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US 11,726,520 B2Granted
Modular input interface device with multi-axial interaction
AssigneeHarman International Industries, Incorporated
InventorDaren Harris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular input interface device having multi-axial functionality in a housing having an input interface that is capable of up to seven directions of movement. The modular interface device provides input to at least one processor associated with one or more vehicle systems.
Claims15
A modular input interface device, comprising:
- a housing configured to accommodate a plurality of sensor elements, at least one sensor element in the plurality of sensor elements is positioned inside the housing, the housing has a plurality of faces, each face in the plurality of faces has an opening to the interior of the housing;
- a plurality of slots, each slot is on an exterior of each face in the plurality of faces;
- an outer ring attached to the housing in a manner that allows the outer ring to rotate, move up and down, move laterally in two directions along a first axis, and move laterally in two directions along a second axis, the first axis being perpendicular to the second axis;
- the at least one sensor element in the plurality of sensor elements senses clockwise and counterclockwise rotational movement of the outer ring and provides a signal representative of the rotational movement of the outer ring.
1 more element
A modular input interface device comprising:
- a housing having a left face, a right face, a front face and a rear face, each face having an opening to an interior of the housing;
- a slot on an exterior surface of the housing at each of the left, right, front and rear faces of the housing;
- a base portion positioned inside the housing at a bottom portion of the housing;
- an inner base within the housing, the inner base cooperates with the base portion and remains stationary relative to the housing;
- an outer ring at a top portion of the housing, the outer ring cooperates with and rotates above the inner base;
- and
- a first pair of sensors on the inner base that detect rotational movement of the inner base.
4 more elements
A modular input interface device, the device comprising:
- a housing having a left face, a right face, a front face and a rear face, each face having an opening to an interior of the housing;
- a slot on an exterior surface of the housing at each of the left, right, front and rear faces of the housing;
- an outer ring at the top of the housing, the outer ring rotates above the housing and moves vertically within the housing;
- a base portion positioned inside the housing at a bottom portion of the housing;
- a female inner base that cooperates with the base portion and remains stationary relative to the housing;
- a male inner housing passing through a center of the outer ring, the male inner housing is attached to the inner base;
- a rotary bearing circumferentially disposed between the outer ring and the male inner housing;
- a first pair of sensors on the female inner base that cooperate with and detect rotational movement of the outer ring;
- a first slide cage in the housing positioned between the base portion and the female inner base, the first slide cage has a first slide inner frame, the first slide inner frame has slots at first and second lateral directions to allow movement of the outer ring in the first and second lateral directions to be translated to movement of the first slide cage, the slots in the first slide cage limit movement of the first slide cage to a predetermined distance;
- a second pair of sensors positioned in the slots on the left and right faces of the housing, the second pair of sensors detect movement of the first slide cage in the first and second lateral directions;
- a second slide cage in the housing positioned between the first slide cage and the base portion, the second slide cage has a second slide inner frame, the second slide inner frame has slots positioned in third and fourth lateral directions to allow movement of the outer ring in the third and fourth lateral directions to be translated to movement of the second slide cage, the slots in the second slide cage limit movement of the second slide cage to a predetermined distance;
- and
- a third pair of sensors positioned in the slots on the front and rear faces of the housing, the third pair of sensors detect movement of the second slide cage in the third and fourth lateral directions;
- wherein the device is configured for up to seven directions of movement.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.