System and method of adjusting display characteristics of a displayable data file using an ergonomic computer input device

• US 6,281,881 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1998
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ledbetter, Carl, Holmdahl, Todd, Siddiqui, Kabir, Adams, Aditha M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CHANH DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/182,603
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 345/123, 345/145, 345/156, 345/157, 345/163, 345/164, 345/165, 345/166, 345/168, 345/184, 345/162, 345/158
• US Class Current: 345/164
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0333 Ergonomic shaped mouse for one hand
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

An ergonomic pointing device, such as a mouse, includes a wheel to provide an input signal in addition to X and Y position signals provided by a rotatable ball of a standard mouse. The wheel extends from an upper surface of the pointing device and may be rotated and depressed by the finger of the user, the wheel being positioned and configured to allow a user to activate the wheel while maintaining a finger in a biomechanically neutral position. The wheel and associated structure, as well as the forces required to rotate and depress the wheel, are configured to reduce inadvertent actuation and to provide a user with tactile feedback, thereby allowing the user to accurately and intuitively activate the pointing device without exceeding an acceptable extension and range of motion for the user'"'"'s finger and wrist.

The mouse is coupled to a computer having a visual display device. The computer is capable of displaying a data file such as a word processing or spreadsheet document, where the data file has adjustable display characteristics such as size (zoom) or data structure (content). As a user rotates the roller, the mouse generates computer signals that are interpreted by an operating system and software applications running on the computer. The signals generated by the roller, together with a given software application, can be used in at least two ways: spatial navigation and data navigation. In spatial navigation, a user rotates the roller to cause the computer and the visual display to zoom into and out of the document and thereby display increasing or decreasing magnification levels of the document on the display. Other modes of spatial navigation allow the user to activate a roller switch, depress special function keys on a keyboard and/or move the mouse to pan, automatically scroll or manually scroll through the document. In data navigation, the user rotates the roller to view differing levels of content or detail with respect to the document.

Claims

1. An input device for a computer comprising:

a housing having an upper surface;

first and second input buttons at the upper surface of the housing;

a first switch actuable by the first button and adapted to produce a first switch signal upon actuation of the first button;

a second switch actuable by the second button and adapted to produce a second switch signal upon actuation of the second button;

a rotatably mounted roller projecting from the upper surface of the housing, at a location between the first button and the second button, the roller being mounted to an axle;

a tactile assembly coupled to the roller that allows the roller to be moved to only a plurality of discrete positions, each discrete position providing a tactile feedback to the user to indicate movement of the roller to the discrete position, the tactile assembly including a tactile feedback disk having a plurality of radially extending bumps having detents formed therebetween and a bias engagement member having an integrally formed protrusion that extends toward and is received between the detents of the tactile feedback disk;

rotatable ball projecting from the housing;

first and second transducers positioned within the housing and coupled to the rotatable ball, the first and second transducers producing first and second signals indicative of rotation of the ball;

a third transducer positioned within the housing and coupled to the roller, the third transducer producing a third signal indicative of rotations of the roller; and

a control circuit coupled to the first and second switches and to the first, second and third transducers for receiving the first and second switch signals and the first, second and third signals and outputting computer signals to the computer in response thereto.

2. The input device of claim 1, further comprising a third switch coupled to the control circuit and positioned adjacent to the roller, wherein the roller is non-rotatively movably mounted within the housing for movement between a rest position and an actuation position, and wherein the third switch is adapted to produce a third switch signal when the roller is moved from the rest position to the actuation position.

3. The input device of claim 1, further comprising a third switch coupled to the control circuit and positioned adjacent to the roller wherein the roller is rotatively moveably mounted within the housing for movement between a rest position and an actuation position, wherein the third switch is adapted to produce a third switch signal when the roller is moved from the rest position to the actuation position, and wherein the roller is rotatable to produce the third signal while substantially simultaneously moved to the actuation position to cause the third switch to produce the third switch signal.

4. The input device of claim 1 wherein the third transducer includes at least one brush electrode and an encoder ring affixed to the tactile feedback disk on a side opposite of the bumps, the encoder ring having radially extending and alternately arranged conductive and nonconductive portions that rotate and contact the at least one brush electrode as the roller rotates.

5. The input device of claim 1 wherein the roller has a pair of pins axially extending therefrom, wherein the tactile assembly and third transducer together form an encoder assembly that is operatively coupled to at least one of the pins of the roller, and wherein the input device further comprises a third switch, a carriage and a spring member, the third switch being coupled to the control circuit and positioned adjacent to the carriage, and the carriage rotatably receiving the roller and fixedly holding the encoder assembly in operative engagement with the roller, wherein the spring member is positioned between a bottom side of the housing and the carriage to apply an upward biasing force to the carriage, and wherein the carriage is depressable to actuate the third switch, the carriage further including a pair of members extending away from the roller, with a groove formed in each member, and wherein the encoder assembly includes an outer casing having longitudinally extending flanges that are slidably received within the grooves of the members.

6. The input device of claim 5, further comprising a web-type electrical connector coupled between the encoder assembly and the control circuit, the electrical connector having at least two transversely extending bends formed therein so as to produce a substantially flattened portion of the electrical connector between the bends, the bends forming hinge lines for pivotal movement of the electrical connector as the carriage is depressed to actuate the third switch.

7. The input device of claim 5 wherein the housing includes a lower surface and a plurality of vertical guides extending upwardly from the lower surface of the housing and slidably retaining the carriage over the spring member.

8. The input device of claim 5 wherein the spring member includes first and second springs that provide a combined spring force at between about 30 and 55 grams of force, wherein the third switch requires approximately 40 to 75 grams of force to actuate, and wherein the roller requires approximately 70 to 130 grams of force to depress and actuate the third switch.

9. An input device for providing user commands to a computer comprising:

a body having upper and lower portions;

first and second input buttons positioned at the upper portion of the body;

first and second switches actuable by the first and second buttons, respectively, and adapted to produce first and second switch signals upon actuation of the first and second switches, respectively;

first and second transducers positioned within the housing and producing first and second transducer signals based on user commands;

a carriage positioned within the body;

a roller rotatably mounted within the carriage and projecting outward from the upper portion of the body, at a position between the first and second buttons, the roller and the carriage being depressable as a unit;

a third transducer positioned within the body and coupled to the roller, the third transducer producing a third transducer signal indicative of the rotations of the roller;

a third switch positioned adjacent to the carriage to actuate the third switch and produce a third switch signal in response upon depression of the roller and carriage as a unit;

a control circuit coupled to the first, second and third switches and to the first, second and third transducers for receiving the first, second and third switch signals and the first, second and third transducer signals and outputting computer signals to the computer in response thereto; and

wherein the roller includes an axle and wherein the third transducer includes a tactile assembly having a tactile feedback disk and a biased engagement member, wherein the tactile feedback disk is operatively coupled to the axle and has a plurality of regularly extending detents, wherein the biased engagement member has a protrusion member that extends toward and is received between the detents of the tactile feedback disk, so that the roller is movable to only a plurality of discrete positions, each discrete position providing a tactile feedback to the user to indicate movement of the roller to the discrete position.

10. The input device of claim 9, further comprising a spring member positioned between the lower portion of the body and the carriage to apply an upward biasing force to the carriage;

wherein the carriage fixedly holds the third transducer in operative engagement with the roller for travel with the carriage, and wherein the input device further comprises an electrical connector coupled between the third transducer and the control circuit, the electrical connector having at least two transversely extending bends formed therein that produce a portion of the electrical conductor between the bends, the bends acting as hinge points for pivotal movement of the electrical connector as the roller and carriage are depressed as a unit to actuate the third switch.

11. The input device of claim 9, further comprising a rotatable ball projecting from the housing, wherein the first and second transducers are coupled to the ball and produce the first and second transducer signals indicative of rotation of the ball, wherein the upper portion of the body forms a top side of the body and includes a post member extending downward toward the ball to protect the input device from possible damage caused by movement of the ball within the body, the post member being split into first and second post portions each having an outside surface and an inside surface, the inside surfaces being spaced apart to define a void formed therebetween;

and

wherein the first and second buttons are coupled with a hinge member, the first and second buttons each having a top surface and being positioned at the top side of the upper portion of the body, the hinge member being secured to the upper portion, the hinge member including first and second primary hinge portions extending outward of the first and second post portions, respectively, and having at least one secondary hinge portion extending within the void and between the first and second post portions, wherein the first and second primary and at least one secondary hinge portions have a hinge line extending transversely to the buttons.

12. The input device of claim 9 further comprising a spring member positioned between the lower portion of the body and the carriage to apply an upward biasing force to the carriage, wherein the spring member includes first and second springs that provide a combined spring force of between about 30 and 55 grams of force, wherein the third switch requires approximately 40 to 75 grams of force to actuate, and wherein the roller requires approximately 70 to 130 grams of force to depress and actuate the third switch.

13. The input device of claim 9 wherein the roller is rotatably moveable to cause the third transducer to produce the third transducer signal, while substantially simultaneously the roller and carriage are depressable to cause the third switch to generate the third switch signal.

14. In an input device for providing user commands to a computer, the input device including a body having upper and lower portions, and a control circuit for outputting computer signals to the computer, a user command input assembly comprising:

a carriage positioned within the body;

a roller rotatably mounted within the carriage and projecting outward from the upper portion of the body, the roller including an axle and the roller and carriage being depressable as a unit;

a transducer positioned within the body and coupled to the roller, the transducer producing a transducer signal indicative of rotations of the roller, wherein the transducer includes a tactile assembly having a tactile feedback disk and a biased engagement member, wherein the tactile feedback disk is operatively coupled to the axle and has a plurality of regularly extending detents, wherein the biased engagement member, has a protrusion member that extends toward and is received between the detents of the tactile feedback disk, so that the roller is movable to only a plurality of discrete positions, each discrete position providing a tactile feedback to the user to indicate movement of the roller to the discrete position;

a spring member positioned between the lower portion of the body and the carriage to apply an upward biasing force to the carriage; and

a switch positioned adjacent to the carriage to actuate the switch and produce a switch signal upon downward depression of the roller and carriage as a unit, the control circuit being coupled to the transducer and to the switch to receive the transducer and switch signals, and outputting the computer signals in response thereto.

15. The user command input assembly of claim 14 wherein the carriage fixedly holds the transducer in operative engagement with the roller for travel with the carriage, and wherein the input device further comprises an electrical connector coupled between the transducer and the control circuit, the electrical connector having at least two transversely extending bends formed therein that produce a portion of the electrical conductor between the bends, the bends acting as hinge points for pivotal movement of the electrical connector as the roller and carriage are depressed as a unit to actuate the switch.

16. The user command input assembly of claims 14 wherein the spring member provides a spring force between about 30 and 55 grams of force wherein the switch requires approximately 40 to 75 grams of force to actuate, and wherein the roller requires 70 to 130 grams of force to depress and actuate the switch.

17. An input device for a computer comprising:

a housing having an upper surface;

first and second input buttons at the upper surface of the housing;

a first switch actuable by the first button and adapted to produce a first switch signal upon actuation of the first button;

a second switch actuable by the second button and adapted to produce a second switch signal upon actuation of the second button;

a rotatably mounted roller projecting from the upper surface of the housing, at a location between the first button and the second button, the roller having a pair of pins extending axially therefrom;

a tactile assembly coupled to the roller that allows the roller to be moved to only a plurality of discrete positions, each discrete position providing a tactile feedback to the user to indicate movement of the roller to the discrete position;

a rotatable ball projecting from the housing;

first and second transducers positioned within the housing and coupled to the rotatable ball, the first and second transducers producing first and second signals indicative of rotation of the ball;

a third transducer positioned within the housing and coupled to the roller, the third transducer producing a third signal indicative of rotations of the roller;

a control circuit coupled to the first and second switches and to the first, second and third transducers for receiving the first and second switch signals and the first, second and third signals and outputting computer signals to the computer in response thereto;

wherein the roller has a pair of pins axially extending therefrom, wherein the tactile assembly and third transducer together form an encoder assembly that is operatively coupled to at least one of the pins of the roller, and wherein the input device further comprises a third switch, a carriage and a spring member, the third switch being coupled to the control circuit and positioned adjacent to the carriage, and the carriage rotatably receiving the roller and fixedly holding the encoder assembly in operative engagement with the roller, wherein the spring member is positioned between a bottom side of the housing and the carriage to apply an upward biasing force to the carriage, and wherein the carriage is depressible to actuate the third switch, the carriage further including a pair of members extending away from the roller, with a groove formed in each member, and wherein the encoder assembly includes an outer casing having longitudinally extending flanges that are slidably received within the grooves of the members.

18. A computer input device, comprising:

a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion;

a ball rotatably mounted to the housing;

a post extending from the upper portion of the housing toward the lower portion of the housing and having a first end disposed proximate the ball;

a first transducer assembly operably coupled to the ball to provide a first sensor signal indicative of rotation of the ball;

first and second buttons, each button having first generally laterally extending edges;

second and third transducers arranged relative to the first and second buttons, respectively, to sense actuation of the first and second buttons and to provide second and third signals indicative of the actuation; and

a hinge, coupled to the housing and the first and second buttons and disposed about the post, configured to provide a substantially uniform return force across the first lateral edge of the first button and to provide a substantially uniform return force across the first lateral edge of the second button.

19. The computer input device of claim 18 wherein the first and second buttons define an aperture therebetween, and further comprising:

a rotatable member, rotatably mounted relative to the housing and extending away from the lower portion of the housing through the aperture.

20. The computer input device of claim 19 wherein the first end of the post is split into first and second post portions laterally spaced from one another.

21. The computer input device of claim 20 wherein the hinge defines a hinge axis and comprises:

a first hinge member coupled to the first button and pivotable about the hinge axis; and

a second hinge member coupled to the second button and pivotable about the hinge axis.

22. The computer input device of claim 21 wherein the first hinge member defines a first opening disposed to receive the first post portion upon pivotal movement of the first hinge member about the hinge axis.

23. The computer input device of claim 22 wherein the second hinge member defines a second opening disposed to receive the second post portion upon pivotal movement of the second hinge member about the hinge axis.

24. The computer input device of claim 23 wherein the first hinge member includes first and second hinge portions disposed on laterally opposite sides of the first opening and extending from the first button to the hinge axis.

25. The computer input device of claim 24 wherein the second hinge member includes first and second hinge portions disposed on laterally opposite sides of the second opening and extending from the second button to the hinge axis.

26. The computer input device of claim 25 wherein the hinge further comprises:

a connection portion disposed on an opposite side of the hinge axis from the first and second hinge members and being rigidly coupled to the upper portion of the housing.

27. A computer input device, comprising:

a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion;

a ball rotatably mounted to the housing;

a first transducer assembly operably coupled to the ball to provide a first signal indicative of rotation of the ball;

first and second buttons, each button having first and second generally laterally extending edges extending between first and second generally longitudinally extending edges;

second and third transducers arranged relative to the first and second buttons, respectively, to sense actuation of the first and second buttons and to provide second and third signals indicative of the actuation;

a first hinge pivotable about a pivot axis and connected to the first button at least in a first connection region disposed closely proximate the first longitudinal edge and a second connection region disposed closely proximate the second longitudinal edge;

a second hinge pivotable about the pivot axis and connected to the second button at least in a first connection region disposed closely proximate the first longitudinal edge of the second button and a second connection region disposed closely proximate the second longitudinal edge of the second button; and

a post disposed generally between the first and second hinges and extending from the upper portion of the housing toward the lower portion of the housing and having a first end disposed proximate the ball.

28. The computer input device of claim 27 wherein the first end of the post comprises:

first and second laterally spaced portions, the first hinge having a first hinge portion extending from the pivot axis to the first button between the first and second laterally spaced portions of the post and a second hinge portion extending from the pivot axis to the first button and being laterally spaced from the first hinge portion.

29. The computer input device of claim 28 wherein the second hinge comprises:

a third hinge portion extending from the pivot axis to the second button between the first and second laterally spaced portions of the post and a fourth hinge portion extending from the pivot axis to the second button and being laterally spaced from the third hinge portion.

30. The computer input device of claim 29 wherein the first and second buttons define an aperture therebetween, and further comprising:

a rotatable wheel, rotatably mounted relative to the housing and extending away from the lower portion of the housing through the aperture.

31. A computer input device, comprising:

a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion;

a ball rotatably mounted to the housing;

a first transducer assembly operably coupled to the ball to provide a first signal indicative of rotation of the ball;

first and second pivotal buttons, each button having first and second generally laterally extending edges extending between first and second generally longitudinally extending edges and a true longitudinal center line disposed between the first and second longitudinally extending edges;

second and third transducers arranged relative to the first and second buttons, respectively, to sense actuation of the first and second buttons and to provide second and third signals indicative of the actuation; and

a hinge assembly pivotally coupling the first and second buttons to the housing, the hinge assembly having first and second apertures therein which tend to displace an effective center line of each of the first and second buttons from the true center lines thereof, the hinge assembly being configured to reduce the displacement of the effective center lines from the true center lines such that the effective center lines approximate the true center lines.

32. The computer input device of claim 31 wherein the first aperture is proximate the first button and the second aperture is proximate the second button and wherein the hinge assembly defines a hinge axis and comprises:

first and second supports extending between the hinge axis and the first button on opposite sides of the first aperture; and

third and fourth supports extending between the hinge axis and the second button on opposite sides of the second aperture.

33. The computer input device of claim 32 wherein the hinge assembly comprises:

a connection portion fixedly connected to the housing, the connection portion having a hinge axis region of resilient material defining the hinge axis.

34. The computer input device of claim 33 wherein the hinge axis region comprises an area of reduced thickness material, reduced relative to a thickness of material in the connection portion.