Methods and apparatus for providing touch-sensitive input in multiple degrees of freedom

A multiple coordinate controller device comprising;

• a three-dimensional body having a first surface portion and a second surface portion which is not coplanar with said first surface;
• and
• a sensor consisting essentially of;
• a first transducer having a first sensing surface, said first transducer being coupled to said first surface portion of said body and being capable of detecting both positions and a range of pressure forces at said positions on said first sensing surface, wherein said first transducer is further capable of providing a first range of z coordinates at a detected x,y coordinate in response to said first range of forces, said first range of z coordinates provided only if said range of pressure forces are greater than a first threshold pressure;
• a second transducer having a second sensing surface, said second transducer being coupled to said second surface portion of said body and being capable of detecting both positions and a range of pressure forces at said positions on said second sensing surface, wherein said second transducer is further capable of providing a second range of z coordinates of opposite polarity for said first range of z coordinates in response to said second range of forces, said second range of z coordinates provided only if said range of pressure forces are greater than a second threshold pressure;
• whereby said sensor is capable of providing x,y and z coordinates from said first transducer and said second transducer, and
• whereby, said first sensing surface and said second sensing surface do not substantially deform under pressure.

A two sided controller comprising:

• a body having a first surface and an opposing second surface, said first surface and said second surface having dimensions that are substantially greater than a separation between said first surface and said second surface;
• a first sensor assembly supported by said first surface and including a first generally flat pressure sensor surrounded, at least in part, by a first generally flat edge pressure sensor;
• a second sensor assembly supported by said second surface and including a second generally flat pressure sensor surrounded, at least in part, by a second generally flat edge pressure sensor;
• wherein said body is sized to be contacted on said first sensor assembly with the thumb of a hand and simultaneously on said second sensor assembly with a finger of said hand.

A wedge shaped controller comprising:

• a body having a front edge surface having a first area, a back edge surface having a second area less than said first area, and a pair of side edge surfaces coupling said front edge surface to said back edge surface, whereby said body has a wedge shaped with angled side edges;
• a first sensor assembly supported by said front edge surface and including a first generally flat pressure sensor surrounded, at least in part, by a first generally flat edge pressure sensor;
• and
• a second sensor assembly supported by one of said pair of side edge surfaces and including a second generally flat pressure sensor surrounded, at least in part, by a second generally flat edge pressure sensor.

A touch-sensitive manually operable controller for providing position control information relative to three axes, the controller comprising:

• a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral side surface;
• a first sensor positioned on the side surface of the controller and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an X-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the first sensor adapted for providing a first Y-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Y-axis and a first Z-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Z-axis;
• a second sensor positioned on the top surface of the controller and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an Y-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the second sensor adapted for providing a first X-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the X-axis and a second Z-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Z-axis;
• a third sensor positioned on the side surface of the controller and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an Z-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the third sensor adapted for providing a second X-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the X-axis and a second Y-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Y-axis;
• and
• a fourth sensor positioned on the side surface of the controller opposite the first sensor and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an X-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the fourth sensor adapted for providing a third Y-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Y-axis and a third Z-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Z-axis.

A touch-sensitive manually operable controller for providing position control information relative to three axes, the controller comprising:

• a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral side surface;
• a first sensor positioned on the side surface of the controller and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an X-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the first sensor adapted for providing a first roll-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Y-axis and a first yaw-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Z-axis;
• a second sensor positioned on the top surface of the controller and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an Y-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the second sensor adapted for providing a second roll-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the X-axis and a first pitch-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Z-axis;
• a third sensor positioned on the side surface of the controller and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an Z-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the third sensor adapted for providing second pitch-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Y-axis;
• and
• a fourth sensor positioned on the side surface of the controller opposite the first sensor and generally aligned on and orthogonal relative to an X-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, the fourth sensor adapted for providing a third roll-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Y-axis and a second yaw-signal in response to the position of a force applied to the sensor along the Z-axis.