×

Finger operated digital input device

  • US 5,706,026 A
  • Filed: 03/13/1995
  • Issued: 01/06/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A digital input device for operation via a user'"'"'s finger, comprising:

  • a thimble dimensioned to engage the user'"'"'s finger;

    a sensing means arranged at an end of the thimble, the sensing means being operable to encode displacement of the thimble relative to a separate surface and to produce a signal as a function of said displacement; and

    ,means for communicating the signal to an external device, whereby the user can encode data by wearing the thimble and displacing the thimble and the sensing means over the separate surface;

    wherein the sensing means comprises a contact roller that is rotatable in the thimble by relative movement between the contact roller and the separate surface, and further comprising a detector circuit operable to generate the signal responsive to incremental rotation of the contact roller along at least two axes; and

    ,wherein the detector circuit comprises a plurality of sensing rollers coupled mechanically with the contact roller to rotate upon rotation of the contact roller, the sensing rollers being rotatable on distinct axes, and wherein the sensing rollers each are operable to pass a surface having regular variations before a respective said at least one sensing element upon rotation of the contact roller, the sensing element producing an output signal that is pulsed as a function of movement of the contact roller.

View all claims
  • 0 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×