Portable computer having reversible trackball/mouse device

• US 6,392,634 B1
• Filed: 10/27/1994
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Burke, Stephen A., Bowers, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANEAU, RONALD
• Application Number:
  US08/330,234
• Time in Patent Office: 2,763 Days
• Field of Search: 345/163, 345/164, 345/167, 345/168, D14/114
• 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 3/03541 Mouse/trackball convertible devices, in which the same ball is used to track the 2D relative movement

Abstract

A portable computer is provided with a combination trackball/mouse pointing device for controlling cursor movement on the computer screen. In one positional mode thereof, the device is removably inserted into a recess in the computer base housing and serves as an integrated trackball. In another positional mode thereof, the device is removed from the housing recess, vertically inverted, and rolled along a support surface adjacent the computer to serve as a mouse for screen cursor control purposes. Both the trackball and mouse functions of the device are carried out via the rotation of a ball carried by an outer housing portion of the device. In an alternate embodiment of the device, which does not require the vertical inversion of the device to switch between its mouse and trackball functions, the trackball function of the device is provided by a conventional touch pad structure exteriorly secured to the device housing on a side thereof opposite the exposed portion of the mouse ball.

Claims

1. For use with a computer having a display screen upon which a movable cursor image may be generated, a pointing device useable to controllably move the cursor image on the display screen, said pointing device comprising:

an invertable support structure having a first exterior side and a second exterior side opposite said first side, each of said first and second exterior sides including a shaped portion, the shaped portion of the first side being a sloped portion and the shaped portion of the second side being a dish-shaped depression;

a first pair of pointer select buttons operatively disposed on and extending from the sloped portion of said first side;

a second pair of pointer select buttons operatively disposed to extend from within said dish-shaped depression;

a ball rollingly supported within said dish-shaped depression of said support structure and having a portion exposed on said second side thereof;

said support structure being rotatable about an axis thereof between a first position in which said ball portion may be manually engaged and moved in a manner rotating said ball in a selected direction relative to said support structure, and a second position in which said ball portion may be positioned against a surface and the support structure moved along the surface in a manner causing said ball to be rotated by the surface in a selected direction relative to the moving support structure;

first means for generating first and second output signals respectively indicative of the direction of rotation of said ball relative to said support structure about first and second reference axes, each of said first and second output signals having a directional sense;

second means for receiving said first and second output signals and responsively generating a third output signal useable to control the movement of the cursor image on the display screen and representing a directional component summation of said first and second signals; and

third means, responsive to the movement of said support structure from one of said first and second positions thereof to the other of said first and second positions thereof, for reversing the directional component of said third output signal associated with a selected one of said first and second output signals.

2. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein:

said first and second positions of said support structure are vertically inverted relative to one another, and

said first and second reference axes are perpendicular to one another.

3. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein:

said pointing device is operatively coupled to the computer by a wire, and

said second means are operative to transmit said third output signal through said wire.

4. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein:

said third output signal is a wireless signal.

5. The pointing device of claim 4 wherein:

said third output signal is an IR signal.

6. The pointing device of claim 4 wherein:

said third output signal is an RF signal.

7. The pointing device of claim 2 wherein:

said first means include a transverse pair of rollers frictionally engaged by said ball, and said first and second output signals are electric output signals and are generated in response to rotation of said rollers by said ball,

said second means include electronic circuit means for receiving said first and second electric output signals and responsively generating said third output signal in the form of an electric output signal, and

said third means include a signal inverter incorporated in said electronic means, and a mercury switch carried by said support structure for vertical inversion therewith and operative to couple said selected one of said first and second electrical output signals to said signal inverter when said support structure is moved from said one of said first and second positions thereof to said other of said first and second positions thereof.

13. The computer apparatus of claim 7 wherein:

said output signal is a wireless signal.

14. The computer apparatus of claim 13 wherein:

said output signal is an IR signal.

15. The computer apparatus of claim 13 wherein:

said output signal in an RF signal.

8. Computer apparatus comprising:

a computer including a housing and a display screen upon which a movable cursor image may be generated; and

an invertable combination trackball/mouse pointing device, operatively associated with said computer, for controllably moving said cursor image on said display screen, said pointing device including;

a support structure having a first exterior side and a second exterior side opposite said first side, each of said first and second sides including a shaped portion, the shaped portion of the first side being a sloped portion and the shaped portion of the second side being a dish-shaped depression,

a first pair of pointer select buttons operatively disposed on and extending from the sloped portion of said first side,

a second pair of pointer select buttons operatively disposed to extend from within said dish-shaped depression,

a ball rollingly carried within said dish-shaped depression of said support structure and having a portion exposed on said second side thereof,

said support structure being rotatable between a trackball orientation in which said ball portion may be manually engaged and moved in a manner rolling said ball in a selectively variable direction relative to said support structure, and a mouse orientation in which said ball portion may be positioned against a surface and said support structure moved along the surface in a manner causing said ball to be rotated in a selectively variable direction relative to said support structure,

signal generating means, responsive to a rolling of said ball relative to said support structure, for generating an output signal indicative of the rolling direction of said ball relative to said support structure, said output signal being useable to controllably move said cursor image on said screen and having first and second directional components respectively indicative of the rolling movement of said ball about first and second mutually perpendicular axes, and

mode sensing means for detecting rotation of said support structure from one of said trackball and mouse orientations thereof to the other of said trackball and mouse orientations thereof and responsively reversing the directional sense of one of said directional components of said output signal.

9. The computer apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

said support structure is rotatable between said trackball and mouse orientations thereof generally about a reference axis extending through said support structure,

one of said first and second mutually perpendicular axes is generally parallel to said reference axis, and

the output signal directional component reversed by said mode sensing means is indicative of rotation of said ball relative to said support structure about the other of said mutually perpendicular axes.

10. The computer apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

said housing has an external recess therein, and

said support structure, in said trackball orientation thereof, is removably insertable into said recess in a manner exposing said first side of support structure on said housing.

11. The computer apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

said housing has a top side surface, and

said first side of said support structure faces upwardly when said support structure, in said trackball orientation thereof, is inserted into said recess.

12. The computer apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

said pointing device is operatively associated with said computer by a wire extending between said housing and said support structure,

said output signal is an electrical signal, and

said signal generating means are operative to transmit said output signal to said computer through said wire.

16. The computer apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

said signal generating means include an electronic circuit carried by said support structure and operatively coupled to said ball, and

said mode sensing means include a mercury switch carried by said support structure and operatively coupled to said electronic circuit.

17. A portable computer comprising:

a housing base portion having a top side and an external recess opening upwardly through said top side;

a housing lid portion secured to said housing base portion for pivotal movement relative thereto between an open position in which said lid portion is upwardly angled relative to said base portion, and a closed position in which said lid portion extends across and covers said top side of said base portion, said lid portion having an inner side;

a display screen, disposed on said inner side of said lid portion, upon which a movable cursor image may be generated; and

an invertable combination trackball/mouse pointing device for controllably moving said cursor image on said display screen, said pointing device including;

a hollow device housing having oppositely facing first and second exterior sides, each of said first and second exterior sides including a shaped portion, the shaped portion of the first side being a sloped portion and the shaped portion of the second side being a dish-shaped depression,

a first pair of pointer select buttons operatively disposed on and extending from the sloped portion of said first side,

a second pair or pointer select buttons operatively disposed to extend from within said dish-shaped depression,

a ball rollingly supported within said dish-shaped depression of said device housing and having a portion exposed on said second side of said device housing,

said device housing being vertically invertable between a trackball orientation in which said first side of said device housing faces downwardly and said ball portion may be manually engaged and moved in a manner rolling said ball in a selectively variable direction relative to said device housing, and a mouse orientation in which said first side of said device housing faces upwardly and said ball portion may be positioned against a horizontal support surface and said device housing moved along the horizontal support surface in a manner causing said ball to be rotated by the support surface in a selectively variable direction relative to said device housing,

said device housing, in said trackball orientation thereof, being removably insertable into said housing base portion recess in a manner such that, with said housing lid portion in said closed position thereof, said ball portion is exposed generally at said top side of said housing base portion,

signal generating means, responsive to a rolling of said ball relative to said device housing, for generating an output signal indicative of the rolling direction of said ball relative to said device housing, said output signal being useable to controllably move said cursor image on said display screen and having first and second directional components respectively indicative of the rolling movement of said ball about first and second mutually perpendicular axes, and

mode sensing means for detecting the vertical inversion of said device housing from one of said trackball and mouse orientations thereof to the other of said trackball and mouse orientations thereof and responsively reversing the directional sense of one of said directional components of said output signal.

18. The portable computer of claim 17 wherein:

said portable computer is a notebook computer.

19. The portable computer of claim 17 wherein:

said external recess has a pair of horizontally facing opposite side walls with grooves formed therein, and

said device housing has a pair of opposite side edge portions with outwardly projecting ribs formed thereon, said ribs being configured to be slidably received in said grooves when said device housing is operatively inserted into said external recess.

20. The portable computer of claim 17 wherein:

said external recess has an inner end wall with an opening therein,

said pointing device is operatively connected to said housing base portion by a wire having an inner end portion movably extending through said end wall opening, and an outer end portion connected to said device housing, and

said signal generating means are operative to transmit said output signal to said computer through said wire.

21. The portable computer of claim 17 wherein:

said output signal is a wireless signal.

22. The portable computer of claim 21 wherein:

said output signal is an IR signal.

23. The portable computer of claim 21 wherein:

said output signal is an RF signal.

24. The portable computer of claim 17 wherein

said external recess has a partial bottom wall that protectively underlies said sloped portion of said first side and protects said first pair of pointer select buttons when said device housing is in said trackball orientation mounted in said external recess.

25. The portable computer of claim 17 wherein:

said signal generating means include an electronic circuit carried by said device housing and operatively coupled to said ball, and

said mode sensing means include a mercury switch carried by said device housing and operatively coupled to said electronic circuit.

26. Computer apparatus comprising:

a housing having an external recess therein;

a display screen upon which a movable cursor image may be generated; and

a pointing device for controllably moving said cursor image on said display screen, said pointing device including;

an invertable support structure having opposite first and second exterior sides and being removably insertable into said external recess for movement with said housing, each of said first and second exterior sides including a shaped portion, the shaped portion of the first side being a sloped portion, and the shaped portion of the second side being a dish-shared depression,

a first pair of pointer select buttons operatively disposed on and extending from the sloped portion of said first side,

a second pair of pointer select buttons operatively disposed to extend from within said dish-shaped depression,

a ball rollingly carried within said dish-shaped depression of said support structure and having a portion exposed on said second side thereof, said ball portion, when said pointing device is removed from said recess being positionable against a support surface and rollable relative to said support structure in response to translation of said support structure along the support surface, and

first signal generating means, responsive to a rolling of said ball relative to said support structure, for generating a first output signal indicative of the rolling direction of said ball relative to said support structure, said first output signal being useable to controllably move said cursor image on said display screen.

27. The computer apparatus of claim 26 wherein:

said support structure is removably insertable into said recess in a manner exposing said first side of said support structure to manual contact by a user of said computer apparatus, and

said computer apparatus further comprises a touch pad externally mounted on said first side of said support structure, and second signal generating means, responsive to manual contact and movement along said touch pad, for generating a second output signal indicative of the direction of manual movement along said touch pad, said second output signal being useable to controllably move said cursor image on said display screen.