Mouse-like input/output device with display screen and method for its use
First Claim
1. A computer interface device for communicating with a computer having access to data displayable visually on a computer screen display employing a cursor, including:
- (a) a rigid housing having a first surface and a second surface;
(b) a tactile display arranged on said first surface, having at least one array of selectably movable tactile pins, representative of at least one selected portion of the screen display, wherein said array includes a fiducial point representative of the cursor;
(c) a mechanism for sensing a position of the device relative to an initial position on a planar surface adjacent to said second surface, along which said device is moved, and an orientation of the device relative to an initial orientation on said planar surface;
(d) a pressable button for initiating an activity related to a location in the screen display that corresponds to the location of said fiducial point relative to said selected portion of the screen display represented by said tactile display; and
(e) electronic circuitry for providing the sensed position and orientation to the computer, for receiving from the computer signals corresponding to data stored in the computer, and for moving said tactile pins in a predetermined manner so as to display the stored data.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer mouse for blind users and a method for its use. The mouse has a display area on its upper surface in which a portion of the computer'"'"'s screen display is reproduced in tactile form, for example by raising and lowering members of an array of pins. A monochrome display is encoded by pin height. A color display may be encoded in various ways. Preferably, lightness is encoded as the range of vertical motion of the pins and hue is encoded as pin motion frequency. A blind user scans the screen display by moving the mouse around on a mouse pad and feeling the relative heights and frequencies of the pins.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A computer interface device for communicating with a computer having access to data displayable visually on a computer screen display employing a cursor, including:
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(a) a rigid housing having a first surface and a second surface; (b) a tactile display arranged on said first surface, having at least one array of selectably movable tactile pins, representative of at least one selected portion of the screen display, wherein said array includes a fiducial point representative of the cursor; (c) a mechanism for sensing a position of the device relative to an initial position on a planar surface adjacent to said second surface, along which said device is moved, and an orientation of the device relative to an initial orientation on said planar surface; (d) a pressable button for initiating an activity related to a location in the screen display that corresponds to the location of said fiducial point relative to said selected portion of the screen display represented by said tactile display; and (e) electronic circuitry for providing the sensed position and orientation to the computer, for receiving from the computer signals corresponding to data stored in the computer, and for moving said tactile pins in a predetermined manner so as to display the stored data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification