Adjustable pointer controller with voltage thresholds control for conveying user inputs to a computer equipped with a user port or PS/2 port

• US 6,463,487 B1
• Filed: 06/11/1999
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Ternullo, Noah J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Application Number:
  US09/329,872
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 710/63, 710/64, 710/73, 710/100, 710/129, 361/601
• US Class Current: 710/63
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device

Abstract

A device enables a joystick to be connected to a PS/2® port converts signals from the joystick to mouse-like signals so that neither the software nor the hardware needs to be changed in order to use the joystick instead of the mouse. The directional signals of the joystick are converted to mouse-equivalent signals and discrete signals from the joystick are translated by a device formed and configured to a PS/2® port.

Claims

1. A pointer controller interface for receiving signals from a transducer, comprising:

means for converting a first directional signal of said pointer controller to a second directional signal compatible with a PS/2®

port;

means for translating a first discrete signal to a second discrete signal compatible with said PS/2®

port;

means for establishing a plurality of voltage thresholds for scaling said transducer signals for use by a receiver having said PS/2®

port, said establishing means further being responsive to said transducer and said pointer controller; and

adapter means for carrying signals from said converting means and said translating means to said receiver having said PS/2®

port, said adapter means formed and configured to adapt to said PS/2®

port.

2. The pointer controller interface of claim 1, further comprising:

d) means for controlling speed of a pointer on said receiver.

3. The pointer controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a means for receiving control signals from said receiver receiving the directional and discrete signals.

4. The pointer controller of claim 3 wherein said control signals control sensitivity of the pointer controller to transducer signals.

5. The pointer controller of claim 3, further comprising:

means for controlling speed of a pointer on said receiver and wherein said control signals from said receiver set pointer speed at the pointer controller.

6. The pointer controller interface of claim 1 wherein said means for converting a first directional signal further comprises a microprocessor.

7. The pointer controller of claim 6 wherein said microprocessor converts said first directional signal to one or more 8 bit words.

8. The pointer controller of claim 6 wherein said means for converting further comprises at least one comparator, said comparator taking as a first input a voltage signal from the transducer, and as a second input a voltage signal through a variable resistor.

9. The pointer controller interface of claim 1 wherein said means for translating a first discrete signal further comprises an optical encoder mouse driver.

10. The pointer controller interface of claim 6, further comprising a discrete signal decoupler decoupling the transducer from said microprocessor.

11. The pointer controller interface of claim 6, further comprising a directional signal decoupler decoupling the transducer from said microprocessor.

12. The pointer controller interface of claim 6, further comprising a bus decoupler decoupling said microprocessor from a PS/2®

bus.

13. The pointer controller interface of claim 6, further comprising a bus decoupler decoupling said microprocessor from a Universal Serial Bus.

14. The pointer controller interface of claim 1, further comprising:

means for converting said first directional signal to a third directional signal compatible with a Universal Serial Bus;

means for converting said first discrete signal with a third discrete signal compatible with said Universal Serial Bus; and

adapter means formed and configured to adapt to said Universal Serial Bus in order to carry said third directional signal and said third discrete signal to a second receiver.

15. The pointer interface controller of claim 14, further comprising:

g) means for determining whether said PS/2®

port is to receive signals or whether said Universal Serial Bus is to receive signals from the pointer controller interface.

16. The pointer controller interface of claim 1, further comprising:

means for associating said discrete signal with a specific action on said receiver.

17. The pointer controller interface of claim 16 wherein said specific action is an equivalent of an action resulting from a double-click of a mouse button.

18. A pointer controller interface for receiving signals from a transducer, comprising:

a microprocessor for converting a first directional signal of a pointer controller to a second directional signal compatible with a PS/2®

port;

an optical encoder mouse driver for translating a first discrete signal to a second discrete signal compatible with said PS/2®

port;

a plurality of voltage threshold controls for establishing a like plurality of voltage thresholds, said like plurality for scaling said transducer signals for use by a receiver having said PS/2®

port; and

,

an adapter for carrying signals from said microprocessor and said optical encoder to said receiver.

19. A pointer controller interface system, comprising:

a transducer for generating pointer directional signals and at least one discrete signal;

means for converting a first directional signal of a pointer controller to second directional signal compatible with a PS/2®

port;

means for translating a first discrete signal to a second discrete signal compatible with said PS/2®

port;

means for establishing a plurality of voltage thresholds, said plurality for scaling said directional signals for use by a receiver having said PS/2®

port; and

,

adapter means formed and configured to adapt to said PS/2®

port to carry signals from said converting means and said translating means to said receiver.

20. The pointer controller interface system of claim 19, wherein the transducer is a joystick.

21. A pointer controller interface for receiving signals from a transducer, comprising:

means for converting a first directional signal of said pointer controller to a second directional signal compatible with a Universal Serial Bus;

means for translating a first discrete signal to a second discrete signal compatible with said Universal Serial Bus;

means for establishing a plurality of voltage thresholds for scaling said transducer signals for use by a receiver communicatively coupled to said Universal Serial Bus, said establishing means further being responsive to said transducer and said pointer controller; and

adapter means for carrying signals from said converting means and said translating means to said receiver, said adapter means formed and configured to adapt to said Universal Serial Bus.

22. The pointer controller interface of claim 21 wherein said transducer is a joystick.

23. The pointer controller interface of claim 22 wherein said receiver is communicatively coupled to a computer.

24. The pointer controller interface of claim 22 wherein said establishing means further comprises:

a like plurality of variably adjustable resistors operatively coupled to comparators, said variably adjustable resistors further being operable by a user of said joystick.