Data processing equipment with detachable pointing device

• US 6,369,798 B1
• Filed: 11/25/1998
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Takamisawa Component Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Takamisawa Component Limited
• Inventors: Endo, Norio, Yatsu, Nobuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Huerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/199,272
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/163-167, 345/168, 345/169
• 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 1/169 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 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03541 Mouse/trackball convertible devices, in which the same ball is used to track the 2D relative movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface

Abstract

A data processing equipment including a housing for a keyboard and a display, and a pointing device detachably mounted in the housing for instructing the processing equipment on coordinate data by manually entering analog information. The pointing device includes a casing, an analog information entering section arranged in the casing and capable of being operated by two modes of different entering operations, a processing section arranged in the casing in association with the analog information entering section to convert analog information into digital coordinate data, and a light emitting section arranged in the casing in association with the processing section to emit light signals representing the digital coordinate data. The housing includes a first light receiving section for receiving the light signals emitted from the light emitting section when the pointing device is attached to the housing for operation, and a second light receiving section for receiving the light signals emitted from the light emitting section when the pointing device is detached from the housing for operation.

Claims

1. A data processing equipment comprising:

a housing for a keyboard and a display;

a pointing device detachably mounted in said housing for instructing said processing equipment on coordinate data by manually entering analog information;

said pointing device including a light emitting section for emitting light signals representing the coordinate data;

said housing including a first light receiving section for receiving the light signals emitted from said light emitting section when said pointing device is attached to said housing for operation, and a second light receiving section for receiving the light signals emitted from said light emitting section when said pointing device is detached from said housing for operation,

said pointing device further including an analog information entering section which can be operated in two or more modes for different entering operations,

said analog information entering section including a sheet-operation entering section in which a shifting direction and a shifting distance of a pushed position on a sheet member are entered, and a ball operation entering section in which a rotational direction and a rotational angle of a ball are entered.

2. A data processing equipment as defined in claim 1, further comprising an optical transmission line for transmitting the light signals received in one of said first and second light receiving sections to the other light receiving section.

3. A data processing equipment as defined in claim 1, further comprising a guide member for guiding said pointing device to a proper position in said housing.

4. A data processing equipment as defined in claim 1, further comprising a fastening mechanism for fastening said pointing device to a proper position in said housing.

5. A data processing equipment as defined in claim 1, wherein said sheet member is arranged in a casing of said pointing device to be exposed on a first wall of said casing, and wherein said ball is arranged in said casing to be partially exposed on a second wall of said casing opposed to said first wall.

6. A data processing equipment as defined in claim 1, further comprising a switching mechanism for switching functions of said analog information entering section so as to give said sheet-operation entering section priority in function when said pointing device is attached to said housing, and to give said ball-operation entering section priority in function when said pointing device is detached from said housing.

7. A data processing equipment as defined in claim 1, wherein said pointing device includes a processing section for converting analog information entered through said analog information entering section into digital coordinate data.

8. A pointing device comprising:

a casing detachably mounted in a data processing equipment;

an analog information entering section arranged in said casing and capable of being operated in two or more modes for different entering operations;

a processing section arranged in said casing in association with said analog information entering section to convert analog information into digital coordinate data; and

a light emitting section arranged in said casing in association with said processing section to emit light signals representing the digital coordinate data

wherein said analog information entering section includes a sheet-operation entering section in which a shifting direction and a shifting distance of a pushed position on a sheet member are entered, and a ball-operation entering section in which a rotational direction and a rotational angle of a ball are entered.

9. A pointing device as defined in claim 8, wherein said sheet member is arranged in said casing to be exposed on a first wall of said casing, and wherein said ball is arranged in said casing to be partially exposed on a second wall of said casing opposed to said first wall.

10. A pointing device as defined in claim 8, further comprising a switching mechanism for switching functions of said analog information entering section so as to give said sheet-operation entering section priority in function when said casing is attached to said data processing equipment, and to give said ball-operation entering section priority in function when said casing is detached from said data processing equipment.

11. A pointing device comprising:

a casing detachably mounted in a data processing equipment;

an analog information entering section arranged in said casing and capable of being operated in two or more modes for different entering operations;

a processing section arranged in said casing in association with said analog information entering section to convert analog information into digital coordinate data; and

a light emitting section arranged in said casing in association with said processing section to emit light signals representing the digital coordinate data

wherein said analog information entering section includes a ball-operation entering section in which a rotational direction and a rotational angle of the ball are entered, said ball being arranged in said casing to be partially exposed on two opposed walls of said casing.

12. A data processor comprising:

a coordinate data input device;

a first light receiving section for receiving light signals emitted from said coordinate data input device when said coordinate data input device is in a first position;

a second light receiving section for receiving light signals from said coordinate data input device when said coordinate data input device is in a second position; and

an optical transmission line for transmitting the light signals received in one of said first and second light receiving sections to the other light receiving section.

13. A data processing equipment comprising:

a housing for a keyboard and a display;

a pointing device detachably mounted in said housing for instructing said processing equipment on coordinate data by manually entering analog information;

said pointing device including a light emitting section for emitting light signals representing the coordinate data;

said housing including a first light receiving section for receiving the light signals emitted from said light emitting section when said pointing device is attached to said housing for operation, and a second light receiving section for receiving the light signals emitted from said light emitting section when said pointing device is detached from said housing for operation; and

an optical transmission line for transmitting the light signals received in one of said first and second light receiving sections to the other light receiving section.

14. A data processing equipment comprising:

a housing for a keyboard and a display;

a pointing device detachably mounted in said housing for instructing said processing equipment on coordinate data by manually entering analog information;

said pointing device including a light emitting section for emitting light signals representing the coordinate data;

said housing including a first light receiving section for receiving the light signals emitted from said light emitting section when said pointing device is attached to said housing for operation, and a second light receiving section for receiving the light signals emitted from said light emitting section when said pointing device is detached from said housing for operation,

said pointing device further including an analog information entering section which can be operated in two or more modes for different entering operations,

said analog information entering section including a ball-operation entering section in which a rotational direction and a rotational angle of a ball are entered, said ball being arranged in a casing of said pointing device to be partially exposed on two opposed walls of said casing.

15. A data processing equipment as defined in claim 14, further comprising an optical transmission line for transmitting the light signals received in one of said first and second light receiving sections to the other light receiving section.

16. A data processing equipment as defined in claim 14, further comprising a guide member for guiding said pointing device to a proper position in said housing.

17. A data processing equipment as defined in claim 14, further comprising a fastening mechanism for fastening said pointing device to a proper position in said housing.

18. A data processing equipment as defined in claim 14, wherein said pointing device includes a processing section for converting analog information entered through said analog information entering section into digital coordinate data.

19. A data processor comprising:

a coordinate data input device;

a first light receiving section for receiving light signals emitted from said coordinate data input device when said coordinate data input device is in a first position; and

a second light receiving section for receiving light signals from said coordinate data input device when said coordinate data input device is in a second position,

said coordinate data input device including an analog information entering section which can be operated in two or more modes for different entering operations,

said analog information entering section including a sheet-operation entering section in which a shifting direction and a shifting distance of a pushed position on a sheet member are entered, and a ball operation entering section in which a rotational direction and a rotational angle of a ball are entered.

20. A data processor comprising:

a coordinate data input device;

a first light receiving section for receiving light signals emitted from said coordinate data input device when said coordinate data input device is in a first position; and

a second light receiving section for receiving light signals from said coordinate data input device when said coordinate data input device is in a second position,

said coordinate data input device including an analog information entering section which can be operated in two or more modes for different entering operations,

said analog information entering section including a ball-operation entering section in which a rotational direction and a rotational angle of a ball are entered, said ball being arranged in a casing of said coordinate data input device to be partially exposed on two opposed walls of said casing.