Ambidextrous Mouse

• US 20080297477A1
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brian Huppi, Steve Hotelling
• Original Assignee: Brian Huppi, Steve Hotelling
• Inventors: HOTELLING, Steve, Huppi, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,704,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0332 Ergonomic shaped mouse adjustable to suit one of both hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03544 having dual sensing arrangement, e.g. two balls or two coils used to track rotation of the pointing device

Abstract

An ambidextrous mouse is disclosed. The ambidextrous mouse is configured for both left and right handed use. The mouse may include right handed buttons on the front side of the mouse and left handed buttons on the back side of the mouse. The user may change the handedness of the mouse by rotating the mouse about a vertical axis of the mouse such that the left hand can use the left hand buttons and the right hand can use the right hand buttons. The mouse may include a handedness selection system for configuring the mouse for right handed or left handed use even though the mouse has the capability for both right and left hands.

Claims

1. A method for operating a mouse having one or more buttons, comprising:

determining if a user is touching the mouse;

determining the user based on the user'"'"'s touch;

configuring the mouse based on the user.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of determining the user includes determining the handedness of the user.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of determining the user includes determining the identity of the user.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of configuring the mouse includes setting the motion axes of the mouse.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein the motion axes are based on the handedness of the user.

6. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein the motion axes are based on the identity of the user.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of configuring the mouse includes setting the buttons of the mouse.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the button settings are based on the handedness of the user.

9. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the button settings are based on the identity of the user.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the buttons are based on relative mapping or absolute mapping.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein absolute mapping includes,

providing one or more button zones;

generating a hand signal;

determining which button zone was selected based on the hand signal; and

generating a button signal based on the selected button zone.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein relative mapping includes,

generating a first hand signal;

generating a second hand signal;

determining the difference between the first and second hand signals; and

generating a button signal based on the difference between the first and second hand signals.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 further including,

monitoring the movement of the mouse;

generating position signals based on the movement of the mouse;

monitoring the hand action of the user relative to the mouse; and

generating button signals based on the hand action,

wherein the position signals and button signals are capable of performing actions in a host system operatively coupled to the mouse

14. A user determination method for a mouse, comprising:

providing baseline hand signals;

generating a current hand signal when a user grabs the mouse;

comparing the current hand signal to at least one baseline hand signal; and

determining a characteristic of the user based on the current and baseline hand signals.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the step of determining includes determining if the current hand signal is similar to one of the baseline hand signals.

16. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the step of determining includes determining if the current hand signal is different than one of the baseline hand signals.

17. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the baseline hand signals correspond to right and left hand signals, and wherein the characteristic of the user corresponds to the handedness of the user.

18. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the baseline hand signals correspond to a particular user'"'"'s hand signal, and wherein the characteristic of the user corresponds to the identity of the user. lo 19. A method for operating a mouse, comprising:

determining if a user is touching the mouse;

determining the handedness of the user based on the user'"'"'s touch;

configuring the motion axes of the mouse based on the handedness of the user;

generating position signals based on mouse movement and the motion axes;

sending the position signals to a host;

forming previous and current hand images;

calculating the difference between the previous and current hand images

generating control signals based on the difference between the previous and current hand images; and

sending the control signal to the host.