US6347997B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Analog controls housed with electronic displays
Assignee: ANASCAPE (A NEVADA Ltd PARTNERSHIP)
•
Filing: 2000-05-10
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Granted: 2002-02-19
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Expires: 2020-05-10
Abstract
Abstract Devices for controlling imagery shown by a display, and including an analog sensor for creating a varying analog value according to varying depression applied by a finger of a human user to the analog sensor. Multiple analog sensors are sometimes utilized. In one preferred embodiment the analog sensor(s) includes a resilient dome cap for providing tactile feedback to the finger depressing the analog sensor. Circuitry within a housing is connected to the analog sensor for reading the varying analog value from the analog sensor and causing representative varying the imagery shown by the display. The devices can be individually structured as electronic game controllers/systems, telephones, pagers, electronic books, web browsers, global positioning receivers, ovens, coffee makers and personal digital assistants (PDA) to name a few.
Inventors
- 👤 Brad A. Armstrong
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 11:37
CPC Classifications
G; G04; G04G; G04G21/00; G04G21/08; A; A63; A63F; A63F13/00; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/1601; G06F1/1613; G06F1/1626; G06F1/1633; G06F1/1662; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/033; G06F3/0338; G06F3/0354; G06F3/03548; G06F3/03549; G06F3/048; G06F3/0484; G06F3/04847; G06F3/0485; G06F3/0487; G06F3/0489; H; H01; H01H; H01H13/00; H01H13/70; H01H13/702; H01H13/78; H01H13/785; A63F13/20; A63F13/21; A63F13/218; A63F13/25; A63F13/28; A63F13/285; A63F13/90; A63F13/92; A63F2300/00; A63F2300/10; A63F2300/1037; A63F2300/1056; A63F2300/20; A63F2300/204; A63F9/00; A63F9/24; G05; G05B; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/20; G05B2219/23; G05B2219/23033; G06F2200/00; G06F2200/16; G06F2200/161; G06F2200/1612; H01H2201/00; H01H2201/022; H01H2201/032; H01H2201/036; H01H2215/00; H01H2215/004; H01H2215/006; H01H2221/00; H01H2221/008; H01H2221/012; H01H2221/018; H01H2229/00; H01H2229/044; H01H2229/046; H01H2229/047; H01H2231/00; H01H2231/008; H01H2237/00; H01H2237/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 54
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
A hand holdable electronic device for controlling imagery, comprising: a housing sized to be hand-held; electronic circuitry located in said housing; a general image display located in said housing, said general image display operatively connected to said circuitry; at least one finger depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said at least one finger depressible surface operatively connected to at least one pressure-sensitive analog sensor, said pressure-sensitive analog sensor for inputting a signal to said circuitry, said signal having variable value depending on variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface; said circuitry structured to receive said signal and to cause said general image display to provide variable visual feedback data, said variable visual feedback data at least in part representing the variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface, whereby said variable visual feedback data may be controlled at varying rates according to variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
162 words
A hand holdable electronic device for controlling imagery, comprising: a housing sized to be hand-held; electronic circuitry located in said housing; a general image display located in said housing, said general image display operatively connected to said circuitry; at least one finger depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said at least one finger depressible surface operatively connected to at least one pressure-sensitive analog sensor, said pressure-sensitive analog sensor for inputting a signal to said circuitry, said signal having variable value depending on variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface; said circuitry structured to receive said signal and to cause said general image display to provide variable visual feedback data, said variable visual feedback data at least in part representing the variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface, whereby said variable visual feedback data may be controlled at varying rates according to variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
146 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein said at least one finger depressible surface is a first depressible surface, said electronic device further includes a finger depressible surface which is a second depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said second depressible surface operatively connected to a second pressure-sensitive analog sensor, said second pressure-sensitive analog sensor for inputting a second signal to said circuitry, said second signal having variable value depending on variable pressure applied to said second depressible surface; said circuitry structured to receive said second signal and to cause said general image display to provide variable visual feedback data, said variable visual feedback data at least in part representing the variable pressure applied to said second depressible surface, whereby said variable visual feedback data may be scrolled at varying rates according to variable pressure applied to said second depressible surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 2 wherein said first depressible surface and said second depressible surface are thumb depressible single individual buttons.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 3 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 3 wherein said hand holdable electronic device is a personal digital assistant.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 5 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 3 wherein said hand holdable electronic device is a telephone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 7 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 3 wherein said hand holdable electronic device is a hand-held game system, and said thumb depressible single individual buttons are located in a right hand area of said housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 9 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 10 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured with resilient dome caps, said dome caps providing said tactile feedback.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 3 wherein said hand holdable electronic device is a hand-held global positioning receiver.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 12 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 3 wherein said hand holdable electronic device is a hand-held wireless web browser.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 14 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 3 wherein said hand holdable electronic device is a hand-held remote controller.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 16 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 3 wherein said hand holdable electronic device is a pager.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A hand holdable electronic device according to claim 18 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
155 words
A device for controlling time imagery, comprising: a housing; electronic circuitry located in said housing, said electronic circuitry at least calculating units of time; a time display located in said housing, said time display having at least three seven-element numeric displays, said time display operatively connected to said circuitry; said time display displaying time information; at least one finger depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said at least one finger depressible surface operatively connected to at least one pressure-sensitive variable-conductance analog sensor, said pressure-sensitive analog sensor for inputting a signal to said circuitry, said signal having variable value depending on variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface; said circuitry structured to receive said signal and to cause said time display to provide visual feedback time information, said visual feedback time information changeable at a variable rate representing the variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
155 words
A device for controlling time imagery, comprising: a housing; electronic circuitry located in said housing, said electronic circuitry at least calculating units of time; a time display located in said housing, said time display having at least three seven-element numeric displays, said time display operatively connected to said circuitry; said time display displaying time information; at least one finger depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said at least one finger depressible surface operatively connected to at least one pressure-sensitive variable-conductance analog sensor, said pressure-sensitive analog sensor for inputting a signal to said circuitry, said signal having variable value depending on variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface; said circuitry structured to receive said signal and to cause said time display to provide visual feedback time information, said visual feedback time information changeable at a variable rate representing the variable pressure applied to said at least one finger depressible surface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
117 words
A device according to claim 20 wherein said at least one finger depressible surface is a first depressible surface, said electronic device further includes a finger depressible surface which is a second depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said second depressible surface operatively connected to a second pressure-sensitive analog sensor, said second pressure-sensitive variable-conductance analog sensor for inputting a second signal to said circuitry, said second signal having variable value depending on variable pressure applied to said second depressible surface; said circuitry structured to receive said second signal and to cause said time display to provide visual feedback time information changeable at a variable rate representing the variable pressure applied to said second depressible surface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device according to claim 21 wherein said first depressible surface and said second depressible surface are depressible single individual buttons.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device according to claim 22 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 22 wherein said device is a household clock.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device according to claim 24 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 22 wherein said device is a coffee maker.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device according to claim 26 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
12 words
A device according to claim 22 wherein said device is an oven.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device according to claim 28 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 28 wherein said oven is a microwave oven.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device according to claim 30 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
69 words
A device for controlling imagery, comprising: pressure-sensitive variable-conductance analog sensor for creating a varying analog value according to varying depression applied by a finger of a user to said analog sensor; associated with said analog sensor is means for providing tactile feedback to the finger; circuitry connected to said analog sensor, said circuitry for reading a varying analog value from said analog sensor and causing representative varying of imagery.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
69 words
A device for controlling imagery, comprising: pressure-sensitive variable-conductance analog sensor for creating a varying analog value according to varying depression applied by a finger of a user to said analog sensor; associated with said analog sensor is means for providing tactile feedback to the finger; circuitry connected to said analog sensor, said circuitry for reading a varying analog value from said analog sensor and causing representative varying of imagery.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device according to claim 32 wherein said analog sensor is a first analog sensor, said device further includes a second analog sensor, said second analog sensor connected to said circuitry for causing variable control of the imagery.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device according to claim 33 wherein said means for providing tactile feedback comprises means for active tactile feedback.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device according to claim 33 wherein said means for providing tactile feedback comprises a resilient dome cap supplying a break-over threshold tactile feedback to the finger.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device according to claim 35 wherein said means for providing tactile feedback also comprises active tactile feedback.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device according to claim 36 wherein said first analog sensor and said second analog sensor are activated by thumb depressible single individual buttons located in a right-hand area of a housing.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device according to claim 35 wherein a display is supported by a housing, said display showing the imagery, said housing structured to at least part support the analog sensors.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
14 words
A device according to claim 38 wherein said display is a general image display.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device according to claim 39 wherein said device is a personal digital assistant, and said housing is a hand-held housing.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
12 words
A device according to claim 39 wherein said device is a telephone.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
41 words
A device according to claim 39 wherein said device is a hand-held game system, and said first analog sensor and said second analog sensor are activated by thumb depressible single individual buttons located in a right hand area of said housing.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device according to claim 39 wherein said device is a hand-held global positioning receiver.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
14 words
A device according to claim 39 wherein said device is a wireless web browser.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 39 wherein said device is a remote controller.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 39 wherein said device is a hand-held pager.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device according to claim 34 wherein said display is a time display, said time display having at least three seven-element numeric displays, said time display displaying time information.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 47 wherein said device is a coffee maker.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 47 wherein said device is a household clock.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
12 words
A device according to claim 47 wherein said device is an oven.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 50 wherein said oven is a microwave oven.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-02-18 | 2005-08-20 | 2006-02-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-02-18 | 2009-08-20 | 2010-02-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-02-18 | 2013-08-20 | 2014-02-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |