Computer mouse glove

• US 6,097,369 A
• Filed: 02/02/1995
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark L. Wambach
• Original Assignee: Mark L. Wambach
• Inventors: Wambach, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, LUNYI
• Application Number:
  US08/382,926
• Time in Patent Office: 2,007 Days
• Field of Search: 345/145, 345/156, 345/158, 345/157, 341/20, 341/21, 273/438, 463/37, 463/36, 463/39
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 19/0024 with accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/0221 the switches being fixed to the operator's hand, e.g. integrated in a glove or fixed to a ring

Abstract

A glove worn on the hand of a computer operator provides a computer mouse function for a computer having a video display highlighted by a cursor, in which the apparatus senses the direction of movement of an element of a computer operator'"'"'s body and transmits corresponding commands to the computer to move the cursor in the video display in a corresponding direction, whereby two-dimensional movement of the cursor reflects movements of the body element. In one embodiment of the invention, cursor motion is controlled by lateral motion of the operator'"'"'s wrist and vertical motion of the operator'"'"'s index finger, whereby movement of said cursor follows the direction of movement of the wrist and index finger. Click button on various fingers of the glove are activated by the thumb to provide mouse click functions.

Claims

1. A computer mouse for controlling movement of a cursor in a video display in at least first and second opposing directions, comprising:

a glove-like apparel having at least one finger joint and a finger, said finger being rotatable about said joint from an initial rotational position in opposing first and second directions through first and second rotated positions respectively;

a microswitch apparatus mounted on said glove-like apparel near said finger joint and having first and second ON states occurring while said finger remains rotated from said initial rotational position through at least a corresponding one of said first and second rotated positions;

a circuit connected to said microswitch apparatus for converting an occurring one of said first and second ON states of said microswitch apparatus to a command signal to move said cursor in a corresponding one of said first and second directions for a duration of said occurring ON state.

2. The mouse of claim 1 wherein said microswitch apparatus comprises a single microswitch.

3. The mouse of claim 1 wherein said microswitch apparatus comprises first and second single-direction microswitches, each one of said microswitches being turned on while said finger remains rotated from said initial rotational position through at least a corresponding one of said first and second rotated positions.

4. The mouse of claim 1 wherein said first and second directions are up and down vertical directions in said video display, respectively.

5. The mouse of claim 1 wherein said first and second directions are left and right horizontal directions in said video display, respectively.

6. A computer mouse for controlling movement of a cursor in a video display in at least first and second opposing directions, comprising:

a glove-like apparel having at least one finger joint and a finger, said finger being rotatable about said joint in first and second directions;

sensing apparatus mounted on said glove-like apparel near said finger joint and having first and second states indicative of rotation of said finger in a corresponding one of said first and second directions;

a circuit connected to said sensing apparatus for converting said first and second states of said sensing apparatus to a command signal to move said cursor in a corresponding one of said first and second directions.

7. The mouse of claim 6 wherein said microswitch apparatus comprises a single sensor.

8. The mouse of claim 6 wherein said microswitch apparatus comprises first and second single-direction microswitches, each one of said microswitches being turned on while said finger remains rotated from said initial rotational position through at least a corresponding one of said first and second rotated positions.

9. The mouse of claim 6 wherein said first and second directions are up and down vertical directions in said video display, respectively.

10. The mouse of claim 6 wherein said first and second directions are left and right horizontal directions in said video display, respectively.