Control knob with multiple degrees of freedom and force feedback

A control knob device for providing input to a control processor, said knob device comprising:

• a control knob coupled to a grounded surface, said knob rotatable in a rotary degree of freedom about an axis extending through said knob, said knob also moveable in a linear degree of freedom approximately parallel to said axis and in a plurality of transverse directions approximately perpendicular to said axis;
• a rotational sensor that detects a rotary position of said knob in said rotary degree of freedom;
• a linear sensor that detects a linear position of said knob in said linear degree of freedom;
• a transverse switch device that detects a transverse position of said knob in any of said transverse directions;
• and
• an actuator coupled to said knob and operative to output a force sensation in said rotary degree of freedom about said axis, wherein said force sensation is based on a mode selected by said transverse position, said mode being one of a plurality of modes provided by said control processor, and
• wherein said rotary position and said linear position are provided to said control processor to control a function of an electronic device coupled to said control processor, said function provided in said selected mode.

A method for controlling functions of a device from input provided by a control knob, the method comprising:

• reading a rotary sensor signal from a rotary sensor, said rotary sensor signal being representative of a position of a control knob in a rotary degree of freedom about an axis extending through said knob;
• reading a transverse switch signal from a transverse switch, said transverse switch signal indicating when said knob is moved in a transverse degree of freedom approximately perpendicular to said axis;
• reading a linear sensor signal from a linear sensor, said linear sensor signal being representative of a position of said knob in a linear degree of freedom approximately parallel to said axis;
• using at least one of said rotary sensor signal and said transverse switch signal to select a mode for controlling a function of said device;
• using said linear sensor signal to select a setting within said selected mode;
• and
• providing a force feedback signal to an actuator that is coupled to said knob, said force feedback signal being based at least in part on said selected mode, wherein said force feedback signal is used to output a force sensation on said knob.

An interface control device including force feedback and providing rate control and position control modes to control a value used in an electronic device, the interface control device comprising:

• a user manipulatable object grasped by a user and movable in a degree of freedom to adjust said value;
• an actuator coupled to said user manipulatable object and providing forces on said user manipulatable object in said degree of freedom;
• a sensor that detects a position of said user manipulatable object in said degree of freedom and outputs a sensor signal including information representing said position;
• and
• a microprocessor coupled to said actuator and to said sensor, said microprocessor controlling said forces provided by said actuator and receiving said sensor signal from said sensor, wherein said microprocessor is capable of commanding a position control mode and a rate control mode for said user manipulatable object, wherein one of said position control mode and rate control mode is active for said interface control device at any one time, said commanded mode being based on selection input from said user, wherein said position control mode sets said value directly based on a position of said user manipulatable object in said degree of freedom, and wherein said rate control mode controls a rate of change of said value based on a position of said user manipulatable object in said degree of freedom with respect to an origin position in said degree of freedom.

A method for providing detent forces for a force feedback control, the method comprising:

• outputting a first force for a first detent on a user manipulatable object contacted by a user and moveable in a degree of freedom, said first force being output when said user manipulatable object is moved within a range of said first detent, said first force being output by a electronically-controlled actuator, wherein said first force assists movement of said user manipulatable object toward an origin position of said first detent and wherein said first force resists movement of said user manipulatable object away from said origin position of said first detent, and wherein said first force has a magnitude that increases the further that said user manipulatable object is positioned from said origin of said first detent;
• and
• outputting a second force for a second detent on said user manipulatable object when said user manipulatable object is moved within a range of said second detent, said second force being output by said actuator and said second detent having an origin position different from said origin position of said first detent, wherein said second force assists movement of said user manipulatable object toward an origin position of said second detent and wherein said second force resists movement of said user manipulatable object away from said origin position of said second detent, and wherein said second force has a magnitude that increases the further that said user manipulatable object is positioned from said origin of said second detent, wherein a portion of said range of said first detent overlaps a portion of said range of said second detent.

A method for providing detent forces for a force feedback control, the method comprising:

• defining a periodic wave;
• using at least a portion of said periodic wave to define a detent force curve, said detent force curve defining a force to be output on a user manipulatable object based on a position of said user manipulatable object in a degree of freedom, said user manipulatable object being contacted and moveable by a user;
• and
• using data describing said detent force curve to command said force on said user manipulatable object, said force being output by a electronically-controlled actuator.

A knob controller device comprising:

• a knob coupled to a grounded surface, said knob rotatable in a rotary degree of freedom about an axis extending through said knob, said knob also moveable in a transverse direction approximately perpendicular to said axis;
• a rotational sensor that detects a position of said knob in said rotary degree of freedom;
• a transverse sensor operative to detect a position of said knob in said transverse direction, wherein said transverse sensor includes a hat switch having a plurality of individual switches, each of said individual switches detecting movement of said knob in a particular transverse direction;
• and
• an actuator coupled to said knob and operative to output a force in said rotary degree of freedom about said axis.

An interface control device including force feedback and providing rate control and position control modes, the interface control device comprising:

• a user manipulatable object grasped by a user and movable in a degree of freedom;
• an actuator coupled to said user manipulatable object and providing forces on said user manipulatable object in said degree of freedom;
• a sensor that detects a position of said user manipulatable object in said degree of freedom and outputs a sensor signal including information representing said position;
• and
• a microprocessor coupled to said actuator and to said sensor, said microprocessor controlling said forces provided by said actuator and receiving said sensor signal from said sensor, wherein said microprocessor is capable of commanding a position control mode and a rate control mode for said user manipulatable object, wherein one of said position control mode and rate control mode is active for said interface control device at any one time, wherein said position control mode controls a value based on a position of said user manipulatable object in said degree of freedom, and wherein said rate control mode controls a rate of change of said value based on a position of said user manipulatable object in said degree of freedom, and wherein said microprocessor controls said actuator to output at least one force detent during movement of said user manipulatable object in said position control mode.