Single hand-controlled computer input device
First Claim
1. A single-hand controller keyboard comprising a movable housing having remote and proximate portions relative to the position of the user of the input device, said proximate portion forming a hand supporting surface suitable for placement of the palm of a user and defining a longitudinal reference line generally parallel to the direction of the hand and fingers of the user when the hand is supported on said proximate portion during use of the input device;
- moving means for moving said housing between three stable positions including two end positions and one intermediate position relative to said reference line and for normally maintaining said housing in said stable intermediate position substantially midway between said two end positions, said moving means comprising rocking means for rocking said housing about at least one pivot axis between two angular end positions relative to aid pivot axis and for normally maintaining said housing in a generally stable position substantially midway between said two angular end positions, said hand-actuated selector switch means selecting one of the functions and associated signals for each of said angular positions of said movable housing about said axis;
at least one finger-actuated multi-function means on said remote portion capable of selectively generating one of a number of different signals to be inputted to a computer upon actuation by a finger of the user; and
hand actuated selector switch means for selecting one of the functions and associated signals of a selected multi-function means for each of said stable positions of said housing, said at least one finger-actuated multi-function means including a cluster of actuatable character keys mounted on said remote portion and being actuatable by the tips of the fingers of the user, each of said character keys serving as a separate finger actuated multi-function means representing a plurality of alpha-numeric characters and/or symbols that can be inputted to a computer by initial pre-selective rocking movement of said housing by the movements of one hand to actuate said hand-actuated selector switch means and subsequent selective actuation of said character keys by movements of the fingers.
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Abstract
A single-hand controlled computer input device can be used as a keyboard or a pointing device. When used as a keyboard, a housing is mounted for rocking movements between three stable positions, including two angular end positions and one intermediate position midway between the end positions. Stability in the intermediate position is provided by resting the housing of the keyboard on two spaced stable elements, each of which serves as a separate axis for pivoting the housing to one of the angular end positions. Characters, numerals, symbols and functions may be selected using one hand by initially pre-selective rocking of the housing by movement of the hand to one of the stable positions to enable an associated actuator switch and subsequently actuating at least one of the multi-function keys on the keyboard by contact of a key with a tip of the user'"'"'s finger. The housing may be supported on a working support surface or can be mounted for rocking on a stationary base. The multi-function keys may include mechanical switches, optical sensors or a pointing device.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A single-hand controller keyboard comprising a movable housing having remote and proximate portions relative to the position of the user of the input device, said proximate portion forming a hand supporting surface suitable for placement of the palm of a user and defining a longitudinal reference line generally parallel to the direction of the hand and fingers of the user when the hand is supported on said proximate portion during use of the input device;
- moving means for moving said housing between three stable positions including two end positions and one intermediate position relative to said reference line and for normally maintaining said housing in said stable intermediate position substantially midway between said two end positions, said moving means comprising rocking means for rocking said housing about at least one pivot axis between two angular end positions relative to aid pivot axis and for normally maintaining said housing in a generally stable position substantially midway between said two angular end positions, said hand-actuated selector switch means selecting one of the functions and associated signals for each of said angular positions of said movable housing about said axis;
at least one finger-actuated multi-function means on said remote portion capable of selectively generating one of a number of different signals to be inputted to a computer upon actuation by a finger of the user; and
hand actuated selector switch means for selecting one of the functions and associated signals of a selected multi-function means for each of said stable positions of said housing, said at least one finger-actuated multi-function means including a cluster of actuatable character keys mounted on said remote portion and being actuatable by the tips of the fingers of the user, each of said character keys serving as a separate finger actuated multi-function means representing a plurality of alpha-numeric characters and/or symbols that can be inputted to a computer by initial pre-selective rocking movement of said housing by the movements of one hand to actuate said hand-actuated selector switch means and subsequent selective actuation of said character keys by movements of the fingers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- moving means for moving said housing between three stable positions including two end positions and one intermediate position relative to said reference line and for normally maintaining said housing in said stable intermediate position substantially midway between said two end positions, said moving means comprising rocking means for rocking said housing about at least one pivot axis between two angular end positions relative to aid pivot axis and for normally maintaining said housing in a generally stable position substantially midway between said two angular end positions, said hand-actuated selector switch means selecting one of the functions and associated signals for each of said angular positions of said movable housing about said axis;
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21. A single-hand controller computer input device comprising a movable housing having remote and proximate portions relative to the position of the user of the input device, said proximate portion forming a hand supporting surface suitable for placement of the palm of a user and defining a longitudinal reference line generally parallel to the direction of the hand and fingers of the user when the hand is supported on said proximate portion during use of the input device;
- moving means for moving said housing between three stable positions including two end positions including two end positions and one intermediate position relative to said reference line and for normally maintaining said housing in said stable intermediate position substantially midway between said two end positions, said moving means comprising rocking means for rocking said housing about at least one pivot axis between two angular end positions relative to said pivot axis and for normally maintaining said housing in a generally stable position substantially midway between said two angular end positions, said hand-actuated selector switch means selecting one of the functions and associated signals for each of said angular positions of said movable housing about said axis;
at least one finer-actuated multi-function means on said remote portion capable of selectively generating one of a number of different signals to be inputted to a computer upon actuation by a finer of the user; and
hand-actuated selector switch means for selecting one of the functions and associated signals of a selected multi-function means for each of said stable positions of said housing, wherein said finger-actuated multi-function means comprising a multi-function ball mounted on said housing for providing different functions to the computer based upon the rocking positions of said housing.
- moving means for moving said housing between three stable positions including two end positions including two end positions and one intermediate position relative to said reference line and for normally maintaining said housing in said stable intermediate position substantially midway between said two end positions, said moving means comprising rocking means for rocking said housing about at least one pivot axis between two angular end positions relative to said pivot axis and for normally maintaining said housing in a generally stable position substantially midway between said two angular end positions, said hand-actuated selector switch means selecting one of the functions and associated signals for each of said angular positions of said movable housing about said axis;
Specification