Hand positioned mouse

• US 6,154,199 A
• Filed: 04/15/1998
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Craig L. Butler
• Original Assignee: Craig L. Butler
• Inventors: Butler, Craig L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alphonse, Fritz
• Application Number:
  US09/060,796
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 345/158, 345/163, 345/164, 345/167, 345/156, 341/20, 368/270, 600/595, 600/395
• US Class Current: 345/167
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0331 Finger worn pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041

Abstract

A hand positioned mouse that functions as a computer input device. The hand positioned mouse has an article that is worn on the hand of a computer user. The article can be in the form of a glove, half glove, sleeve, bracket or other type of configurations that can be worn on and supported on the hand. A support, such as a socket, is attached to the side of the article. The support is positioned at a location adjacent to the thumb. A tracking ball is contained within the support or socket. Electronic sensors track the movement of the tracking ball. Electrical signals are produced according to the rotation of the tracking ball. At least one switch is contained on the article for providing switch functions of the mouse. The switch is located on a location corresponding to the palm. The electrical signal and the switching functions are transmitted to the computer by a connector cord or by radio waves. This configuration allows the computer user to keep both hands on the keyboard and eliminates the need to move the hand back and forth between the keyboard and the mouse. In addition, the hand positioned mouse of this invention is ideal for playing computer games and interacting with such services as web TV. This invention can provide mouse operations apart from the keyboard and does not require a table top or keyboard for operation.

Claims

1. A hand positioned mouse operating as a computer input:

. device comprising;

an article means placed upon and onto a hand of a computer user;

a support means attached to said article at a position corresponding to the side of a pointer or index finger adjacent to a thumb;

a tracking ball supported within said support means on said article, in a position such that said tracking ball can be operated upon by the thumb;

a tracking means to generate an electrical signal in accordance with rotational movement of said tracking ball;

a button means on said article to provide mouse electrical switching functions; and

a transmission means to transmit said electrical signal from said tracking means and electrical switching functions from said button means to a computer.

2. The hand positioned mouse as set forth in claim 1 in which said article means comprises a half glove.

3. The hand positioned mouse as set forth in claim 2 in which said half glove is made from neoprene or elastic mesh.

4. The hand positioned mouse as set forth in claim 1 in which said support means comprises a tracking ball receiving socket, said socket containing said tracking means to generate an electrical signal as said tracking ball rotates within said socket.

5. The hand positioned mouse as set forth in claim 1 in which said button means comprises one or more momentary contact switches.

6. The hand positioned mouse as set forth in claim 5 in which said momentary contact switches are attached to said article means in a location corresponding to the palm of the hand when being worn by a computer user.

7. The hand positioned mouse as set forth in claim 1 in which said transmission means comprises a connector cord having a plurality of conductors attached to said tracking means and to said button means and an opposite end of said connector cord being attachable to a computer.

8. The hand positioned mouse as set forth in claim 1 in which said transmission means comprises a radio transmission means connected to said tracking means and to said button means, and a radio receiving means attachable to a computer, said radio transmission means transmitting said electrical signal and switching functions to said radio receiving means.

9. A hand positioned mouse comprising

a glove like article placed upon and worn on a hand of a computer user;

a tracking ball socket attached to said article at a position corresponding to the side of a pointer or index finger adjacent to a thumb;

a tracking ball supported within said support means on said article, such that said tracking ball can be operated upon by the thumb;

tracking means located within said tracking ball socket to generate an electrical signal in accordance with rotational movement of said tracking ball;

button means consisting of one or more momentary contact switches on said article to provide mouse electrical switching functions; and

a transmission means to transmit said electrical signal from said tracking means and electrical switching functions from said button means to a computer.

10. The hand positioned mouse as set forth in claim 9 in which said transmission means comprises a connector cord having a plurality of conductors attached to said tracking means and to said button means and an opposite end of said connector cord being attachable to a computer.

11. The hand positioned mouse as set forth in claim 9 in which said transmission means comprises a radio transmission means connected to said tracking means and to said button means, and a radio receiving means attachable to a computer, said radio transmission means transmitting said electrical signal and switching functions to said radio receiving means.

12. A method of hand positioned mouse in which the steps comprise:

providing an article that is worn on the hand;

attaching a supporting means on a side location on said article;

installing a rotatable tracking ball within said supporting means;

providing a tracking means that produces an electrical signal in accordance with the rotation of said tracking ball;

installing switching means on said article, said switching means having one or more momentary contact switches for controlling switch functions; and

transmitting said electrical signal and switching functions from said hand positioned mouse to a computer.

13. The method of hand positioned mouse as set forth in claim 12 in which said step of transmitting said electrical signal and switching functions further comprises attaching a connector cord to said tracking means and to said switching means, attaching a plug on an opposite end of said connector cord to a computer and transmitting said electrical signal and switching functions through said connector cord.

14. The method of hand positioned mouse as set forth in claim 12 in which said step of transmitting said electrical signal and switching functions further comprises connecting said tracking means and said switching means to a radio transmitting means, attaching a corresponding radio receiving means to a computer and transmitting said electrical signal and switching functions by radio waves from said radio transmitting means to said radio receiving means.