Hand-held input devices for personal computer systems

• US 6,366,274 B1
• Filed: 02/01/1999
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mei California, Inc. (Micron Technology, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Elledge, Dennis D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Dennis-Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): AWAD, AMR A
• Application Number:
  US09/245,096
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156-167, 341/20-26
• US Class Current: 345/163
• 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 1/169 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 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03548 Sliders, in which the moving part moves in a plane

Abstract

Input devices for controlling a pointer or other visual indicator on a display of a computer system. In one embodiment, an input device includes a body configured to face a support structure (e.g., a base assembly of a portable computer, a desktop, a tabletop, etc.), a projecting member extending between the body and the support structure, and a position sensor operatively connected to the projecting member. The body may be a housing including a first section or bottom section configured to move over the support structure, and a second section or top section facing generally away from the support structure. The second section can have a contoured surface extending over the support structure such that the contoured surface is configured to engage a palm of a hand of a user. The body, for example, may be a full-sized mouse housing configured to be gripped by a user. The projecting member can have a first portion connected to either the body or the support structure, and the projecting member can have a second portion projecting from the first portion toward the other of the body or the support structure. The projecting member, for example, can be a rod having a first end pivotally connected to the body and a second end engaged with the support structure such that the second end is inhibited from moving with respect to the support structure. In this embodiment, the position sensor is attached to the body. As the body moves over the support structure, the projecting member moves with respect to the position sensor corresponding to the relative movement between the body and the support structure. The position sensor accordingly detects the relative displacement and velocity of the projecting member, and the position sensor sends signals to the computer to control the pointer on the display corresponding to the relative movement between the body and the support structure.

Claims

1. An input device for controlling a pointer on a display of a computer, comprising:

a body comprising a housing including a bottom section configured to face a support structure, the bottom section having an opening, and a top section facing away from the support structure having a contoured surface configured to engage a palm of a hand of a user, and a cross-beam extending through at least a portion of the housing over the bottom section, the cross-beam being aligned with the opening, the body being moveable with respect to the support structure;

a projecting member extending between the body and the support structure, the projecting member comprising a rod passing through the opening in the bottom section of the housing, the rod having a first end pivotally attached to the cross-beam in the housing, a second end projecting from the housing toward the support structure, and a gripping element attached to the second end of the rod to grip the support structure; and

a position sensor attached to the housing, the position sensor being engageable with the rod, wherein the rod moves with respect to the position sensor in correspondence to relative movement between the body and the support structure, and wherein the position sensor detects relative displacement and velocity between the rod and the housing as the body moves with respect to the support structure and sends signals to the computer to control the pointer on the display corresponding to the relative movement between the body and the support structure.

2. The input device of claim 1 wherein the gripping element comprises a high friction pad to engage the support structure, the high friction pad inhibiting the second end of the rod from sliding with respect to the support structure as the body moves over the support structure.

3. The input device of claim 1 wherein the gripping element comprises a suction cup.