Miniature track ball pointer with built-in selector

• US 6,320,569 B1
• Filed: 04/07/1999
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kinman, David
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CHANH DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/287,467
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/163, 345/164, 345/165, 345/166, 345/167, 463/30, 463/37, 463/38
• US Class Current: 345/167
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

A miniature trackball pointer device includes a ball-shaped roller portion protruding from an opening in an upper surface of the device. When a user rolls the roller portion to move a pointer displayed on a display screen, at least one of a pair of x and y encoders or movement sensors is contacted, and the movement of the roller portion is converted into electrical signals used to move the pointer on the display screen. A resilient layer supports the roller portion above a lower surface of the pointer. A pressure-activated selector switch is located on the lower surface of the pointer directly below the roller portion such that when the user presses down on the roller portion the resilient layer flexes to enable the roller portion to press, and thus activate, the selector switch via the resilient layer.

Claims

1. A pointer device for a compact portable apparatus, the pointer device comprising:

a spherical roller portion protruding from an opening in an upper surface of the pointer device for causing a pointer on a display screen to move;

a pair of x and y encoders contacting the roller portion for converting a rolling motion of the roller portion into electrical signals for moving the pointer on the display screen;

a resilient layer in direct contact with the roller portion for supporting the roller portion above a lower surface of the pointer device, whereby the roller portion does not require a separate surface for support; and

a selector switch located on the lower surface of the pointer device and positioned beneath the roller portion, for selecting an object being pointed to by the pointer on the display screen,

wherein when a user presses on the roller portion with a force exceeding a predetermined minimum force the resilient layer flexes to enable the roller portion to contact the selector switch to activate the selector switch.

2. The pointer device according to claim 1, wherein the selector switch is a pressure-sensitive switch which is activated when contacted with a force exceeding a predetermined amount of force.

3. The pointer device according to claim 1, wherein when the user releases the roller portion the resilient layer returns to its natural position parallel to the lower surface of the pointer device.

4. The pointer device according to claim 1, wherein the resilient layer is interposed between the roller portion and the selector switch when the roller portion contacts the selector switch.

5. The pointer device according to claim 1, further comprising a bias portion for biasing the roller portion against the pair of x and y encoders.

6. The pointer device according to claim 1, wherein the selector switch is an electrical switch which is activated when electrical contact is made between the selector switch and an electrical contact portion located on the resilient layer opposite the selector switch.

8. The pointer device according to claim 1, wherein the resilient layer is textured to provide a frictional force to the roller portion to prevent slippage of the roller portion.

7. A method of selecting an object being pointed to by a pointer on a display screen, the method comprising the steps of:

rolling a spherical roller portion with one or more fingers;

converting the rolling movement of the roller portion into electrical signals used for moving the pointer on the display screen;

moving the pointer on the display screen to point at a desired object; and

using a finger to apply a force exceeding a predetermined minimum force to the roller portion to flex a resilient layer in direct contact with the roller portion that supports the roller portion, whereby the roller portion does not require a separate surface for support, and cause the roller portion to activate a selector switch located adjacent the roller portion to select the desired object.