Orientational mouse computer input system

• US 5,162,781 A
• Filed: 07/23/1991
• Issued: 11/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Automated Decisions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Automated Decisions Incorporated
• Inventors: Cambridge, Vivien J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US07/735,106
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 340/706, 340/709, 340/710, 273/148.13, 74/471, 250/221
• US Class Current: 345/163
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038

Abstract

A system for computer cursor control, interactive draw graphics, and interactive data entry in which changes in the angular orientation of a computer mouse device as well as changes in its location of a flat surface are used to control the angular orientation of a cursor or pointer on a computer display screen, the angular orientation of objects and text on a computer scene, and/or values or variables in computer applications programs.

Claims

1. A mouse interactive data entry system for displaying an image on a display screen comprising:

a hand-held device sensitive to movement across a surface;

means for sensing changes in variable angular orientation of said hand-held device;

means interconnected to said device for determining and storing the angle of orientation of said device corresponding to the desired angular orientation of the image to be displayed and angular changes to said device;

image look-up-table memory storage means for containing a plurality of representations of the same image in a plurality of different angular orientations, said plurality of representations of the same image in a plurality of different angular orientations being prestored in said storage means prior to interactive manipulation of images on the display screen; and

means for addressing said storage means for selecting from said storage means one of said stored representations of the image and for displaying on the display screen said selected image representation, said addressed and selected stored image representation corresponding in angular orientation to said stored angle of orientation of said device, thereby simulating rotation of the image on the display screen in response to rotation of said device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the image represents a cursor.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the image represents a tool.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the image represents a graphic object.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the image represents text.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said sensing means includes means for sensing changes in lateral position of said hand-held device and said means interconnected to said device includes means for determining and storing the location of said device.

7. The system of claim 6 and further including:

means responsive to said sensing means for displaying on the display screen said selected image representation at a lateral position on the display screen corresponding to the lateral position of said hand-held device.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said sensing means simultaneously senses changes in lateral position and angular orientation of said hand-held device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said device includes:

a first set of detectors for sensing movement of said device in a first direction over a first plurality of reference lines;

a second set of detectors for sensing movement of said device in a second direction over a second plurality of reference lines; and

where said first plurality of lines is disposed non-parallel to said second plurality of lines.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said first and second plurality of lines each includes at least three different lines of different inherent properties.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said lines are of different reflectivity.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said lines are of different magnetization.