Magnetic mouse and/or mouse-pad

• US 6,504,528 B1
• Filed: 01/14/2000
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kermani, Bahram G., Dayal, Surender
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Nitin
• Application Number:
  US09/483,784
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 345/163, 345/167, 345/173, 345/184, 345/158, 345/164, 345/156, 340/407.1, 340/407.2
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0395 Mouse pads

Abstract

The invention is a computer mouse-device/mouse-pad combination in which the mouse device and mouse-pad are magnetically attracted to each other so that a mouse device will stay fixed to the mouse-pad when the mouse-pad is at an angle to the horizontal. Preferably, the mouse device is magnetized by an electromagnetic magnet which is controlled to be sensitive to the touch of the user such that the magnetic force is weakened or turned off when the user touches the mouse device and is turned on full force when the user'"'"'s hand is not in contact with the mouse device.

Claims

1. A computer mouse device and mouse-pad system comprising:

a computer mouse device for controlling the position of a cursor within a display device;

a mouse-pad for use in connection with said mouse device;

wherein one of said mouse device and said mouse-pad comprises an electromagnet and the other comprises a ferromagnetic material wherein said electromagnet is adapted to exert sufficient magnetic force relative to said ferromagnetic material to hold said mouse from moving relative to said mouse-pad when said mouse pad is at an angle relative to horizontal with said mouse in contact with said mouse-pad; and

a user operable input device for allowing a user to selectively adjust a strength of said electromagnetic force.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said mouse device comprises said magnet and said mouse-pad comprises a ferromagnetic material.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said mouse-pad comprises a sheet of material containing iron.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said sheet of material containing iron has at least one surface and said mouse-pad further comprises a neoprene sheet covering at least said one surface of said sheet of material containing iron.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein said user operable input device comprises a knob on said mouse for controlling said strength of said magnetic force.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein said mouse device further comprises a touch sensitive surface for detecting when a user is in contact with said mouse device and a circuit for controlling said electromagnet such that said electromagnet generates a first magnetic force when said user is in contact with said mouse device and a second magnetic force when said user is not in contact with said mouse device, wherein said first magnetic force is less than said second magnetic force.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said first magnetic force is zero.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said user input device adjusts the strength of said second magnetic force.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein said mouse device further comprises a cable for connecting said mouse device to a computer, said cable including an electrical path for providing current from said computer to said electromagnet.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising an arm adjustably coupled to said mouse-pad at a first end of said arm and a first mounting device for mounting a second end of said arm to furniture.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said arm comprises a second mounting device coupled between said first end of said arm and mouse-pad, said second mounting device allowing adjustability of an angular relationship between said arm and said mouse-pad.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein:

said magnet is an electromagnet;

said system further comprises a sensor for sensing the angle of said mouse-pad relative to said arm; and

said system further comprises circuitry for adjusting a force of said electromagnet responsive to said sensor.

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a sensor for sensing the angle of said mouse-pad relative to a horizontal plane; and

circuitry for adjusting a force of said electromagnet responsive to said sensor.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein said magnetic force is consistent over the entire mouse-pad.

15. A computer mouse device for controlling the position of a cursor within a display device, said computer mouse device for use with a ferromagnetic mouse-pad, said mouse device comprising an electromagnet such that said mouse device will be held by magnetic force to said mouse-pad wherein said electromagnet is adapted to exert sufficient magnetic force relative to said ferromagnetic mouse-pad to hold said mouse from moving relative to said mouse-pad when said mouse pad is at an angle relative to horizontal with said mouse in contact with said mouse-pad;

and

a user operable input device for allowing a user to selectively adjust a strength of said electromagnetic force.

16. The mouse device of claim 15 wherein said user operable input device comprises a knob on said mouse for controlling said strength of said magnetic force.

17. The mouse device of claim 15 wherein said mouse device further comprises a touch sensitive surface for detecting when a user touches said mouse device and a circuit for controlling said electromagnet such that said electromagnet generates a first magnetic force when said user is touching said mouse device and a second magnetic force when said user is not touching said mouse device, wherein said first magnetic force is less than said second magnetic force.

18. The mouse device of claim 17 wherein said first magnetic force is zero.

19. The mouse device of claim 15 wherein said user input device adjusts the strength of said second magnetic force.

20. The mouse device of claim 15 further comprising:

a cable for connecting said mouse device to a computer, said cable including an electrical path for providing current to said electromagnet wherein said electrical path for providing current to said electromagnet is a same electrical path used by said mouse device to operate other circuitry in said mouse device.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein said magnetic force is consistent over the entire mouse-pad.

22. A computer mouse device and mouse pad system comprising:

a computer mouse device for controlling the position of a cursor within a display device;

a mouse-pad for use in connection with said mouse device;

a sensor for sensing the angle of one of said mouse and said mouse pad relative to a horizontal plane;

wherein one of said mouse device and said mouse pad comprises an electromagnet and the other comprises a ferromagnetic material wherein said electromagnet is adapted to exert sufficient magnetic force relative to said ferromagnetic material to hold said mouse from moving relative to said mouse-pad when said mouse-pad is at an angle relative to horizontal with said mouse in contact with said mouse pad; and

circuitry for adjusting a force of said electromagnet responsive to said sensor.