Method for pointing out information and a pointing device

• US 6,509,888 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2000
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Pöllänen, Ossi, Manner, Jauri, Tuovinen, Juhani
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Nitin
• Application Number:
  US09/570,465
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 345/163, 345/157, 345/167, 345/158, 345/159, 345/164, 345/161, 364/190, 338/128, 463/38
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/145 influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields see G01R33/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2013 by a movable ferromagnetic element, e.g. a core G01D5/2033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/007 Indication of measured value by tactile means
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 7/00 Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with one single controlling member co-operating with one single controlled member; Details thereof controlling members G05G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts

Abstract

A pointing device that comprises a movable pointing element and a detector. The pointing element affects a magnetic field the changes of which are detected by the detector and adapted so as to point out information. The detector that produces a detection signal on the basis of which the movement of the pointing element is sensed and utilized to point out information on a display. The movable pointing element and the detector comprises means for generating a magnetic field and for detecting a magnetic field. The pointing element includes a plurality of magnetic elements placed on a perimeter of the pointing element.

Claims

1. A pointing device comprising a movable pointing element and a detector that gives a detection signal on the basis of a movement of the pointing element that is detected and utilized to point out information on a display wherein the movable pointing element and detector comprise means for generating a magnetic field and for detecting a magnetic field, and

wherein the pointing element is placed in a mounting recess on a shaft in the direction of which it is movable between a plurality of parallel positions and at the same time between menu groups.

2. A pointing device comprising a movable pointing element and a detector that gives a detection signal on the basis of a movement of the pointing element that is detected and utilized to point out information on a display, wherein the movable pointing element and detector comprise means for generating a magnetic field, and

wherein a plurality of pointing elements are placed in parallel in one and the same mounting recess.

3. A pointing device according to claim 2, characterized in that a plurality of pointing elements (42;

42a, 42b, 42c) are paced in a mounting recess (45) so as to be axially movable between different positions (O, P, Q, R, S and T).

4. A pointing device comprising a movable pointing element and a detector, which pointing element is a rotary element comprising means for generating a magnetic field, which pointing element is fitted into a mounting recess on a body of the device and which detector comprises means for detecting a magnetic field, wherein the rotary element has a rotation axis and is arranged symmetrically about the rotation axis and the means for generating a magnetic field includes a plurality of magnetic elements places in a perimeter of the pointing element at a distance from one another and the means for detecting a magnetic field is fitted below the pointing element in the mounting recess proximate the perimeter of the pointing element to define an air gap therebetween.

5. The pointing device according to claim 4, wherein on the rotation axis of the pointing element at opposing sides of the pointing element there are arranged short pins and, correspondingly, in the mounting recess there are arranged hollows in such a way that the pointing element can be snapped out of the mounting recess and a corresponding element can be inserted in the mounting recess.

6. The pointing device according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the magnetic elements is a permanent magnet.

7. The pointing device according to claim 4, wherein the means for detecting a magnetic field detector is a coil or a corresponding component.

8. The pointing device according to claim 4, wherein the means for detecting the magnetic field is a Hall sensor.

9. The pointing device according to claim 4, wherein the means for detecting the magnetic field is a magnetoresistive sensor.

10. The pointing device according to claim 4, wherein the pointing element is placed in the mounting recess on a shaft in the direction of which it is movable between a plurality of parallel positions and at the same time between menu groups or the like.

11. The pointing device according to claim 4, wherein the pointing element comprises a plurality of pointing elements that are placed in parallel in the mounting recess.

12. A pointing device comprising a movable pointing element and a detector, which pointing element is a rotary element comprising means for generating a magnetic field, which pointing element is fitted into a mounting recess on a body of the device and which detector comprises means for detecting a magnetic field, the rotary element having a rotation axis and comprising a hub through which the rotation axis extends and a plurality of radial projections extending from the hub to a perimeter of the pointing element, the hub and projections being made of a ferromagnetic material, and the means for generating a magnetic field includes a magnetic element placed in connection with radial projections, wherein the means for detecting a magnetic field is fitted below the pointing element in the mounting recess proximate the perimeter of the pointing element to define an air gap therebetween.

13. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein the magnetic element is in the hub of the pointing element and the plurality of projections are connected to the hub.

14. The pointing device according to claim 13, wherein one of the projections has a free end shaped in such a manner that the free end is distinguishable from the other projections.

15. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein one of the projections is separated from the rest of the projections by means of wider projection spacings.

16. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein on the rotation axis of the pointing element, at opposing sides of the pointing element there are arranged short pins and, correspondingly, in the mounting recess there are arranged hollows in such a way that the pointing element can be snapped out of the mounting recess and another pointing element can be inserted in the mounting recess.

17. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein the pointing element comprises a shaft about which the pointing element can be rotated, and the magnetic element is placed on the rotation axis of the pointing element in proximity of the shaft, which shaft is made of a ferromagnetic material.

18. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein the magnetic element is placed outside the pointing element, in proximity of the perimeter of the pointing element to transfer a magnetic flux to the pointing element.

19. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein the magnetic element is a permanent magnet or and electromagnet.

20. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein one of the projections is different from the others in that it has a larger free end area than the other projections.

21. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein one of the projections is shaped at its free end such that the projection is distinguishable from other projections.

22. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein one of the projections is separated from the rest of the projections by means of wider projection spacings.

23. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein the means for detecting a magnetic field is a coil or a corresponding component.

24. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein there is connected to the magnetic field means for detecting a preprocessing apparatus in which an induced voltage pulse is used to determine a direction of movement of the pointing element relative to the means for detecting.

25. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein the means for detecting a magnetic field detector is a Hall sensor, or magnetoresistive sensor.

26. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein the means for detecting a magnetic field comprises a ferromagnetic transmission line.

27. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein the pointing element is placed in the mounting recess on a shaft in the direction of which the pointing element is movable between a plurality of parallel positions and at the same time between menu groups or the like.

28. The pointing device according to claim 12, wherein the pointing element comprises a plurality of pointing elements placed in parallel in the mounting recess.

29. The pointing device according to claim 28, wherein the plurality of pointing elements are placed in the mounting recess so as to be axially movable between different positions.