Control device for display state change on monitor

• US 5,771,038 A
• Filed: 08/09/1995
• Issued: 06/23/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Primax Electronics Limited
• Inventors: Wang, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US08/512,995
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 345/157, 345/158, 345/161, 345/163, 345/164, 345/165, 345/167, 345/173, 345/184
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is related to a control device for a display state change on a monitor which includes a housing, a first input device mounted in the housing for determining a movement of a cursor on the monitor in an X- and a Y-directions, a second input device for determining two kinds of display state changes which include a movement of the cursor in a Z-direction and a display state change selected from a group consisting of a rotation operation and a picture change on the monitor, and a control circuit mounted in the housing for executing the display state changes. Various preferred operation modes for controlling the display state change on a monitor are also disclosed in the present invention for purpose of providing a easily manipulated control device with more functions than the conventional mouse and track ball.

Claims

1. A control device for making a display state change on a monitor, said device comprising:

a housing;

a first input device mounted in said housing for determining a movement of a cursor on said monitor in an X- and a Y-directions;

a second input device for giving two-dimensional control, said second input device being mounted in said housing and having a stick element partly protruding from a side surface of said housing for enabling said stick element to be manipulated by a thumb of a user wherein the two dimensions of said second two-dimensional input device respectively control two kinds of display state changes which include a movement of said cursor in a Z-direction, a rotation operation and a picture change on said monitor; and

a control circuit mounted in said housing for executing said display state change responsive to control by said stick element.

2. A control device according to claim 1 wherein said first input device includes:

a first ball mounted in and partly protruding from said housing;

a photo diode in each of said X- and said Y-directions installed in said housing for emitting a light;

a grid wheel in each of said X- and said Y-directions installed in said housing and driven by said first ball for intermittently passing therethrough said light; and

a photo transistor in each of said X- and said Y-directions installed in said housing for intermittently receiving said light to determine said movement of said cursor on said monitor.

3. A control device according to claim 1 wherein said second input device includes:

said stick element mounted so that a force exerted thereon is resolved into two fractional forces perpendicular to each other when at least one of said two kinds of display state changes is to be executed; and

an induction element engaging with said stick element and generating two voltage signals in response to said two fractional forces for respectively determining said two kinds of display state changes.

4. A control device according to claim 3 wherein said stick element includes a control stick wherein said force is exerted thereon when at least one of said two kinds of display state changes is to be executed.

5. A control device according to claim 4 wherein said induction element includes a pressure-induction resistor engaging with said control stick, and generating said two voltage signals in response to said two fractional forces for respectively determining said two kinds of display state changes.

6. A control device according to claim 4 wherein said induction element includes:

two potential meters engaging with said control stick and respectively generating said two voltage signals in response to said two fractional forces for determining said two kinds of display state changes;

two amplifiers respectively electrically connected to said two potential meters for amplifying said two voltage signals; and

two analog/digital converters respectively electrically connected to said two amplifiers for converting said two voltage signals into digital signals.

7. A control device according to claim 3 wherein said stick element includes an elastic pillar portion, said force being exerted on said pillar portion to generate a deformation state when at least one of said two kinds of display state changes is to be executed.

8. A control device according to claim 7 wherein said induction element includes two groups of strain gages deformed to generate said two voltage values in response to said deformation state of said elastic pillar portion for respectively determining said two kinds of display state changes.

9. A control device according to claim 8 wherein said second input device further includes a spherical head portion connected to said elastic pillar portion and protruding from said housing for being exerted thereon said force.

10. A control device according to claim 1 wherein said rotation operation is a rotation of a picture plane on said monitor, said picture plane rotating on an axis selected from a group consisting of the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis.

11. A control device according to claim 1 wherein said rotation operation is a rotation of a portion of a picture plane on said monitor, said portion of said picture plane rotating on an axial line thereof.

12. A control device according to claim 1 wherein said picture change is a magnification/reduction change of a picture plane on said monitor.

13. A control device according to claim 1 wherein said picture change is an upward/downward scroll of a picture plane on said monitor.

14. A control device according to claim 1 wherein said picture change is a brightness change of a picture plane on said monitor.

15. A control device according to claim 1 wherein said picture change is a color change of a picture plane on said monitor.

16. A control device according to claim 1 wherein said control circuit is electrically connected to a ROM (read only memory) of a computer which designates which kinds of display state changes are to be executed by a firmware therein.

17. A control device according to claim 1 wherein said control circuit is electrically connected to an EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable ROM) of a computer which designates which kinds of display state changes are to be executed by a firmware therein.