Pointing and/or directional control device for controlling the movement and positioning of an object
First Claim
1. A pointing and/or directional control device having a housing and comprising:
- a substantially cylindrical roller having a circumferential surface and a longitudinal axis, the roller rotatably supported within a recess formed in the housing of the control device and being rotatably and translationally manipulable as a whole about and back and forth along the longitudinal axis of the roller;
a first motion sensor coupled to the circumferential surface of the roller by one of a mechanical and an optical coupling for detecting the magnitude and direction of roller translation; and
a second motion sensor coupled to the circumferential surface of the roller by one of a mechanical and an optical coupling for detecting the magnitude and direction of roller rotation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a pointing and/or directional control device for controlling movement and positioning of an object in at least two dimensions which, in the preferred embodiment, forms a cursor control device for use in a computer system. The device comprises at least a cylindrical roller disposed in a recess of keyboard housing proximate and substantially parallel to the space bar key of the keyboard, a first decoder comprising a first disc coupled to the roller with gearing to impart rotational movement to the first disc upon sliding of the roller laterally from end to end and a sensor coupled to the first disc for generating electronic signals corresponding to the magnitude and direction of disc rotation, a second decoder comprising a second disc coupled to the roller with gearing to impart rotational movement to the second disc upon rotation of the roller about its longitudinal axis and a sensor coupled to the second disc for generating electronic signals corresponding to the magnitude and direction of disc rotation and signal conversion circuitry for receiving the electronic signals output by the first and second decoders and generating as output tracking signals to control the movement and positioning of the object.
35 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A pointing and/or directional control device having a housing and comprising:
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a substantially cylindrical roller having a circumferential surface and a longitudinal axis, the roller rotatably supported within a recess formed in the housing of the control device and being rotatably and translationally manipulable as a whole about and back and forth along the longitudinal axis of the roller; a first motion sensor coupled to the circumferential surface of the roller by one of a mechanical and an optical coupling for detecting the magnitude and direction of roller translation; and a second motion sensor coupled to the circumferential surface of the roller by one of a mechanical and an optical coupling for detecting the magnitude and direction of roller rotation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A pointing and/or directional control device having a housing and comprising:
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a substantially cylindrical roller rotatably supported within a recess formed in the housing of the control device and being rotatably and translationally manipulable as a whole about and back and forth along the longitudinal axis of the roller; a first translational decoder rod passing through the roller coincident with the longitudinal axis of the roller; a first rotational sensor coupled to the first rod via one of a mechanical coupling and an optical coupling for detecting translational movement of the roller; a second rotational sensor coupled to the first decoder rod via one of a mechanical coupling and an optical coupling for detecting rotational movement of the roller; and the first translational decoder rod being supported by first and second vertical stems disposed at opposite ends of the roller, with at least one of the first and second stems biased above a contact switch and being movable up and down to cause activation of the switch by depressing the roller. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A pointing and/or directional control device having a housing and comprising:
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a substantially cylindrical roller rotatably supported within a recess formed in the housing of the control device and being rotatably and translationally manipulable as a whole about and back and forth along the longitudinal axis of the roller; a first translational decoder rod passing through the roller coincident with the longitudinal axis of the roller, the first rod having a first section with gearing comprising one of circumferential threading and circumferential ridges disposed about the longitudinal axis of the roller; a first rotational sensor coupled to the gearing of first rod for detecting translational movement of the roller; a second rotational decoder rod having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to and mechanically engaged with the first rod; a second rotational sensor coupled to the second decoder rod for detecting rotational movement of the roller; and one of the first and second decoder rods having a toothed wheel affixed thereto about the longitudinal axis of the one decoder rod, and the other of the decoder rods having a circumferential surface adapted with longitudinal ridges for receiving the teeth of the toothed wheel, the longitudinal ridges being of sufficient length along the other decoder rod to enable the toothed wheel and the roller to move back and forth within a selected distance. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification