Pointing device based upon the hall effect and method for operating the same
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorRobert Edward Helmbrecht
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In various embodiments of the invention, an improved track ball suitably includes one or more field-producing elements that produce or respond to electromagnetic fields in accordance with the Hall Effect. Hall Effect sensors in proximity to the track ball sense changes in the electromagnetic field or in the Hall Effect, and produce corresponding output signals. The output signals may be used, for example, as a control input to a digital computer for such applications as games, simulations, or control applications such as controls for an aircraft or other vehicle.
Claims20
A trackball assembly comprising:
- a ball having an outer surface and a Hall Effect producing element comprising at least two magnets, the at least two magnets being disposed within the ball and producing a magnetic field about the ball such that the intensity of the magnetic field is unique for each portion of the outer surface of the ball;
- a detector configured to detect the electro-magnetic field generated by the Hall Effect producing element upon a portion of the outer surface proximate to the detector;
- and
- position processing electronics configured to correlate the field with a position of the ball and to provide an output signal, wherein the output signal is a function of the rotation of the ball as sensed by the detector.
A method of detecting movement, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a trackball having an electromagnetic field about said trackball generated from inside the trackball such that the intensity of the magnetic field is unique for each portion of the outer surface of said trackball;
- sensing said electro-magnetic field produced at a portion of the outer surface proximate a detector;
- and
- providing an output signal from the detector based upon the electro-magnetic field such that said output signal provides an indication of the position of the ball with respect to the detector.
A method of sensing rotation of a rotating element, the method comprising the steps of;
- generating an electro-magnetic field from within said rotating element, wherein the intensity of each portion of said electromagnetic field is uniquely correlated with a portion of the outer surface of said rotating element;
- detecting the intensity of the electro-magnetic field at a detector positioned proximate to the outer surface of said rotating element to produce a detector output;
- and
- processing said detector output to determine an orientation of said rotating element with respect to the detector as a function of the intensity of the electro-magnetic field.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.