The present disclosure generally relates to a joystick device (100) operable to provide speed, direction and steering commands for controlling a marine vessel (300), the joystick device (100) comprising a movable steering lever (102) extending on an axis (V) and adapted to be tilted from a neutral position in at least four directions including a forward, a rearward, a leftward, and a rightward direction, wherein—an active length of the movable steering lever (102) is adjustable between a first (L1) and a second (L2) lever length,—the first lever length (L1) is shorter than the second lever length (L2),—a first mode for operating the marine vessel (300) is associated with the first lever length (L1), and—a second mode for operating the marine vessel (300) is associated with the second lever length (L2), the second mode being different from the first mode for operating the marine vessel (300).

A controller is capable of controlling an asset or target in physical and/or virtual three-dimensional space using a single hand by generating control inputs in four or more degrees of freedom while also limiting cross-coupling (unintended motions). The controller includes a first control member is configured to be gripped in a user's single, second control member is disposed on or near a top end of the first member movable with at least one degree of freedom independently of the movement of the first control member, and a third control member positioned on the first member for displacement by one or more digits of the user's single hand and coupled with the second member to move in opposition to movement of the second control member.

In embodiments, a work vehicle magnetorheological fluid (MRF) joystick system includes a joystick device, an MRF joystick resistance mechanism, and a controller architecture. The joystick device includes, in turn, a base housing, a joystick, and a joystick position sensor. The MRF joystick resistance mechanism is controllable to selectively resist movement of the joystick relative to the base housing. The controller architecture is configured to: (i) when detecting operator rotation of the joystick in an operator input direction, determine whether continued joystick rotation in the operator input direction will misposition the work vehicle in a manner increasing at least one of work vehicle instability and a likelihood of work vehicle collision; and (ii) when determining that continued joystick rotation will misposition the work vehicle, command the MRF joystick resistance mechanism to generate an MRF resistance force deterring continued joystick rotation in the operator input direction.

Embodiments of a work vehicle magnetorheological fluid (MRF) joystick system include a joystick device having a base housing, a joystick movably mounted to the base housing, and a joystick position sensor configured to monitor joystick movement. An MRF joystick resistance mechanism is controllable to vary a joystick stiffness resisting movement of the joystick relative to the base housing, while a controller architecture is coupled to the joystick position sensor and to the MRF joystick resistance mechanism. The controller architecture is configured to: (i) selectively place the work vehicle MRF joystick system in a modified joystick stiffness mode during operation of the work vehicle; and (ii) when the work vehicle MRF joystick system is placed in the modified joystick stiffness mode, command the MRF joystick resistance mechanism to vary the joystick stiffness based, at least in part, on the movement of the joystick relative to the base housing.

An exemplary embodiment of a circuit for determining information about the position, attitude, or orientation of a magnet comprises an input interface configured to receive components of a magnetic field produced by the magnet. An evaluation logic unit corresponds to at least one trained neural network and is configured to determine the information about the position, attitude, or orientation of the magnet on the basis of the received components.

Disclosed is a multi-directional input device, including a pressing switch. Each of two opposite side surfaces of the pressing switch is provided with a first protrusion. The base includes two base side surfaces respectively opposite to the two opposite side surfaces of the pressing switch. Each of the two opposite base side surfaces is provided with a second protrusion respectively, and the second protrusion is engaged with the first protrusion to fix the pressing switch.

In embodiments, a work vehicle magnetorheological fluid (MRF) joystick system includes a joystick device, an MRF joystick resistance mechanism, and a controller architecture. The joystick device includes, in turn, a base housing, a joystick movably mounted to the base housing, and a joystick position sensor configured to monitor movement of the joystick relative to the base housing. The MRF joystick resistance mechanism is controllable to vary a first joystick stiffness resisting movement of the joystick relative to the base housing in at least one degree of freedom. The controller architecture is configured to: (i) detect when unintended joystick motion conditions occur during operation of the work vehicle; and (ii) when detecting unintended joystick motion conditions, command the MRF joystick resistance mechanism to increase the first joystick stiffness in a manner reducing susceptibility of the joystick device to unintended joystick motions.

An image identification method is used to eliminate accumulated error of operation of a joystick. The joystick has an optical sensor adapted to analyze a movement of a plurality of identification dots disposed on a stick body. The image identification method includes receiving a series of detection images, setting a first identification dot of the plurality of identification dots as being a reference identification dot, and setting a second identification dot of the plurality of identification dos as being the reference identification dot and cancelling the first identification dot as being the reference identification dot when the first identification dot is near a border of the detection image. A position change of the reference identification dot in the series of detection images is used for identifying a control status of the joystick.

In embodiments, a work vehicle magnetorheological fluid (MRF) joystick system includes a joystick device, an MRF joystick resistance mechanism, and a controller architecture. The joystick device includes, in turn, a base housing, a joystick movably mounted to the base housing, and a joystick bias mechanism coupled to the joystick and exerting a centering force urging the joystick to return to the centered position when moved therefrom. The controller architecture is operable in a modified centering mode in which the controller architecture: (i) determines when the joystick begins return toward the centered position due to the centering force applied by the joystick bias mechanism; and (ii) when so determining, commands the MRF joystick resistance mechanism to modify a rate at which the joystick returns to the centered position by varying the MRF resistance force applied to the joystick.

A joystick includes a casing, a stick body, an identification mark and an optical sensor. The casing has a hole. The stick body is movably disposed on the casing. The stick body has a first section and a second section. The first section penetrates through the hole to protrude from the casing, and the second section is inside the casing. The identification mark is disposed on the second section of the stick body. The identification includes a first line group and a second line group crossed to each other. The first line group and the second line group respectively has a plurality of lines with different widths and arranged adjacent to each other. The optical sensor is disposed inside the casing and adapted to acquire an identification image containing the identification mark to determine a gesture of the stick body.