Mouse and mouse template for a motion impaired user

• US 6,518,987 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crevasse, Annette Margaret, Easter, William Graham, Maze, John Albert, Miceli, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US09/410,548
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 345/700, 345/701, 345/727-729, 345/764, 345/810, 345/835, 345/841, 345/843, 345/856-858, 345/865, 345/156-158, 345/162-164, 345/167, 345/184, 345/905, 704/270, 704/270.1, 704/271, 434/112, 434/116
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0395 Mouse pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A computer system for a motion impaired user includes a housing, a processor in the housing, and a display connected to the processor for displaying at least one menu of selectable commands arranged in a sequence. A mouse is connected to the processor for positioning a pointer on the display responsive to movement of the mouse. The computer further includes a mouse template having at least one elongate body having a plurality of stations therealong corresponding to the sequence of selectable commands and cooperates with the mouse for assisting the motion impaired user so that when the mouse is positioned at a station, the pointer on the display is positioned at the corresponding selectable command of the menu.

Claims

1. A computer system for a motion impaired user comprising:

a housing;

a processor in said housing;

a display connected to said processor for displaying at least one menu of selectable commands arranged in a sequence;

a mouse connected to said processor for positioning a pointer on said display responsive to movement of said mouse;

a mouse template comprising at least one elongate body having a plurality of stations therealong corresponding to the sequence of selectable commands and cooperating with said mouse for assisting the motion impaired user so that when said mouse is positioned at a station the pointer on said display is positioned at the corresponding selectable command of the at least one menu;

said mouse template further comprising a first pad portion adjacent said at least one elongate body and comprising a plurality of spaced apart tracks extending outwardly from respective stations; and

said mouse further comprising a guide for being slidably engaged within a track to guide said mouse therealong.

2. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein each station comprises a sensor connected to said processor.

3. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said mouse slidably engages each respective station.

4. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said mouse comprises a switch for selecting the selectable command when said mouse is positioned at the station.

5. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein each station includes a recessed notch for receiving a mating portion of said mouse.

6. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said mouse template further comprises a second pad portion adjacent said first pad portion having a substantially flat surface so that a non-motion impaired user can position the pointer in a desired location on said display.

7. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said first pad portion of said mouse template further comprises a plurality of spaced apart second tracks extending transverse to the tracks extending outwardly from the respective stations.

8. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein each selectable command displays a pull down menu when selected and includes a sequence of second selectable commands;

and wherein each track comprises a plurality of spaced apart recesses corresponding to the sequence of second selectable commands so that the pointer is positioned on said display at one of the second selectable commands corresponding to a recess.

9. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said processor further comprises a speech message generator for communicating the selected command to the user.

10. A method for assisting a motion impaired user operating a computer system comprising a housing, a processor in the housing, a display connected to the processor for displaying at least one menu of selectable commands arranged in a sequence, a mouse connected to the processor, and a mouse template comprising at least one elongate body having a plurality of stations therealong corresponding to the sequence of selectable commands, the method comprising the step of:

positioning the mouse to one of the plurality of stations for communicating between the mouse and the mouse template so that the pointer on the display is positioned at a selectable command corresponding to the selected station, wherein the mouse template further comprises a first pad portion adjacent the at least one elongate body and comprises a plurality of spaced apart tracks extending outwardly from respective stations; and

wherein the mouse further comprises a guide for being slidably engaged within a track to guide the mouse therealong.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein each station comprises a sensor connected to the processor for sensing the mouse.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein positioning the mouse comprises slidably engaging the mouse with each respective station.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the mouse comprises a switch for selecting the selectable command when the mouse is positioned at the station.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein each station includes a recessed notch for receiving a mating of the mouse.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein the mouse template further comprises a second pad portion adjacent the first pad portion having a substantially flat surface so that a non-motion impaired user can position the pointer in a desired location on the display.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein the first pad portion of the mouse template further comprises a plurality of spaced apart second tracks extending transverse to the tracks extending outwardly from the respective stations.

17. A method according to claim 10, wherein each selectable command displays a pull down menu when selected and includes a sequence of second selectable commands;

and wherein each track comprises a plurality of spaced apart recesses corresponding to the sequence of second selectable commands so that the pointer is positioned on the display at one of the second selectable commands corresponding to a recess.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein the processor further comprises a speech message generator for communicating the selected command to the user.