Multi-state one-button computer pointing device

• US 5,585,823 A
• Filed: 12/30/1994
• Issued: 12/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Anh, Baldwin, James, Duchon, Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Application Number:
  US08/366,562
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/163-166
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects

Abstract

A multi-state, one-button computer mouse includes a housing movable over a reference surface, a tracking mechanism coupled to the housing to provide positional coordinates relative to the reference surface, a single button, and a switch mechanism coupled to the button. The single button is movable between a base position, a first button position, and a second button position by a force exerted on the button. The button is biased to the base position in absence of the force. The switch mechanism is coupled to the button such that it activates a first switch at the first button position and a second switch at the second button position. A computer system with the pointing device includes a processing unit, a visual display, a pointing device as described above, and a computer implemented process for indicating on the visual display when the button of the pointing device is in a locked button mode. A computer-implemented process for processing pointer data includes intercepting pointer data entered into the processing unit of the computer system, determining whether the pointer data includes locked button data, entering a locked button state if it is included, processing the pointer data in a pointer data handler, and changing a cursor image to be displayed on the visual display to indicate that the button is in the locked button state.

Claims

1. A computer pointing device with multiple states on a button comprising:

a housing;

a tracking mechanism coupled to said housing to provide positional coordinates in a reference surface;

a button movable between a base position, a first button position, and a second button position by a force exerted on said button, said button being biased to said base position in the absence of said force; and

a switch mechanism coupled to said button, said switch mechanism activating a first switch at said first button position and a second switch at said second button position.

2. A computer pointing device as recited in claim 1 wherein said switch mechanism is coupled to said button by a cam.

3. A computer pointing device as recited in claim 2 wherein said cam has two cam surfaces, disposed in two, separate planes, and wherein said switch mechanism includes two switches, one of which is activated by a first cam surface and the other of which is activated by a second cam surface.

4. A computer pointing device as recited in claim 1 wherein said switch mechanism is a ganged switch.

5. A computer pointing device as recited in claim 1 wherein said button is of integral construction and includes a fixed portion and a button portion coupled together by a hinge portion.

6. A multi-state one-button computer mouse comprising:

a housing movable over a reference surface;

a tracking mechanism coupled to said housing to provide positional coordinates relative to said reference surface;

a single button movable between a base position, a first button position, and a second button position by a force exerted on said button, said button being biased to said base position in the absence of said force; and

a switch mechanism coupled to said button, said switch mechanism activating a first switch at said first button position and a second switch at said second button position.

7. A multi-state one-button computer mouse as recited in claim 6 wherein said switch mechanism is coupled to said button by a cam.

8. A multi-state one-button computer mouse as recited in claim 7 wherein said cam has two cam surfaces, disposed in two, separate planes, and wherein said switch mechanism includes two switches, one of which is activated by a first cam surface and the other of which is activated by a second cam surface.

9. A multi-state one-button computer mouse as recited in claim 6 wherein said switch mechanism is a ganged switch.

10. A multi-state one-button computer mouse as recited in claim 6 wherein said button is of integral construction and includes a fixed portion and a button portion coupled together by a hinge portion.

11. A computer system with pointing device comprising:

a computer system including a processing unit and a visual display;

a pointing device coupled to said processing unit, said pointing device including;

a housing;

a tracking mechanism coupled to said housing to provide positional coordinates in a reference surface to said processing unit;

a button being movable between a base position, a first button position, and a second button position by a force exerted on said button, said button being biased to said base position in the absence of said force; and

a switch mechanism coupled to said button, said switch mechanism activating a first switch at said first button position and activating a second switch at said second button position; and

means for indicating on said visual display when said second switch has been closed.

12. A computer system as recited in claim 11 wherein said means for indicating is a computer implemented process running on said processing unit.

13. A computer system as recited in claim 12 wherein said computer implemented process provides a locking button mode cursor after said second switch has been closed.

14. A method for processing switch inputs to a computer system comprising:

(a) entering a known state comprising one of a zero state, a one state, and a two state;

(b) detecting at least two button positions of a button with a switch mechanism, said switch mechanism activating a first switch at a first button position and activating a second switch at a second button position; and

(c) if in said zero state, entering said one state if said second switch is activated, if in said one state entering said two state if neither the first switch nor the second switch are activated, and if said two state entering said zero state if said first switch is activated, where said one state indicates a non-locked position of said button and said one state and said two state indicate a locked position of said button.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising the step of:

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c).

16. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein said step of entering said one state from said zero state further comprises:

displaying a locked cursor on said visual display to indicate that said button is locked.

17. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein said step of entering said zero state from said two state further comprises:

displaying a normal cursor on said visual display to indicate that said button is not locked.

18. A computer-implemented process for processing pointer data comprising:

intercepting pointer data entered into processing unit of a computer system;

determining in said processing unit if said pointer data includes locked button data and entering a locked button state if said pointer data includes said locked button data;

processing said pointer data in a pointer data handler in said processing unit; and

changing a cursor image to be displayed on a visual display coupled to said processing unit to indicate said locked button state.

19. A computer implemented process as recited in claim 18 wherein said pointer data is mouse data including data from a first switch and a second switch associated with a single button, and wherein said locked button data includes data from said second switch.

20. A computer implemented process as recited in claim 19 wherein said cursor image indicating a locked button state is an image of a hand with a forefinger extended.