FR2532080A1 - POSITION TRANSDUCER, INPUT DEVICE FOR PLAYER, POSITION TRANSDUCER SYSTEM AND VIDEOJEU - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION CONCERNS A POSITION TRANSDUCER INTENDED IN PARTICULAR FOR A VIDEOGAME. THE TRANSDUCER 120 INCLUDES A FIRST INDUCTANCE 130 HAVING A MOVABLE CORE 132 AND A SECOND INDUCTANCE 140 HAVING A MOVABLE CORE 142 AND ORIENTED PERPENDICULARLY TO THE FIRST INDUCTANCE. ELEMENTS 152, 154 TRANSMIT THE MOVEMENTS OF A CONTROL LEVER 150, MOBILE IN ALL DIRECTIONS AROUND A POINT OF ARTICULATION, TO INDUCTANCES SO THAT THESE LATEST PRODUCE COORDINATE SIGNALS AND FORCE A SINUS-COSINUS TRANSDUCER ALLOWING TO CONTROL THE MOVEMENTS OF A CURSOR ON A VIDEO DISPLAY SCREEN. FIELD OF APPLICATION: VIDEOJEUX, ETC.

Description

The invention relates to position transducers, and more

particularly a device to

  interactive position transducers, associated in particular

to a video game.

  So far, position transducers and in particular control levers of the swing handle type have used multi-blade switches for the detection of end points.

  particularly for the purpose of

  For example, four-blade switches, two for the x-direction and two for the y-direction, were used with a video game to control the display of a slider on a tube. Cathodic ray In the

  non-video games, positron transducers

  have used a variable inductance connected to a lever to produce an oscillating output signal

  at a frequency proportional to the value of the

  The oscillating signal is then transmitted by a communication line to a remote controller which then counts the number of pulses from the oscillator to relate the frequency of the oscillator.

  the oscillator with the position information

  However, this operating mode raises

  many problems such as those posed by energy

  high radiation and the associated problems of

  In addition, connecting the multiple outputs of the oscillator to the remote controller can cause cross-talk between the signals.

  oscillations and interference between induc-

  variables present in the oscillator circuits

  Many attempts to solve this problem are described in US Patent No. 4,148,014, wherein a rubbing network of finger contacts is disposed between the lever of the

  broomstick and each of the cursorsx and y networks.

  The output signal of the joystick is a multiple bit word with digital coding, corresponding to

  one of a predefined number (for example 16) of posi-

  possiblepositions (and in the same way y) of the handle to

  These digital words are transmitted to a controller

  1 Q their distance which correlates the movement of the joystick with the movement of a cursor on a cathode ray tube.

  process is relatively expensive and the characteristics

  The ability to obtain a response from the joystick is limited. Although this device reduces radiation interference and electromagnetic interference radiation, it does so at the cost of multiple digital control lines for each of the outputs. x and y directions to be connected over the distance between the joystick and the controller. Other types of prior position transducers include absolute function generators such as sine-cosine transducers based on encoders. For example, an encoder Gray code may consist of rings and rubbers such that a movement of a control button causes the emission of a signal in Gray code corresponding to the position of the rubbers or sliders along the rings The disadvantage of this type of transducers is the tendency to wear, the need to use multiple output lines representing the encoded output signal, and a relatively high cost In order to eliminate the wear problem, optical encoders have been used, for example an xy slotted ball slot encoder. However, this type of device requires two optical detectors on each axis of motion, and the optical encoders are expensive. In addition, logic is needed to determine the

  number of revolutions to calculate the counting direction.

  The typical output signal of the slot encoder is a clock pulse and a data pulse resulting from the movement of the rolling ball or other control lever. This type of encoder is a relative encoder, without a physical zero point. The relative encoder has only limited fields of application and the high cost, which is added to the need for a logical support circuit, reduces it.

even more use.

  The object of the invention is therefore to eliminate many of the disadvantages of the devices of the prior art.

  to transmit position data with a reso-

  relatively high resolution of the

  remote controller using a signal

  low frequency, so as to minimize the problems

  interference and radio frequency interference

electromagnetic interference.

  In accordance with one of the forms of

  invention of the invention, a joystick with multi-axis

  ples comprises a lever, two inductors each comprising a movable core and producing an output signal in response to a movement of the associated core, and a linkage for transmitting the movement of the lever, in an associated direction, to an associated core to produce In one embodiment, the inductors are part of a pulse generator circuit. In another embodiment, the inductors are part of an oscillator circuit that produces an oscillating output signal. The two oscillating circuits can be transmitted in parallel to respective counter-counters which are remotely reset (by means of a remote controller) and which produce an output signal when a predefined count is reached.

  Oscillators can be validated / invalidated selectively

  and connected sequentially to a single counter that can be reset to zero

  two output signals in a modula-

  pulse width with time multiplexing

  Thus, the output signal of the counter is reduced to a frequency lower than that of the output signal of the oscillator, so that a low-frequency signal transmitted to the remote controller in a form of realization, the multi-axis joystick is part of a video game comprising a visual and means for displaying the action of the video game and a movement of

  least part of the display in response to data

  In a further embodiment, the multi-axis joystick is provided in a further embodiment of the pulse or output signals of the counters.

  produces output signals with characteristics

  Thus, a movement of part of the action displayed by the video game responds in fact to 360 position data from the multi-axis joystick. In addition, in another embodiment, means are provided for transforming the data of the joystick into

  acceleration data, which in the video game

  evokes an accelerated movement of part of the action displayed in response to the movement of the joystick or

control lever.

  The invention will be described in more detail in

  with reference to the accompanying drawings as examples none

  FIG. 1A is a simplified diagram of a position transducer according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figures 1B and 1C are perspective views of alternative embodiments of the physical device illustrating the position transducer of Figure 1A; Figs. 2A and 2B illustrate various embodiments of the elements indicated at 100 and in Fig. 1A; FIG. 3A is an electrical diagram of an embodiment of a transduction device of FIG.

  position based on inductance, producing impulse

  this transduction device may correspond to

  to one or other of the elements 100 and 110 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B; FIG. 3B is an electrical diagram of a

  position transducer intended to produce an impulse

  with an oscillator based on an inductive

  variable and a counter, this diagram illustrating another embodiment of the position transducer as indicated in 100 or 110 in Figures A and 1 B; Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of a multi-axis joystick or joystick, illustrating a parallel oscillator and meter device, adapted for parallel operation; Figure 4B is a schematic diagram of a multiaxis joystick or joystick illustrating a parallel oscillator and single counter device for sequential time division multiplex operation; Figure 5 is a detailed electrical diagram of the device shown in Figure 4A; and Figs. 6A and 6B are detailed electrical diagrams of the device shown in Fig. 4B. Fig. 1A shows a position transducer, namely an input reactive transducer for transforming a user's actions into position data signals It includes a

  transducer 120 input reagent for transforming

  actions of a user in first and second analog signals 122 and 123, respectively, and

  first and second elements 100 and 110 for

  derive respective output pulses having a width which varies according to the first and second

  analog signals from the user, respectively.

  The reactive input transducer can take

  many forms, as described below.

  Figure 1B is a perspective view of a

  physical embodiment of a transducer

  The position transducer is constituted by a first inductor 130 having a first movable core 132 and intended to produce a first signal proportional to the position of this first core, and a second inductor 140 having a second mobile core 142 and intended to produce a second signal

  proportional to the position of the second nucleus

  position transducer further comprises a control lever 150 for moving at least one of the first and second cores 132 and 142, respectively, in response to external stimulation, for example a

  physical movement of the lever under the action of a player.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, the control lever 150 comprises elements 152 and 154 intended to transmit the physical movement of this lever.

  command to each of the first and second cores.

  FIG. 1C is a perspective view of another embodiment of the input transducer 120 shown in FIG. 1A. The position transducer comprises a button 160 and an axis 162 connected to this button, at a point offset from his center The

  position transducer further comprises a first

  first inductor 130 having a first movable core

  132 and intended to produce a first proportional signal

  the first core, and a second inductor 140 having a second movable core 142 and for producing a second signal proportional to the position of the second core elements 172 and 174 constitute a linkage transmitting the movement of the button 160, by intermediate of the axis 162, to the first and second cores, respectively, to cause a corresponding movement of the nuclei 132

  and 142 within the respective windings of the.

  Thus, this embodiment of the position transducer, using a button which connects the nuclei with an axis, can replace a

  broom handle x-y of the lever type, and also constitutes

  angular transducer, for example a trans-

  driver establishing a sinus-cosine relationship.

  Figures 2A and 2B show variances

  of the reactive part of the input transducer 120.

  The reactive part may consist of variable inductances each having a movable core as shown in FIG. 2A, or, alternatively, they may

  be made up of variable capacitors such as

  FIGS. 3A and 3B show other methods of producing output signals based on FIG.

  movements of a nucleus in a variable inductance.

  It should be noted that these circuits can also use variable capacitors, and even variable resistors. However, in the case of a video game, variable inductance is a cost-effective component, with excellent reliability and a good feel for video. user, and thus it will constitute the variable transducer component shown and described below The elements 100 and 110 may be

  identical or different in the forms of

  represented in Figures 4 A, 4 B and 5, they

  are identical The elements 100 and 110 can pro-

  either a continuous output pulse, as shown in FIG. 3A, or an oscillating output signal that can be converted into pulses of

  output by a counter / divider circuit, as

  shown in Figure 3B, this circuit interacting with

an external controller.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the inductive

  variable 221 of the reactive transducer emiter is connected by a switch 215 or to the voltage

  positive supply Vcc, either GND ground.

  The other end of the variable inductor is connected to a resistor 224 and to the direct input of a

  amplifier 226 The inverting input of the amplifier

  The indicator 226 is connected to a reference voltage

  Vref which determines the threshold at which the amplification

  switch to output the output pulse.

  The other end of the resistor 224 is connected to ground In operation, when the power

  is applied (the voltage Vcc being applied to the

  221), no current flows initially through the inductor, and the initial output voltage of the amplifier 226 is at the ground potential. The time required for the necessary current to rise and flow through the ground. the inductance 221 is proportional to the value of the inductance which, itself, depends on the position of the core in the core of the inductor 221. When the latter is traversed by a sufficient current which then passes into the resistor 224, a voltage is produced across the latter which is applied to the direct input of the amplifier 226 When the voltage at the direct input of the amplifier 226 exceeds the reference voltage Vref (at the inverting input of the amplifier 226), the output of the amplifier 226 is brought to a high voltage level, thereby producing the pulse. The time interval between the connection of the inductor 221 to the voltage Vcc and the switching of the output of the amplifier 226 at a high voltage level is proportional to the value of the variable inductance 221 which, itself, depends on the position of the core in the core of the inductor 221, this position of the core being in In this connection, the time interval represents a position data that can be used by a distant (or local) external system, for example a video game. FIG. 3B shows another embodiment of a device intended to produce a

  signal proportional to the position of the core of the in-

  variable ductance, this embodiment of the element 100 or 110 comprising a circuit which combines an oscillator and a counter A tuning element

  variable, namely an inductor 251, regulates the frequency

  oscillating frequency of an oscillator 253 which produces an oscillating output signal 254 The output signal

  254 is applied to the clock input of a counter 255.

  A repositioning signal 256 is also applied

  than the counter 255, the repositioning signal selectively reducing to a predetermined value, by

  example zero, the account stored in the counter.

  The account stored in the counter is incremented

  by the output signal of the oscillator, and the

  produces a signal 257 when the cumulative value

  in the counter increments to a pre-

  defined, for example when the accumulation reaches an output value The use of the counter 255 with the oscillator 253 and the variable inductance 251 makes it possible to use a smaller induction coil 251 while producing an output signal at low frequency So even though the coil

  251, smaller, oscillates the oscillation

  253 at a frequency higher than that which would be obtained with a larger coil, the counter 255 divides the frequency by the factor of the predefined counting value Z, so that a low alternative output frequency is obtained. a large induction coil 251 could be used, in which case the counter 255 would not be necessary, to obtain the same output frequency. However, the smaller size coil is more practical and cost much less than the a big coil.

  Figure 4A shows a video game used

  an x-y position transducer with parallel output

  The video game consists of a video display 340, a controller 330, counters 321 and 323, oscillators 307 and 309, variable inductors 303 and 305 and a mechanism 301 with control lever and linkage. The 301 lever mechanism

  and linkage constitutes, with the variable inductances

  303 and 305, the oscillators 307 and 309 and the

  counters 321 and 323, an input transducer

  to convert the physical movements of a player into a group of pulses, of variable width,

  multiple coordinates Each of the inductors varies

  303 and 305 are an inductance in the core of which an associated moving core is mounted, as illustrated in FIG. 1 B Oscillators 307 and 309 are intended to produce an associated coordinated signal

  frequency proportional to the position of the

  respective kernel associated with respect to the heart

  associated oscillators, with the oscillators forming

  321 and 323, respectively, means for

  to produce a signal comprising pulse widths

  variable, proportional to the position of the

  corresponding core relative to the corresponding core.

  The control lever and linkage mechanism 301 provides a means for transmitting the physical movements of a player to each of the respective cores associated with the variable inductors 303 and 305 so that the user can position the

  nuclei within the first and second induc-

  by moving the control lever

  their 330 comprises a logical sequencing circuit for transmitting a control signal of the visual according to the movements of the transducer

  the video player 340 offers a pre-

  visualization of the game action in response, at least in part, to said control signal from the logical sequencing circuit 330

  330 may consist of a central unit

  processing trunk 332 and a memory 334, as well as associated control logic, or else

may include other circuits.

  The counters 321 and 323 may comprise means forcing, at a predetermined value (for example zero), the cumulation stored in these counters, in response to a corresponding repositioning signal, as described above with reference to FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 4A, the repositioning signals 326 and 328 of the counters 321 and 323, respectively, originate from the controller 330 which also receives the output signals 322 and 324 from the counters 321 and 323, respectively As previously described in FIG. With reference to FIG. 3B, the output signals of the counters may indicate that a predetermined accumulation is achieved. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A, the controller 330 emits a signal 304 and 302 of shunt

  to each of the oscillators 307 and 309, respectively

  selectively disable the associated oscillator with the aid of said shunt signal. In this way, the oscillator 307 can

  be selectively blocked, while the other oscillates

  309 can be validated during a first

  time range, and this oscillator 309 can be

  selectively blocked, while the first oscilla-

  307 is enabled during a second time interval. In the illustrated embodiment, the first time interval is at least equal to the time between the first signal 326.

-2532080

  repositioning or the first bypass signal 304 and the output signal 322 of the first counter, and the second time interval is at least equal to the time between the second reset signal 328 or the second bypass signal 302 and the signal 324

output of the second counter -

  FIG. 4B represents a video game, such as

  the one shown in Figure 4A, which uses a transduc-

  The video game of FIG. 4B comprises a video display 340, a controller 330 (which can consist of a central processing unit 332 and

  of a memory 334 or other logic circuit), cir-

  oscillating furnaces 357 and 359 selectively validated, associated variable inductors 353 and 355, a counter 370, a control logic 375 and a control lever mechanism 301 The control lever mechanism 301 constitutes, together with the variable inductors 303 and 305 and the oscillators 357 and 359, an input transducer that can be selectively manipulated by a player and for converting the movement of the control lever into an output signal in multiple coordinates. With the counter 370 and the logic 375 order,

  a sequential pulse train of multi-output

  temporal plexing, representing a group of pulses of variable width, in multiple coordinates The oscillators 357 and 359 are validated alternately and exclusively by respective signals 354 and 352 of validation, respectively Each of the variable inductors 353 and 355 consists of an inductance associated with a mobile core housed in the core of the inductor Oscillators 357 and 359,

  validated, constitute a means of

  both to produce an associated coordinate signal having a frequency proportional to the respective associated core position relative to the core of the associated inductance The controller 330 produces ENA and ENB enable signals which alternately select and validate the oscillator 359 or the Oscillator 357, respectively, via control logic 375 Only one of the ENA and ENB enable signals is active at any given instant, so that only one of the oscillators 359 and 357 is validated at any time any control logic 375 produces a repositioning pulse 374 applied to the repositioning input of the counter 370 when none of the ENA and ENB enable signals is active Alternatively, the repositioning signal

  374 can be produced directly by the controller 330.

  Thus, during operation, the counter 370 is repositioned before the validation of one or the other of the oscillators, the repositioning signal 374 being brought to an inactive level in response to the arrival at a

  active level of one or other of the validation signals

  The counter is thus repositioned and counts to the predetermined value to output an output count 372 transmitted to the controller 330, in sequence, under the control of each of the oscillators 357 and 359. In this manner, the counter 37 work

  in time sharing between oscillators 357 and 359.

  In a preferred embodiment, the

  control lever of the lever mechanism 301 and trin-

  Glerie can be moved about 3600 around a central pivot point, and the linkage allows the tuning elements of the variable inductors 303 and 305 to vary in response to the movement of the control lever. The output signals 306 and 308 oscillators and / or the output signals 322 and 324 of the counters constitute coordinate signals defining the position of the control lever in the 360 displacement plane around the central hinge point. The controller 330 delivers coordinate signals which define the position of the control lever in the 360 movement plane around the central articulation point, in response to the output signals of the first and second counters. The controller 330 provides a means for controlling the display based on the coordinate signals, so that a position of a portion of the display of the display can be changed according to the coordinate signals. Thus, the position of the display presented by the visual can be changed

  in a movement plane of 3600 on the visual, cor-

  corresponding to the movement plane 360 of the control lever In addition, the controller 330 and the visual 340

  1 S can vary the rhythm of the movement of the

  In this way, the speed, acceleration and position of the images presented by the display can be controlled according to the

  According to the invention, the position transducer

  Accordingly, the device shown in FIG. 4 allows the video display to be modified in response to the associated coordinate signals of the first and second sets of inductors. In another embodiment of one or the other of the devices shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the controller 330 comprises elements

  intended to produce first and second numerical words

  output with several distinct values

  according to first and second coordinate signals

  In addition, means may be provided for producing one of a plurality of multi-bit data words in accordance with the coordinate signals associated with each of the variable inductors. For example, the time interval between the repositioning pulse and the reached accumulation pulse can be associated with one of several binary values corresponding to one of several positions of the nucleus

  in the heart of the variable inductance.

  To increase the resolution of the angular rotation for the same number of bits, the sine-cosine coding technique of transducers, representing a

  Another aspect of the present invention may be

  Any type of variable chord element can be used with this technique, including

  a variable inductance or resistance

  I O tance variable in the oscillator circuit variable.

  However, the description will relate to inductances

  variables as illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B.

  When both inductors are oriented perpendicularly

  Cultively (transversely) to each other as shown in Fig. 1B, the output signals are in sinus and cosine mutual relation and they can be produced as a multi-bit (digital) binary value. truncated sine-cosine encoding uses the fact that the sine (or cosine) value and the polarity of the other output signal (cosine or sine) define the cosine value

  corresponding sine, oriented perpendicularly

  Since the sine and the cosine are out of phase by 900, when one value changes rapidly, the other changes slowly O Thus, truncating the signal in its slow change part and using this value to indicate the polarity, the value of the other signal, oriented perpendicularly,

  can be used as the primary resolution value.

  Thus, the polarity and the primary resolution value give sufficient information to determine a secondary resolution value corresponding to the truncated output signal, which gives the sine and cosine values. For example, at all values above 0, 7 of the peak value in the plus direction and in the minus direction, from the other perpendicularly oriented value, are read in detail for the resolution, the angular resolution can be increased in rotation, for the same number of resolved bits , using the polarity of a first value (sine or cosine) and the resolution of the other value (cosine or sine) to determine the two values.

  In any of the forms of

  described above with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B,

  there are plans to speed up the movement of

  part of the video display depending on the

  rate of change per predetermined time interval

  coordinate signals associated with the first and second sets of inductors, such as

output 322 and 324 meters.

  FIG. 5 is a detailed circuit diagram of the oscillator circuits and counters shown in FIG. 4A. A first variable inductor 405

  with capacitors CI, C 2 and C 3, resists

  RI, R 2 and R 3 and a transistor QI, an oscillating circuit 401 which produces a signal oscillating at a frequency varying as a function of the variable inductance 405 The resistor Ri applies the positive supply voltage Vcc (for example 5 volts ) to the components

  of the oscillating circuit 401 Thus, a terminal of the resistor

  ratio Ri is connected to the power supply of 5 volts, while the other terminal is connected to a

  junction point of other components of the oscillating circuit

  401, and at an output 504 of the oscillator connected to the clock input of a counting device including cascaded counters 407, 409, and 411 to functionally form a single counter in the embodiment shown in FIG. FIG. 5 A derivation signal 500, coming from an external controller (not shown in FIG. 5, for example the controller 330 of FIGS. 4A and 4B), is transmitted via a buffer amplifier 432 and a gate 403 at the junction of the output of the oscillator and the resistor Ri to selectively shunt the junction of the resistor Ri and the remaining oscillator circuit to ground;

  thus suppressing the energy supply of the oscil-

  However, when the oscillator 401 is not inverted by the shunt signal 500, its output 504 is

  connected to the clock input of the counter 407 and trans-

  puts clock pulses at this counter The most significant bit of the output signal of counter 407

  is cascaded to the clock input of the

  409 and, in a similar manner, the most significant bit of the output signal of the counter 409 is cascaded to the clock input of the counter 411.

  the most significant bit of the output signal of the

  411 is transmitted through a gate 421 as an output signal of the first counter to be transmitted to the remote controller (not shown in FIG. 5). A repositioning signal 520 from the remote controller (FIG. not shown in FIG. 5, for example the controller 330 of FIGS. 4A and 4B) is applied via a gate 450 to the erasing inputs of the counters 407, 409 and 411 to selectively reposition the counters to a account or cumulative value previously defined (for example

zeros everywhere).

  The second oscillator and counter stage of FIG. 5 is mounted and operates in parallel with the first oscillator and counter stage, as described above with reference to FIG.

  oscillator 402 consists of a variable inductance

  416, of capacitors Cl1, C12 and C13, of resistance

  R 12, R 13 and R 11, and a transistor Q 2, the resistor R 11 being connected between the positive voltage supply, at one end, and the junction of the output of the oscillator and other components of the

  oscillating circuit 402 A second signal 501 lde derivative

  from the remote controller (not shown in Figure 5) is applied through a

  buffer amplifier 431 and a gate 404 at the junction

  output of the oscillator output 502 and the resistor R 1 1, to selectively shunt this junction to the ground and thereby cut off the power supply of the

  oscillating circuit and put its output to ground.

  This has the effect of invalidating the oscillator under

  Bypass signal 501 When the signal of

  501 is inactive, that is, when the os-

  402 is working, the signal of its output 502 is applied to the clock input of a counter 406 which is cascaded with counters 408 and

  412, as previously described for the

  407, 409 and 411, the most significant bit of the output signal of the counter 412 being transmitted by a buffer circuit 422 as an output signal.

  from the second counter to the remote controller (not shown

* shown in FIG. 5), for example the controller 330 of FIGS. 4A and 4B) The counters 407, 409, 411,

  406, 408 and 412 can be achieved by means of cir-

  conventional digital embedded cookies, for example transistor-transistor logic devices of the

SN 7493 or SN 74393.

  Selective shunting of oscillators 401

  and 402 is used to eliminate the problem of

  induction coils placed perpendicularly

  each other, such as those used in

  in the illustrated embodiment of a

  broom handle x-y with associated inductive

  Variations 405 and 416 By this method,

  two variable inductors can work inde-

  without affecting or varying each other

  their value, an oscillator being for this purpose

  shunted while the other is validated, and vice versa.

  The use of variable inductors in the interactive joystick transducer has many practical advantages while improving the resolution over the prior art joystick using blade switches and other techniques. For example, the symmetry of the core in the core of the inductors does not affect the value of the inductance of the coil unless the

  heart has physical wear reaching the thread.

  In addition, the use of a ferrous core in a glass-filled mass increases the reliability and reduces the wear to negligible levels. Thus, greater reliability and an increase in the average time of operation compared to sleeves to

brooms or conventional levers.

  The method and apparatus for converting the joystick coordinate output signals (e.g., meter output signals) to one of several values provides a much higher resolution, according to the invention, than the

  be obtained with broomsticks of the ancient art.

  using blade switches.

  According to one aspect of the invention, the pulse width, as determined from the repositioning pulse, the shunt signal and the accumulated hit signal, can receive one of several values. within a certain range, or may receive a value less than or greater than the range. For example, a counter (or clock) associated with the remote controller may

  count up to a first defined value

  denies in advance (for example, 256 accounts, which represents the lower limit of the range, and it can give a value indication below the range if the accumulated value is included in the first 256 accounts Otherwise, the value indication below the range is eliminated and

  the clock-counter assembly again counts

  at the previously defined value If the received pulse is included in this second counting range, the value of the count is representative of the position of the broomstick and the core in the core of the variable inductance, and is indicated in the form of a signal included in the range However, if the received pulse exceeds the second count of the value previously defined, an indication of exceeding the range is given,

  and the account resumes towards the previously defined value.

  By using this representation technique, the linearity is increased and the range of the pulse widths (for example at a ratio of 2 to 1 of the variation of the inductance) can be limited. Since the core and the core determine the reel range, motion

  of the kernel determines the range of pulse widths.

  By limiting the range of pulse widths to a ratio

  2 to 1 or 3 to 1, the linearity and

  resolution with both an indication of value exceeding

  the beach, of lower value than the beach and

value included in the range.

  Figs. 6A and 6B show a detailed electrical diagram of an embodiment of a particular electrical circuit of a position transducer as shown in Fig. 4B. The circuit shown in Figs. 6A and 6B differs in many points from that of Figure 5 First, the particular electronic circuit used for oscillators

  is different Then, the control signals circulate

  between the controller, on the one hand, and the oscillator-

  6 Third, the device shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B uses parallel oscillators used in time division multiplexing, sharing a counter. FIGS. 6A and 6B differ from those of FIG. unique, which

  gives a temporal multiplexing device with modula-

  pulse width, while the device of Figure 5 uses parallel oscillators and parallel counters, and produces either pulses in parallel or temporal multiplexing by control

  selective oscillators as previously described.

  In addition, the oscillators of FIG. 6A are

relaxation oscillators.

  FIG. 6A shows in particular and in detail that, in the electrical circuit, an oscillator 357 and an associated inductance 353, an oscillator 359 and an associated inductance 355, resistors 361 and

  362 in series and a counter 370 (FIG.

  The equivalents of controller 330 and control logic 375 of FIG. 4B are illustrated in FIG. 6B. As shown in FIG.

  Oscillators are of identical design and include

  each of the selectively validated tri-state Schmitt toggle buffers,

  reaction resistors, a capacitor of a Mortise-

  In addition, a damping and isolation resistor is connected in series to the output of the oscillator before the common junction of the oscillator outputs on the counter input. The oscillators are represented as consisting of tri-state inverted Schmitt rocker amplifiers selectively validated by a

  three-state output signal, for example a

  transistor type transistor (TTL) type 74 L 5240,

  or a device of the semiconductor oxide-type

  Complementary symmetry metal (CMOS) 74 SC 240, both of these devices being standardized, commercially available integrated circuits The upper oscillator of Figure 6A is made up of Schmitt rocker amplifiers 519 and 521. amplifier 519 is connected to the input of amplifier 521 and to a first terminal of variable inductance 518.

  output of the amplifier 521 is connected to a first

  first end of a resistor R 22 and at a first end of a resistor R 23 which is a series damping resistor for connecting, via a node 516 connected to the output of the oscillator, the Schmitt rocker 521 at the entrance of the

  counter 540 The resistance R 22 and the variable inductance

  518 are connected to each other by their other end and at one end of a resistor R 21

  whose other end is connected to the entrance to the

  A capacitor C 21 is mounted between the ground and the junction of the input of the amplifier 519 and the resistor R 21 and provides, with the resistor R 21, damping in order to limit the range of frequency variation. of the output signal of the oscillator under the action of the variable inductance 518 The capacitor C 21 is not essential to

  oscillation and is optional, depending on the applica-

  and the needs of the device A validation signal

  ENA, present at 522, when it is at the active low level, selectively enables the Schmitt rocker amplifiers 519 and 521 to take an active state to allow the higher oscillator to operate and transmit, via of the resistor R 23, an output signal at the node 516 which is connected to the clock input of the counter 540 A signal 542 of

  repositioning, applied to the repositioning input

  counter 540, returns the latter to a previously defined count value (for example zero) before the validation of the upper oscillator When the counter 540 reaches a previously defined count,

  it produces an output signal 544 returned to a controller

  as shown in 550 in Figure 6 B. The operation and realization of the lower oscillator are identical to those of the higher oscillator just described,

  amplifiers 530 and 531 with Schmitt rockers correspond to

  at the amplifiers 519 and 521, resistors R 31, R 32 and R 33 corresponding to the resistors R 21, R 22

  and R 23, a capacitor C 31 corresponding to the capacitor

  C 21, a variable inductance 517 corresponding to the variable inductance 518 and the signal ENB present at 532 corresponding to the signal ENA present in 522 As

  previously described for the operation of the oscil-

  With the counter 540, the repositioning signal 542 applied to the repositioning input of the counter 540 selectively reverts it to a previously defined value prior to enabling the lower oscillator, so that the counter

  540 produces an output signal 544 when the

  The lower counter has incremented the counter, with the aid of clock pulses, a predetermined number of times to reach a previously defined count or cumulative value. The resistors R 33 and R 23 are connected in common to the junction 516. and at the clock input of the counter 540 This is not a problem because only one oscillator is enabled at any given instant, the other oscillator constituting an impedance load

  raised through the damping resistance

  In series, connected to the junction 516 1 As shown in FIG. 6B, the controller 550 produces two output signals ENA 551 and ENB 552. Only one of these output signals is active at any given instant, the two output signals becoming inactive before the other output signal becomes itself active The control logic consists of NOR gates 555, 556 and 557 These gates 555, 556 and 557 may be part of the position transducer remote from the controller 550, or the 550 controller The doors

  555 and 557 act as inverters, and can

  may be replaced by such elements in order to

  convert the signals ENA and ENB, 551 and 552, respectively

  in the signals ENA / and ENB /, 522 and 532, respec-

  The NOR gate 556 logically transmits the ENA signal 551 and the ENB signal 552 to produce an output signal 542.

  repositioning only when both-.

  ENA and ENB signals 551 and 552 are in an inactive state.

  The display output signal 542, applied to the repositioning input of the counter 540, is

  therefore normally active, which has the effect of

  When either oscillator is disabled by one of the ENA signals or

  ENB 551 and 552, respectively, the repeating signal 542

  sitioning is forced to an inactive level, which allows counter 540 to count up to the previously defined value and produce

  the output signal 544 returned to the controller 550 -

  As previously described, the two signals ENA and ENB are brought to an inactive level before the validation

  of either of the upper and lower oscillators

  Therefore, the 540 counter is

  repositioned between the validations of the two oscilla-

  which ensures the production of a suitable signal

  544 out of the meter during all phases

circuit operation.

  The use of a relaxation oscillator as shown for the oscillators of the figure

  6 A increases the dynamic range of frequency variation

  according to a fixed variation of an inductive

  However, it is possible to use other types of oscillating circuits, including circuits and elements, which can be used with other types of oscillators.

  different variables according to the invention.

  Although various embodiments of position transducers and video games using position transducers have been described, to illustrate an advantageous mode of use of

  invention, it goes without saying that many changes

  may be made to the device described and

  shown without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (43)

  A position transducer, characterized in that it comprises a first inductor (130) having a first movable core (132), means for producing a first signal proportional to the position of the first core, a second inductor (140) having a second movable core (142), means for producing a second signal proportional to the position of the second core, and a control lever (150) for moving at least one of the first and second cores   in response to an external stimulus.   2 transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (152, r 154) for transmitting the movement of the lever of   command to each of the first and second cores.   Position transducer characterized in that it comprises a first inductor (130) having a first movable core (132), means for producing a first signal proportional to the position of the first core, a second inductor (140) having a   second mobile core (142), means for   a second signal proportional to the position of the second core, and a control button (160) for   move the first and second nuclei into   perpendicular to each other under the effect of a rotation of this command button.   Transducer according to one of the claims   1 and 3, characterized in that it further comprises means (100, 110) for producing first and second output pulses in response to the first and second second signals, respectively -   Transducer according to one of the claims   1 and 3, characterized in that it further comprises means (307, 309) for producing first and second periodic waveforms each having a periodicity which varies according to the first and second second signals, respectively.   Transducer according to claim 5, characterized in that it further comprises a counting device (321, 323) for producing output signals in response to a count of the transitions of said first and second periodic waveforms. 7 transducer according to claim 6, characterized in that it further comprises a device (330) for repositioning the counting device   in response to a repositioning signal.   Transducer according to claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises a device (330) for selectively enabling said repositioning device to produce alternately and exclusively each of said first and second periodic waveforms, one of the two periodic waveforms not being emitted while the other is transmitted, and vice versa, means (330) being for transmitting the repositioning signal   before each validation of one or the other   first and second periodic waveforms.   9 Transducer according to claim 5, characterized in that it further comprises first and second counters (321, 323) for producing first and second respective signals in response to a count of the transitions of the first and second forms   periodic waves, respectively.   Transducer according to one of the claims   1 and 4, characterized in that it further comprises   means (100, 110) for producing first and   second output pulses each having a width which varies according to said first and second signals, respectively. Transducer according to claim 9,   characterized in that it further comprises a provision   (330) intended to reposition the first and   second counters in response to a repositioning signal ment. 25320 & O   12. Transducer according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises a device (330) for shunting the operation of the first and second inductances in response to a shunt signal.   13 Entrance device for a player,   characterized in that it comprises means for transforming the one-player motions into a multi-coordinate group of pulses of variable width, said means comprising at least first and second sets of inductances (303, 305) each comprising an inductor (130, 140) having an associated movable core (132, 142) and an associated core to produce an   associated signal of coordinates having a width of im-   proportional to the position of the nucleus corres-   corresponding to the corresponding core, and means (301) for transmitting the movements of the   player at each of the respective kernels so that the use   the user can position the kernels in the first first and second sets of inductors.   Position transducer for a gaming device, characterized in that it comprises a   an input reactive transducer (120) for transmitting   forming the actions of a user in first and second analog signals, a first element (100) for producing an output pulse having a   variable width in response to the first signal of -   the user, and a second member (110) for producing an output pulse having a width   variable in response to the second signal of the user.   Transducer according to claim 14, characterized in that the input transducer comprises first and second sets of inductors each having a variable inductance (130, 140) having a mobile core (132, 142).   Transducer according to claim 14, characterized in that the input transducer is   consisting of first and second variable capacitors.   17 Position transducer for communicating   with a remote device (330), characterized in that "it comprises an oscillating device (253) having a variable tuning element (251) and intended to produce an oscillating output signal whose frequency varies according to the variable tuning element, a device   Counting (255) having a repositioning entry (256)   intended to force a predetermined account   said counting device, the latter comprising   also a clock input (254) for   incrementation of this counting device which pro-   output signal (257) when it is incremented to a previously defined value, means transmitting the output signal of the remote device counting.   Transducer according to claim 17, characterized in that the remote device emits the repositioning signal.   19 Transducer according to claim 17, characterized in that it further comprises means for selectively inhibiting the output signal   oscillating in response to a selection signal.   Position transducer system, characterized in that it comprises a controller (330) for transmitting first and second signals of   validation, a first oscillator (307) having a first   first variable tuning element (303) for selectively producing an output signal in response to said first enable signal at a frequency dependent on said first variable tuner element, a second oscillator (309) having a second component   variable agreement (305) and intended to produce   a second output signal in response to the second enable signal, at a frequency dependent on the second variable tuning element, means (330) for transmitting a repositioning signal in response to the first and second enable signals, a counting device (321, 323) having means for forcing said counting device into a predetermined count in response to said repositioning signal, the counting device incrementing in response to one or the other other first and second oscillating signals, the counting device outputting a count output signal when   is incremented to a previously defined value.   The system of claim 20, characterized   in that the controller further comprises a first   first element intended to emit a first digital   in response to the time interval between the first   the first enable signal and the output signal of the   count, and a second element intended for   send a second digital signal in response to the   time interval between the second validation signal   and the output signal of the counting device.   System according to claim 20, characterized   characterized in that it further comprises a device (340) for producing a display of which at least a portion varies according to the output signal of the counting device.   System according to claim 20, characterized   characterized in that said portion of the display moves on the display device at a rate proportional to the output signal of the counting device. A position transducer system, characterized in that it comprises a controller (330) for producing first and second repositioning signals and for receiving first and second counter output signals, a first oscillator (307) having a first variable chord element (303)   and intended to produce an output signal at a frequency of   which depends on this first variable tuning element, a first counter (321) comprising   means intended to bring by force, to a predefined account   completed, said first counter in response to said first   first repositioning signal, the first counter   incrementing in response to the output signal of the first   oscillator, and being adapted to produce the first output signal when it is incremented to a first predetermined value, a second oscillator (309) having a second variable tuning element (305) and for generating a second output signal at a frequency dependent on said second variable chord element, a second counter (323) having means for forcing said second counter to a predetermined count in response to the second repositioning signal, the second counter incrementing in response to the output signal of the second oscillator, and producing said second counter output signal when it is incremented to a second defined value, the system further comprising means (322, 324) for transmitting the first and second output signals from the meters to the controller.   System according to one of the claims 20   and 24, characterized in that the first and second   Variable chord elements are inductors.   26. The system of claim 24, wherein   characterized in that the controller further comprises a first element for transmitting a first digital signal in response to the time interval between the first repositioning signal and the output signal of the first counter, and a second element for transmitting a first digital signal in response to the time interval between the first repositioning signal and the output signal of the first counter; second digital signal in response to the time interval between the second repositioning signal and the output signal of the second counter.   The system of claim 24, characterized   characterized in that it further comprises a device (340) for producing a display of which at least a portion varies in response to the output signals of the first and second counters.   28 System according to any one of the   20, 21, 22 and 27, characterized in that said portion of the display moves on the display device at a speed proportional to the   output signals of the first and second counters.   29 System according to any one of the   24, 26 and 27, characterized in that it further comprises a control lever (150), and means (301) for varying the first and second variable tuning elements in response to the movement the control lever.   System according to claim 24, characterized   in that it also includes means for   to selectively inhibit the output signal of the second oscillator and to validate the output signal of the first oscillator during a first interval   of time, and means for selectively inhibiting   the output signal of the first oscillator and to validate the output signal of the second oscillator   during a second time interval.   31 A system according to claim 30, characterized   characterized in that the first time interval is between the first repositioning signal and the output signal of the first counter, and in that the second time interval is between the second repositioning signal and the signal output of the second counter.   System according to one of the claims   and 24, characterized in that it further comprises a control lever (150) which can be moved   physically about 3600 around a central point of   and means (301) for varying the first and second chord elements -en   function of the movement of the control lever.   33 System according to claim 32, characterized in that it further comprises means   intended to emit signals of defined coordinates   the position of the control lever on the movement   360 around the central articulation point, in response to said output signal of the counting device, or to the output signals of said first and second counters.   34 A system according to claim 33, characterized   characterized in that it further comprises a visual (340) for producing a visual presentation whose position of a part varies according to the signals coordinates.   System according to claim 34,   in that said part of the presentation   occupies a position that varies in a movement plan.   3600, corresponding to the movement of the control lever.   36 The system of claim 34, wherein   in that the speed of variation of the posi-   This is proportional to the movement of the control lever. The system of claim 33, taken with claim 20, characterized in that the   coordinate signals define several posi-   movements of each of those ele-   tuning instruments from the central point articulation of the lever.   38. The system of claim 24, wherein   in that the controller further comprises   means for transmitting a first digital signal   in response to the time between the first repositioning signal and the output signal of the first counter, and means for transmitting a second digital signal in response to the time between the second repositioning signal and the signal output of the second counter.   The system of claim 24, further characterized in that the controller is remote from the first and second oscillators and first and second counters.   System according to claim 33,   in that the coordinate signals define several distinct positions of the movement of each of the variable chord elements from the   central point of articulation of the lever.   41 A system according to claim 32, characterized   additionally that the lever can be moved 3600 around the central point of articulation, variable rays.   42. The system of claim 32, wherein   additionally that the lever can be moved 3600 about the central point of articulation, at a fixed radius.   43 Video game, characterized in that it comprises an input transducer (120) for a player intended to convert the player's movements into a game, in   multiple coordinates, pulses of varying width   wherein said transducer comprises at least first and second sets of inductors each having an inductor (130, 140) having an associated mobile core   (132, 142) in an associated heart, and means for   to produce an associated coordinate signal having a pulse width proportional to the respective core position relative to the respective core, a logic sequence establishing circuit for producing a control signal under the action of the transducer input means, means (152, 154) for transmitting the movement of the player to each of the cores to allow the user to position the cores in the first and second sets of inductors, and a video display ( 340) for producing a visual presentation according to the control signal.   Video game according to claim 43, characterized in that it further comprises means   intended to produce first and second numerical words   output with several distinct values in   function of the first and second coordinate signals.   45. The video game according to claim 43,   in that it also includes means for   to modify the video display according to the associated coordinate signals of the first and second inductance sets.   46. The video game according to claim 43,   in that it also includes means for   selectively producing one of a plurality of multi-bit data words in response to a   coordinate associated with the first set of inductors.   47. The video game of claim 46, wherein   in that it also includes means for   selectively produce one of several words of   multi-bit origin as a function of the coordination signal   born associated with the second set of inductors.   48 Video game according to any one of   claims 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47, characterized in that   it further comprises means for accelerating the movement of a portion of the video display in response to the rate of change, in a predetermined time interval, of the pulse width of the coordinate signals associated with the first and second inductance sets.   49. The video game according to claim 43,   in that it also includes means for   born to move a portion of the video display in a 360 motion plane in response to the transducer entry of the player.   Position transducer system,   characterized in that it comprises a first inductive   (130) having a first movable core (132),   means for producing a first proportional signal   at the position of the first core, a second inductor (140) having a second movable core (142),   means for producing a second signal   a control lever (150) for moving the first and second cores transversely relative to one another in response to an external stimulus, and means for generating sine and cosine output in response to the first and second signals.   51 A system according to claim 50, characterized   in that it also includes means for   to produce a multi-bit primary output digital signal in response to that of the sine and cosine output signals whose value changes most rapidly over a selected time interval, and means for producing a polarity output signal at a single bit in response to that of the sine and cosine output signals whose value changes the   less quickly over said chosen time interval.   52 A system according to claim 51, characterized   in that it also includes means for   to produce a multi-bit secondary digital signal representing the least-rapidly changing sine or cosine output signal in response to   primary digital output signal with multiple bits   and the polarity output signal.