Computer Equipment Comprising a Trackball and Method for Driving the Computer Equipment

• US 20130154936A1
• Filed: 12/19/2012
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: LASO-LEON, Enrique-Roberto, AUDOUY, Amandine, LE MERRER, Mathieu
• Granted Patent: US 9,239,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/167
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

A computer equipment comprises a trackball used to point to objects on a screen of the equipment. A method for driving the computer equipment is also provided. The trackball comprises a moving part and a body inside which the moving part can be displaced, the computer being configured to display at least one object and a pointer on the screen. The trackball comprises means making it possible to exert a tangential force on the moving part, means driven by the computer. The computer is configured to modulate the force according to the shape of the object displayed and the position of the pointer relative to the object.

Claims

1. A computer equipment comprising a trackball, a screen and a computer,

the trackball comprising a moving part and a body inside which the moving part can be displaced, the trackball delivering to the computer information on the position of the moving part relative to the body, the computer being configured to display at least one object and a pointer on the screen, the position of the pointer being dependent on the information delivered by the trackball,

wherein the trackball comprises means making it possible to exert a tangential force on the moving part, means driven by the computer,

wherein the computer is configured to modulate the force according to the shape of the object displayed and the position of the pointer relative to the object,

wherein the equipment is intended to be installed on a carrier, the equipment comprising means for measuring a level of turbulence of the carrier, and

wherein the computer is configured to adjust the amplitude of the force according to the level of turbulence measured.

2. The computer equipment according to claim 1, the trackball comprising means for disengaging the means making it possible to exert a tangential force on the moving part.

3. The computer equipment according to claim 1, wherein the tangential force is a braking force tending to oppose the displacements of the moving part.

4. The computer equipment according to claim 1, the tangential force being applied to the motor meansbelonging to the trackball and driven by the computer.

5. A method for driving computer equipment according to claim 1, consisting in determining a value of the tangential force according to a three-dimensional modelling of a surface of the object, the modelling defining, for different points of the surface of the object, an angular orientation of the surface of the object relative to the plane of the screen, and the tangential force changing according to the sine of the angle that the surface of the object forms with the plane of the screen.

6. The method according to claim 5, the tangential force changing proportionally to a constant hypothetical weight applied to the object at right angles to the plane of the screen and to the sine of the angle that the surface of the object forms with the plane of the screen.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein a constant force representing a constant dry friction applied to the sphere in its displacements is added to the modulated tangential force.

8. The method according to claim 6, the constant force on the surface of the screen being modulated according to measurements of turbulences.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein a kinetic moment of the sphere that is a function of the rotation speed of the sphere is generated, the kinetic moment being able to facilitate the rotation of the sphere in opposition to the action of the modulation of the tangential force.