Multiple signaling mouse with faceted surfaces
First Claim
1. A coordinate input device or mouse containing a tracking sphere in its underside and contacting an operating surface and surrounded by two counting wheels enabled to tabulate rotation of said sphere in two axes for communication of coordinate information to a computer software program whereinsaid underside is divided into four planes oriented outwardly and said planes defined by four edges converging generally to an intersect area which points outwardly said tracking sphere is located at said intersect area and enabled to contact said operating surface during complete tilting onto any of said planes said input device enabled to communicate coordinate input information to said software while tilting is maintained on any of said planes.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A conventional monoplane mouse is constructed to move on a flat surface upon a single plane within which a contained sphere may rotate tangential with the single plane contacting the flat surface. Signal for XY cursor movement are derived from two or more counting sensors positioned at an equator of the rotatable sphere parallel with the single plane. The mouse invention defines two or more facets in the underside housing. The facet mouse can be tilted to one of the exclusive facets and moved on a flat surface to generate XY signals. The facet plane selected by tilt is identified by triggered pressure sensitive switches at each facet plane. The switches also function as undercarriage feet to define the virtual plane of contact to the flat surface. The facet planes in two and four facet embodiments are oriented with the orthogonally placed sphere counting sensors so that the interest of any two opposing facets is parallel with the plane of rotation of one of the counting wheels. A single sphere and counter apparatus can serve all facets, being placed at the intersect of all facets. To aid the hand in applying continuous downward pressure to the mouse onto a preferred facet, a hinged and elevatable palm hood is attached to the top of the mouse. The mouse enables a new user interface beyond the tradition ones of: 1.clicking keys by a finger and 2.whole arm movement of a mouse on an XY surface. By a tilting wrist motion, the user may instantly and continuously toggle 2,4, or more selection assigned to the facets provided.
-
Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A coordinate input device or mouse containing a tracking sphere in its underside and contacting an operating surface and surrounded by two counting wheels enabled to tabulate rotation of said sphere in two axes for communication of coordinate information to a computer software program wherein
said underside is divided into four planes oriented outwardly and said planes defined by four edges converging generally to an intersect area which points outwardly said tracking sphere is located at said intersect area and enabled to contact said operating surface during complete tilting onto any of said planes said input device enabled to communicate coordinate input information to said software while tilting is maintained on any of said planes.
-
7. The device as claimed in 5 wherein
said software provides multiple onscreen cursors, each of said on screen cursors associated and assignable by said software to a set of conditions for said four switches, said tilting of said mouse providing signal for the selection of a given one of said cursors for manipulation according to said coordinate input information.
-
8. A coordinate input apparatus or mouse having a hand operated body to input coordinate information of a software defined work plane of a computer assisted drawing program enabled to define projections of a three dimensional object and each projection useable as said work plane, said body comprising:
-
a bottom portion having first, second, third, and fourth input planes which are not all located in the same plane where each of said input planes corresponds to one of said work planes as defined in said program wherein each of said work planes is individually selectable by selecting its corresponding input plane, coordinate information of said work plane being received as input into the selected work plane by the action of tilting onto its corresponding input plane, and detecting means provided at each of said input planes, for detecting movement of the body corresponding to coordinate information to be input and provided at the intersect of said input planes.
-
-
9. A coordinate input apparatus or mouse having a hand-operated body operated upon a ground plane to input coordinate information into computer software which is able to perform tasks represented on a display and a moveable cursor for activating a coordinate location and menu located choices at various coordinate locations, said body having:
-
a bottom portion having first, second, third, and fourth input planes which are not all located in the same plane, where any of said input planes is assignable to correspond to a software task and said task is individually selectable by tilting said body to maintain said corresponding input plane in parallel with said ground plane, a coordinate detection unit comprised of a rotatable sphere contacting said ground plane and contained within two orthogonally positioned counting wheels enabled to acquire an amplitude of motion from the rotating surface of said sphere along two vectors during movement on said ground plane, and said detection unit positioned contiguous with all of said input planes, and said detection unit providing coordinate information to said software while said tilting is maintained onto any of said input planes.
-
Specification