Electronic device with trackball user input

• US 6,480,185 B1
• Filed: 07/28/1999
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kiljander, Harri J, Deeds, Douglas A
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Monestime, Mackly
• Application Number:
  US09/362,367
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 345/167, 345/163, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158
• US Class Current: 345/167
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033

Abstract

A portable radio telephone comprising a housing, a transceiver located in the housing, a controller connected to the transceiver, a display connected to the controller, and a user input device connected to the controller. The user input device comprises a trackball movably connected to the housing and at least one trackball rotational position sensor connected to the controller for sensing rotational movement of the trackball. The sensor includes a roller which rides against an exterior surface of the trackball. The user input device is configured to provide biased stepwise movements of the roller as the trackball is rotated by a user.

Claims

1. A trackball user input device comprising:

a user actuated trackball; and

a first trackball position sensor located at an exterior side of the trackball, the sensor comprising a first roller rotatably contacting the exterior side of the trackball,

wherein the trackball is rotatable about orthogonal axes and the exterior side of the trackball or the sensor is shaped to provide a predetermined biased rotational stepped movement of the roller as the trackball and roller are rotated relative to each other.

2. A device as in claim 1 further comprising a second trackball position sensor located at an exterior side of the trackball comprising a second roller offset 90°

from the first roller.

3. A device as in claim 2 further comprising means for supporting the trackball against the rollers.

4. A device as in claim 1 wherein the first roller comprises a polygon cylinder.

5. A device as in claim 1 wherein the exterior side of the trackball comprises stepped surfaces angled relative to each other to form a general polygonal sphere.

6. A device as in claim 5 wherein the stepped surfaces comprise flat surfaces.

7. A device as in claim 5 wherein the stepped surfaces comprise grooves at edges between the stepped surfaces.

8. A device as in claim 1 wherein the roller is movably biased against the trackball for movement orthogonal to an axis of rotation of the roller as the roller and trackball are rotated relative to each other.

9. A device as in claim 1 wherein the first roller comprises a circular outer perimeter and the sensor further comprises a polygonal disk stationarily connected to the first roller and a rider biased against the polygonal disk for locating the disk at predetermined rotational positions.

10. A device as in claim 1 wherein the trackball is linearly movable along one of the orthogonal axes between a home position and a depressed position, and wherein the input device further comprises a depression sensor for sensing when the trackball is moved by a user to the depressed position.

11. In a portable radio telephone comprising a housing, a transceiver located in the housing, a controller connected to the transceiver, a display connected to the controller, and a user input device connected to the controller, wherein the improvement comprises:

the user input device comprises a trackball movably connected to the housing and at least one trackball rotational position sensor connected to the controller for sensing rotational movement of the trackball, wherein the sensor includes a roller which rides against an exterior surface of the trackball, and wherein the user input device is configured to provide biased stepwise rotational movements of the roller as the trackball is rotated by a user.

12. A telephone as in claim 11 wherein the input device comprises only two of the rotational position sensors which are spaced about 90°

apart.

13. A telephone as in claim 11 wherein the input device includes means for biasing the trackball towards the at least one trackball rotational position sensor.

14. A telephone as in claim 11 wherein the roller comprises a polygon cylinder.

15. A telephone as in claim 11 wherein the exterior side of the trackball comprises stepped surfaces angled relative to each other to form a general polygonal sphere.

16. A telephone as in claim 15 wherein the stepped surfaces comprise flat surfaces.

17. A telephone as in claim 15 wherein the stepped surfaces comprise grooves at edges between the stepped surfaces.

18. A telephone as in claim 11 wherein the roller is movably biased against the trackball and can move orthogonal to an axis of rotation of the roller as the roller and trackball are rotated relative to each other.

19. A telephone as in claim 11 wherein the roller comprises a circular outer perimeter and the sensor further comprises a polygonal disk stationarily connected to the roller and a rider biased against the polygonal disk for locating the disk at predetermined rotational positions.

20. A telephone as in claim 11 wherein the trackball is linearly movable along an axis between a home position and a depressed position into the housing, and wherein the input device further comprises a depression sensor for sensing when the trackball is moved by a user to the depressed position.

21. In an electronic device having a display, a controller connected to the display, and a user input connected to the controller, wherein the improvement comprises:

the user input including a trackball extending through a hole in a housing which partially encloses the trackball, rotational position tracking sensors connected to the controller and having rollers supported against an exterior surface of the trackball, the trackball being rotatable about orthogonal axes and the exterior side of the trackball or at least one of the sensors being shaped to provide a predetermined biased rotational stepped movement of the roller as the trackball and roller are rotated relative to each other, and a trackball depression sensor connected to the controller for sensing depression of the trackball by a user in a direction into the housing, wherein the trackball is both rotatable relative to the housing and depressible into the housing between a home position and a depressed position.

22. A method of controlling movement of a trackball in a user interface for an electronic device, the method comprising steps of:

providing a biased stepwise detent rotational positioning system for providing predetermined stepped rotational movement of rollers of trackball position sensors located against an exterior side of the trackball;

rotating the trackball by a user; and

locating the rollers at predetermined stepped positions when the user stops rotating the trackball.

23. A method as in claim 22 wherein the step of providing a detent positioning system comprises providing the exterior side of the trackball with stepped surfaces angled relative to each other to form a general polygonal sphere.

24. A method as in claim 22 wherein the step of providing comprises the rollers being movably biased against the trackball for movement orthogonal to respective axes of rotation of the rollers as the rollers and trackball are rotated with each other.

25. A method as in claim 22 wherein the step of providing comprises the rollers having an exterior polygon shape for rotating against the exterior side of the trackball.

26. A method as in claim 22 wherein the step of providing comprises stationarily attaching polygon disks to respective ends of the rollers and providing riders biased against the disks for locating the disks at predetermined rotational positions.