Non-contact Joystick Sensing via Magnetic, Capacitive, and Inductive Fields
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional joystick implementations require mechanical and electrical connections to a printed circuit board (PCB) for axial sensing, which imposes constraints and limits design flexibility, especially in compact device designs.
Innovation Solution
The use of magnetic, capacitive, and inductive electro-mechanical approaches that allow for non-contact sensing of joystick position through passive elements on a PCB, eliminating the need for direct mechanical and electrical connections, enabling a more compact and flexible design with additional space for other components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional mechanical and electrical connections are used for joystick sensing, then reliable position detection is achieved, but device compactness and design flexibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical and electrical connection systems with non-contact sensing systems. Specifically, it uses magnetic fields (magnets and magnetometers), capacitive coupling (capacitors and conductors), and inductive coupling (inductors and excitation components) to detect joystick position without physical connections to the PCB, thereby eliminating mechanical constraints while maintaining sensing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary fields (magnetic fields, electric fields, and electromagnetic fields) as mediators between the joystick and the sensing system. These fields transmit position information without requiring direct mechanical or electrical contact, enabling non-contact sensing that improves device compactness while maintaining reliable position detection
2Measurement precision
If mechanical connections are used for axial sensing, then accurate position measurement is achieved, but design versatility and assembly ease are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes mechanical sensing systems with field-based sensing systems. Magnetic sensors detect position through magnetic field interactions, capacitive sensors through electric field coupling, and inductive sensors through electromagnetic field coupling. These non-contact methods maintain measurement precision while significantly improving design versatility and assembly ease by eliminating mechanical connection requirements
3Reliability
If direct electrical connections are made to PCB, then stable signal transmission is achieved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces direct electrical connections with non-contact field-based signal transmission. Magnetic fields, electric fields, and electromagnetic fields serve as intermediaries to transmit position information from the joystick to the sensing components on the PCB without physical wire connections, thereby simplifying assembly while maintaining stable signal transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the electrical connection requirement from the sensing system by using non-contact field-based sensing. This eliminates the need for mechanical and electrical connections to the PCB, removing a source of complexity and potential failure points while maintaining reliable position detection through field interactions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides accurate axial sensing of joystick movement without mechanical constraints, allowing for a more compact and versatile design with increased space for larger components and improved assembly ease.
Implementation Method 1
a first magnetometer adjacently mounted on the printed circuit board from the first magnet and configured to output a first voltage relative to a rotation of the first axial output shaft and the first magnet
Implementation Method 2
a first external conductor adjoined to the first axial output shaft and rotatable on the first axial output shaft for changing the capacitance of the first capacitor
Implementation Method 3
a first excitation component adjoined to the first axial output shaft and rotatable on the first axial output shaft for changing the inductance of the first inductor
Data Source
AI summary
In non-limiting examples of the present disclosure, a user input device is provided. The user-input device may include non-contact magnetic, capacitive, or inductive components for translating movements of a joystick into angular positions. Magnets attached to axial shafts of a joystick assembly may cause changes in voltage in magnetometers on a PCB when the axial shafts are rotated, which may be translated into angular positions of the joystick. Conductors attached to axial shafts of a joystick assembly may cause changes in capacitive charge in capacitors on a PCB when the axial shafts are rotated, which may be translated into angular positions of the joystick. Anisotropic magnetically permeable material and/or excitation components attached to axial shafts of a joystick assembly may cause changes in inductance in inductors on a PCB when the axial shafts are rotated, which may be translated into angular positions of the joystick.