Multi-Purpose Optical Mouse

• US 20080284735A1
• Filed: 05/18/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Act-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Act-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Shim, Theodore I.
• Application Number:
  US11/750,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20080284735A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/166
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

An optical pointing device has a rotatable optics housing and provides cursor control in one of two modes: a finger navigation mode and a desktop navigation mode. In the finger navigation mode, the rotatable optics housing is in a first position and moving a finger across a transparent plate in the optics housing controls the cursor movement. In the desktop navigation mode, the rotatable optics housing is in a second position and moving the entire optical mouse in a conventional manner across a fixed surface controls cursor movement. The optical pointing device may further include a touchpad scroll input device and a laser pointing device.

Claims

1. A pointing device for a computing device comprising:

a first section having an upper surface on which at least one button configured to be pressed by a user is formed; and

a second section having a first surface with an opening, an illumination device for projecting light through the opening, and an optical sensor aligned with the opening for detecting light reflected from an external object proximate the opening,

wherein the second section is rotatable with respect to the first section to one of a first operating position and a second operating position, the first surface of the second section facing the same direction as the upper surface of the first section in the first operating position, and the first surface of the second section and the upper surface of the first section facing opposite directions in the second operating position.

2. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the first section includes a touchpad scroll input device.

3. The pointing device according to claim 2, wherein the first section includes two buttons, one on each side of the touchpad scroll input device.

4. The pointing device according to claim 1, further comprising a laser source.

5. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the second section further includes a lens for focusing the reflected light onto the optical sensor and a transparent plate covering the opening.

6. The pointing device according to claim 5, wherein the position of the lens relative to the transparent plate changes when the second section is rotated with respect to the first section.

7. The pointing device according to claim 5, wherein the lens comprises an auto-focusing lens.

8. The pointing device according to claim 5, wherein the second section further includes a switch that is responsive to a finger placed on the transparent plate.

9. The point device of according to claim 8, wherein the switch causes the illumination device to turn on and project light through the opening.

10. A pointing device for a computer having two operable positions comprising a first section and a second section that is configured to be rotatable with respect to the first section, the second section having an opening through which relative movement of the pointing device and an external object that is proximate the opening can be detected, wherein the opening is directed upwards in a first operable position of the pointing device and downwards in a second operable position of the pointing device.

11. The pointing device according to claim 10, wherein the second section further includes an optical beam source positioned within the second section to project light through the opening and an optical sensor positioned within the second section to detect light reflected from an external object proximate the opening.

12. The pointing device according to claim 11, further comprising a button configured to be pressed by a user and a diode laser source that is activated when the button is pressed while the pointing device is in the first operable position.

13. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein the diode laser source is not activated when the button is pressed while the pointing device is in the second operable position.

14. The pointing device according to claim 10, further comprising a transparent plate covering the opening, a switch that is responsive to a finger placed on the transparent plate, and a diode laser source that is activated by the switch.

15. A reconfigurable pointing device for a computing device, comprising:

a first section; and

a second section that is rotatable with respect to the first section to attain one of a first operating position and a second operating position,

wherein the reconfigurable pointing device is operable as a presentation mouse having a finger navigation sensor when the second section is in the first operating position, and as a conventional desktop optical mouse when the second section is in the second operating position.

16. The reconfigurable pointing device according to claim 15, wherein the first section includes a diode laser that can be activated when the second section is in the first operating position and cannot be activated when the second section is in the second operating position.

17. The reconfigurable pointing device according to claim 15, wherein the finger navigation sensor is configured to sense a movement of a finger relative to the second section and the conventional desktop optical mouse is configured to sense a movement of the second section relative to a surface on which the second section rests.

18. The reconfigurable pointing device according to claim 17, wherein the second section includes an opening that is pointed upwards in the first operating position and downwards in the second operating position.

19. The reconfigurable pointing device according to claim 18, wherein the second section further includes an optical beam source positioned within the second section to project light through the opening, an optical sensor positioned within the second section to detect light reflected from an external object proximate the opening, a lens for focusing the reflected light onto the optical sensor, and a transparent plate covering the opening.

20. The reconfigurable pointing device according to claim 19, wherein the position of the lens relative to the transparent plate changes when the second section is rotated with respect to the first section.

21. A pointing device for a computing device having two modes of operation, comprising:

a water-proof first housing; and

a water-proof second housing that is rotatable with respect to the first section to attain one of a first operating mode and a second operating mode.

22. The pointing device according to claim 21, wherein the pointing device is operable as a presentation mouse having a finger navigation sensor when the second housing is in the first operating mode, and as a conventional desktop optical mouse when the second housing is in the second operating mode.

23. The pointing device according to claim 22, wherein the finger navigation sensor is configured to sense a movement of a finger relative to the second housing and the conventional desktop optical mouse is configured to sense a movement of the second housing relative to a surface on which the second housing rests.

24. The pointing device according to claim 21, wherein the second housing includes an opening that is pointed upwards in the first operating mode and downwards in the second operating mode.

25. The pointing device according to claim 24, wherein the second housing further includes an optical beam source positioned within the second housing to project light through the opening, an optical sensor positioned within the second housing to detect light reflected from an external object proximate the opening, a lens for focusing the reflected light onto the optical sensor, and a transparent plate covering the opening.

26. The pointing device according to claim 25, wherein the position of the lens relative to the transparent plate changes when the second housing is rotated with respect to the first housing.