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US 5,691,580 AGranted
Button interface for state machine
OwnerKevin Alan Shelbyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A button interface for a state machine provides three signals, X, Y, or X and Y. The state machine further detects a single contact, a double contact, or a persistent contact to provide a matrix of nine separate states which control player functions. The cover of the button interface has two degrees of freedom, rotation and depression, which are achieved by various embodiments of leaf and coil springs.
Claims16
A switch apparatus, comprising:
- a first electrical contact;
- a second electrical contact;
- a cover element suspended over said first electrical contact and said second electrical contact, wherein said cover element has a first region disposed above said first electrical contact, a second region disposed above said second electrical contact, and a middle region disposed between said first region and said second region;
- and
- a third electrical contact disposed below said cover element, wherein a predetermined tactile force applied to said first region of said cover element causes an electrical connection between said first electrical contact and said third electrical contact, a predetermined tactile force applied to said second region of said cover element causes an electrical connection between said second electrical contact and said third electrical contact, and a predetermined tactile force applied to said middle region of said cover element causes an electrical connection between said third electrical contact and both said first electrical contact and said second electrical contact.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.