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US 4,988,982 AGranted
Touch pad machine control
AssigneeThe Grass Valley Group, Inc.
InventorsBruce L. Rayner, Peter N. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A touch pad machine control system uses a touch pad having an overlay to define control strip surface areas which perform different functions. The contact of an operator's finger along one of the defined control strips selects a desired function and produces the desired machine motion from the rate, distance or duration of finger contact according to the desired function. The result is equivalent control motion without the need for moving parts.
Claims14
A method of controlling a device with a touch pad comprising the steps of:
- converting the movement of a pointer over a first region of the surface of the touch pad into a plurality of data points;
- determining from the data points data parameters, the data parameters including the rate of movement of the pointer along an axis and release of the pointer;
- and
- generating a velocity control signal for the device as a function of the data parameters to vary the movement of the device wherein the rate of movement of the pointer in contact with the touch pad corresponds directly to the velocity of the device being controlled, release of the pointer from contact results in control of the device at a constant velocity defined as the last previous velocity of the device prior to release of the pointer from the touch pad, and zero velocity of the pointer in contact with the touch pad corresponds to deceleration of the device to be controlled.
1 more element
An apparatus for controlling a device with a touch pad comprising:
- means for converting the movement of a pointer along a first region of the surface of the touch pad into a plurality of data points;
- means for determining from the data points data parameters, the data parameters including a rate of movement of the pointer over an axis and a release of the pointer;
- and
- means for generating a movement control signal for the device as a function of the data parameters to vary the movement of the device wherein the rate of movement of the pointer in contact with the touch pad corresponds directly to the velocity of the device being controlled, release of the pointer from contact results in control of the device at a constant velocity defined as the last previous velocity of the device prior to release of the pointer from the touch pad, and zero velocity of the pointer in contact with the touch pad corresponds to deceleration of the device to be controlled.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.