Changeable input ratio mouse

• US 4,963,858 A
• Filed: 08/07/1989
• Issued: 10/16/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fong K. Chien
• Original Assignee: Fong K. Chien
• Inventors: Chien, Fong K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brier, Jeffery A.
• Application Number:
  US07/390,044
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 340/706, 340/709, 340/710, 178/18, 273/148 B, 33/1 C, 33/1 M, 33/297, 33/298
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

An input device in the form of a manually moveable unit or "mouse" provides coordinate-data information responsive to movement of the mouse across a planar surface. The mouse includes at least one manually operable button for changing a ratio of distance of mouse movement across the planar surface to an amount of coordinate-data information value change. This results in the ability to scale shapes or objects, the coordinates of which are to be input using the mouse, by selectively activating the ratio change button. To permit accurate tracing and scaling, the mouse includes a star shaped ordinate plate having a plurality of radial arms, each having a different shaped pointer. Each arm slidably engages into a corresponding groove in the mouse so that an opposite end of the ordinate plate is positioned for tracing the image to be input.

Claims

1. A coordinate-data input device for use by an operator for tracing an image and supplying coordinate data of the traced image, comprising:

a housing having a groove in a side thereof;

detecting means for measuring sliding distances in two coordinates of said housing over a surface in contact with said housing;

manually activated switch means;

processing means for supplying a stream of coordinate pair data in response to said measured sliding distances at least one of which is selectively multiplied by a predetermined constant in response to activation of said manually activated switch means; and

an interchangeable ordinate plate having on an end thereof a plurality of radial arms each having a different shaped pointer, each arm adapted to slidably engage said groove of said housing and located so that another arm of said ordinate plate is positioned to enable said operator to trace said image.