuit determines that the push switch is triggered and outputs a pressing signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a push switch electrically connected to the signal processing circuit and disposed between the column and the base, wherein when the cover is pressed and approaches the base, the push switch is triggered, and the signal processing circuit determines that the push switch is triggered and outputs a pressing signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the cover is pressed to be close to the base, the relative positions of the plurality of magnetic sensors and the first magnets are misplaced, and the signal processing circuit determines that a relative position of the cover and the base is closer according to the plurality of magnetic signals sensed by the plurality of magnetic sensors, and outputs a pressing signal. ### Claim 11 A rotary input device, comprising a base; a cover having a cap portion and a side wall vertically extending from the cap portion; a column surrounded by the side wall and having a first end for connecting to the base and a second end for connecting to the cover; an elastic body configured either between the first end and the base or between the second end and the cover; one or more first magnets surrounding the column and configured on either the base or the cover; one or more second magnets surrounding the first magnets and configured on the other of the base or the cover; a plurality of magnetic sensors configured on a lateral surface of the column; and a signal processing circuit coupled to the plurality of magnetic sensors. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first magnets are opposite to the second magnets with the same polarity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first magnets comprise a single magnet that spirally surrounds the column. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first magnets comprise a plurality of magnets having the same magnetic field strength, and the plurality of magnets spirally surround the column. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first magnets comprise a plurality of magnets surrounding the column, wherein the plurality of magnets are respectively the same distance from the column, and the plurality of magnetic fields of the plurality of magnets monotonically increase or decrease in a clockwise direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the column is fixedly coupled to the base and rotatably and movably coupled to the cover, wherein the first magnets are disposed on the cover and surround the column, and the second magnets are disposed on the base and surround the first magnets. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the column is fixedly coupled to the cover and rotatably and movably coupled to the base, wherein the first magnets are disposed on the base and surround the column, and the second magnets are disposed on the cover and surround the first magnets. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising: a push switch electrically connected to the signal processing circuit and disposed between the cover and the column, wherein when the cover is pressed to approach the base, the push switch is triggered, and the signal processing circuit determines that the push switch is triggered and outputs a pressing signal, wherein when the cover is rotated relative to the base, the following operation will be performed: the magnets rotate around the column and the magnetic sensors; the magnetic sensors sense a plurality of magnetic signals having different values correspondingly; and the signal processing circuit determines a relative rotation direction of the cover and the base according to the plurality of magnetic signals sensed by the magnetic sensors, and outputs a clockwise rotation signal or a counterclockwise rotation signal, wherein when the cover is moved horizontally or obliquely relative to the base, the following operation will be performed: a portion of the first magnets are moved close to the column, and the magnetic sensors sense the magnetic signals of the part of the magnetic sensors to be decreased; the other portion of the first magnets are moved away from the column, and the magnetic sensors sense the magnetic signals of the other portion of the magnetic sensors to be increased; and the signal processing circuit determines a relative movement direction of the cover and the base according to the plurality of magnetic signals sensed by the magnetic sensors, and outputs a movement signal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising: a push switch electrically connected to the signal processing circuit and disposed between the column and the base, wherein when the cover is pressed and approaches the base, the push switch is triggered, and the signal processing circuit determines that the push switch is triggered and outputs a pressing signal, wherein when the cover is rotated relative to the base, the following operation will be performed: the magnets rotate around the column and the magnetic sensors; the magnetic sensors sense a plurality of magnetic signals having different values correspondingly; and the signal processing circuit determines a relative rotation direction of the cover and the base according to the plurality of magnetic signals sensed by the magnetic sensors, and outputs a clockwise rotation signal or a counterclockwise rotation signal, wherein when the cover is moved horizontally or obliquely relative to the base, the following operation will be performed: a portion of the first magnets are moved close to the column, and the magnetic sensors sense the magnetic signals of the part of the magnetic sensors to be decreased; the other portion of the first magnets are moved away from the column, and the magnetic sensors sense the magnetic signals of the other portion of the magnetic sensors to be increased; and the signal processing circuit determines a relative movement direction of the cover and the base according to the plurality of magnetic signals sensed by the magnetic sensors, and outputs a movement signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The rotary input device as claimed in claim 11, wherein when the cover is pressed to be close to the base, the relative positions of the plurality of magnetic sensors and the first magnets are misplaced, and the signal processing circuit determines that a relative position of the cover and the base is closer according to the plurality of magnetic signals sensed by the plurality of magnetic sensors, and outputs a pressing signal.