Three dimensional mouse via finger ring or cavity

• US 5,095,302 A
• Filed: 06/19/1989
• Issued: 03/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McLean, James G., Reed, Alvin R., Pickover, Clifford A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Popovici, Dov
• Application Number:
  US07/368,485
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 340/706, 340/709, 340/710, 340/712, 200/52 R, 200/329, 200/5 R, 341/20, 341/23, 364/200, 364/900, 364/190
• US Class Current: 345/164
• 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 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

A cursor control/data input device for a computer display system which utilizes a conventional X-Y mouse provided with a third Z with axis data generating mechanism. The mouse may be used with any non-specific support surface and would have conventional X-Y data generating wheels or a rotating ball with appropriate pick-up elements to generate the X-Y coordinate data. Third, or Z, coordinate data is produced by a third instrumentality in the mouse body, preferably operable by the operator'"'"'s thumb or index finger. Means comprising a pressure sensitive button mounted on the surface of the mouse, or alternatively means actuated by the insertion of the operator'"'"'s finger into a hole provided in the mouse'"'"'s body, generate said Z coordinate data. Movement of the finger in the hole is measurable by any of a number of different instrumentalities.

Claims

1. In a cursor control/data input mouse including a mouse body and first and second X-Y movement pick-up means providing data signals indicative of the relative movement of the mouse across a planar surface in the X and Y directions, the improvement which comprises:

third means in said mouse body responsive to generate a signal representing a third input parameter by the user comprising a hole for receiving a user'"'"'s finger and signal generating transducer means in said mouse body mounted in cooperative relationship with said hole responsive to measure the depth of penetration of a user'"'"'s finger axially within said hole, wherein said finger is not necessary for movement of the mouse, and said third parameter is capable of representing a movement along a z dimension.

2. A cursor control/data input mouse as set forth in claim 1, wherein said signal generating transducer means comprises a pressure sensitive transducer located within said hole and resilient means operable in cooperation with a user'"'"'s finger for proportionally increasing the pressure on the transducer as the user'"'"'s finger is inserted further into said hole.

3. A cursor control/data input mouse as set forth in claim 1, wherein said signal generating transducer means comprises a series of light source/photo detector pairs located on opposite sides of said hole throughout the length thereof, and control means operative in conjunction therewith to measure the depth of penetration of a user'"'"'s finger as a function of the number of photo detectors deactivated as the finger is inserted.

4. In a cursor control/data input mouse including a mouse body and first and second X-Y movement pick-up means providing data signals indicative of the relative movement of the mouse across a planar surface in the X and Y directions, the improvement which comprises,

third means in said mouse body responsive to generate a signal representing a third input parameter by the user, responsive to the substantially axial movement of one finger of a user, said finger not being necessary for the movement of the mouse, said third parameter being capable of representing a Z dimension,

said third means comprising a hole in said mouse body for receiving a user'"'"'s finger and signal generating transducer means in said mouse body mounted in cooperative relationship with said hole for measuring the depth of penetration of a user'"'"'s finger axially within said hole,

said signal generating transducer means comprising a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device located at the bottom of said hole and resilient means associated therewith mounted so that as a user'"'"'s finger presses on said resilient means the area of contact between said resilient member and said SAW device increases thereby changing an output signal produced by said SAW device.