Mobile passive joystick with magnet sensing
Methods and systems for providing computer implemented services using user input are disclosed. To obtain the user input, a passive human interface device may be used. The human interface device may encode information regarding actuations of the human interface device in magnetic field distributions emanating from the human interface device. The magnetic field distribution may be sensed to identify user input provided by a user of the human interface device. The user input may be interpreted in the context of different modes of operation of the human interface device. The user input may be used to provide the computer implemented services.
1 . A human interface device, comprising:
a top portion comprising a permanent magnet that is adapted to generate a magnetic field distribution to encode user input received by the human interface device via forces applied by a user; and
a bottom portion adapted to:
reversibly secure the human interface device to a surface,
reversibly secure the top portion to the bottom portion via a rotatable joint, and
deform to enable the top portion to tilt with respect to a point on the surface to while the human interface device is secured to the surface and the top portion is secured to the bottom portion,
wherein the top portion further includes:
a cup, the permanent magnet being disposed within a first cavity of the top portion with a fixed orientation relative to the cup; and
a pinion with a post that projects through an opening in a bottom of the cup; and
a plug that reversibly couples to the pinion to from the rotatable joint, the plug being configured to be reversibly fixedly secured to the bottom portion,
wherein the bottom portion includes a flexible shaft with retention elements projecting from an upper end thereof, the retention element configured to reversibly fixedly secured the plug.
2 . The human interface device of claim 1 , wherein the top portion further comprises:
a button that is mechanically coupled to the permanent magnet, and
the button includes a deformable portion configured to accept a force applied by the user and to translate the permanent magnet between two positions within the cup based on the force.
3 . The human interface device of claim 2 , wherein the mechanical coupling is adapted to return the permanent magnet to a first of the two positions while the user does not apply the force to the button.
4 . The human interface device of claim 2 , wherein the top portion further comprises:
a feedback element to provide haptic feedback while the button is actuated by the user; and
an interference element that directly contacts the deformable portion and transmits force from the button to the feedback element.
5 . The human interface device of claim 4 , wherein the feedback element is positioned below the permanent magnet, and the permanent magnet is positioned below the button.
6 . The human interface device of claim 1 , wherein rotation of the top portion with respect to the bottom portion rotates the permanent magnet with respect to the bottom portion, and while the bottom portion is reversibly secured to the surface, the rotation of the permanent magnet is in a first plane that is substantially parallel to a second plane in which the surface lies.
7 . The human interface device of claim 1 , wherein poles of the permanent magnet are aligned with a first plane, the rotatable joint is a cylindrical joint having an axis, and the permanent magnet is aligned with the axis so that the poles of the magnet rotate about the axis when the top portion is rotated with respect to the bottom portion.
8 . The human interface device of claim 7 , wherein the rotatable joint is in a second plane that is substantially parallel to the first plane.
9 . The human interface device of claim 1 , wherein, when the top portion and the bottom portion are connected, the retention elements of the bottom portion project into and are accommodated by a second cavity of the top portion, the second cavity is connected to the first cavity by the opening at the bottom of the cup.
10 . The human interface device of claim 4 , wherein the pinion is retained at the bottom of the cup by the feedback element which is retained by a retaining element.
11 . A system, comprising:
a human interface device, comprising:
a top portion comprising a permanent magnet that is adapted to generate a magnetic field distribution to encode user input received by the human interface device via forces applied by a user; and
a bottom portion adapted to:
reversibly secure the human interface device to a surface,
reversibly secure the top portion to the bottom portion via a rotatable joint, and
deform to enable the top portion to tilt with respect to a point on the surface to while the human interface device is secured to the surface and the top portion is secured to the bottom portion; and
a sensing system adapted to sense the magnetic field distribution to provide user input from the user to a data processing system,
wherein the top portion further includes:
a cup, the permanent magnet being disposed within a first cavity of the top portion with a fixed orientation relative to the cup; and
a pinion with a post that projects through an opening in a bottom of the cup; and
a plug that reversibly couples to the pinion to from the rotatable joint, the plug being configured to be reversibly fixedly secured to the bottom portion,
wherein the bottom portion includes a flexible shaft with retention elements projecting from an upper end thereof, the retention element configured to reversibly fixedly secured the plug.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the top portion further comprises:
a button that is mechanically coupled to the permanent magnet, and
the button includes a deformable portion configured to accept a force applied by the user and to translate the permanent magnet between two positions within the cup based on the force.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the mechanical coupling is adapted to return the permanent magnet to a first of the two positions while the user does not apply the force to the button.
14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the top portion further comprises:
a feedback element to provide haptic feedback while the button is actuated by the user; and
an interference element that directly contacts the deformable portion and transmits force from the button to the feedback element.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the feedback element is positioned below the permanent magnet, and the permanent magnet is positioned below the button.
16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein rotation of the top portion with respect to the bottom portion rotates the permanent magnet with respect to the bottom portion, and while the bottom portion is reversibly secured to the surface, the rotation of the permanent magnet is in a first plane that is substantially parallel to a second plane in which the surface lies.
17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein poles of the permanent magnet are aligned with a first plane, the rotatable joint is a cylindrical joint having an axis, and the permanent magnet is aligned with the axis so that the poles of the magnet rotate about the axis when the top portion is rotated with respect to the bottom portion.
18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the rotatable joint is in a second plane that is substantially parallel to the first plane.
19 . The human interface device of claim 10 , wherein the interference element includes a projection configured to project through an opening of the retaining element to directly contact the feedback element when the force is applied to the button.
20 . The human interface device of claim 10 , wherein the feedback element is a dome switch configured to deform and provide haptic feedback when the force applied to the button translates the permanent magnet and the interference element toward the bottom of the cup such that the projection of the interference element directly contacts the dome switch with a sufficient force.