Six degrees of freedom graphics controller
Patent 5565891 Issued on October 15, 1996. Estimated Expiration Date: 
February 23, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
February 23, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent References D355901 Six degree of freedom hand controller Joystick controller apparatus Multi-axis trackball Manually-operated control device Control device having multiple degrees of freedom 5237311 X-Y direction input device Multi-dimensional input device Multidimensional signal input device Patent #: 5329276 InventorApplicationNo. 393459 filed on 02/23/1995US Classes:345/167, Trackball345/156DISPLAY PERIPHERAL INTERFACE INPUT DEVICEExaminersPrimary: Powell, Mark R.Assistant: Chow, Doon International ClassG09G 003/02AbstractA hand manipulated six degree of freedom controller wherein a partially exposed freely rotatable trackball within a carriage is movable in all linear directions relative to a stationary housing. The controller sends information describing rotation of the trackball about three mutually perpendicular axes referred to as yaw, pitch and roll, and information describing linear moment of the trackball along the axes to a host computer or like graphics generator and display for control of graphics. The controller includes the housing supporting the movable carriage, with the carriage supporting the trackball. The carriage is movably retained for allowing linear movement of the carriage and thus the trackball along the three mutually perpendicular axes independent of the housing. A portion of the carriage or the trackball is exposed to allow manual manipulation of the carriage position. Sensors are positioned for sensing linear moment of the carriage and thus the trackball relative to the housing and creating moment related information indicative of the direction of the sensed linear moment. Sensors are positioned for sensing rotation of the trackball relative to the carriage and thus housing, and creating rotational related information indicative of the rotation of the trackball about the axes.Other References
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