Ball pattern architecture
First Claim
1. A method of creating an ordered surface pattern to be applied to a ball of a computer input device, said method comprising:
- selecting an individual ball pattern design element;
replicating the individual ball pattern design element to create a plurality of like design elements; and
arranging the like design elements in predetermined relation to a grid pattern established in relation to a sub-element of the ball'"'"'s spherical surface, said sub-element being defined as one of three radially symmetrical sub-elements obtained by dividing the ball'"'"'s spherical surface into octants and subdividing one of the octants, said grid pattern comprising first and second sets of intersecting grid lines.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A methodology is provided for build-up of a variety of aesthetically pleasing highly ordered patterns which may, by known print processes, be applied to cover the entire spherical surface of a ball used in a computer input device, to thereby render the ball optically trackable with known optical tracking engines. While highly regular in order and appearance, the patterns resulting from the inventive methodology have an inherent or natural geometric variability permitting the patterns to be tracked without aliasing effects and associated cursor jump or skip encountered with previous attempts to optically track a regular arrangement of pattern elements.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of creating an ordered surface pattern to be applied to a ball of a computer input device, said method comprising:
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selecting an individual ball pattern design element;
replicating the individual ball pattern design element to create a plurality of like design elements; and
arranging the like design elements in predetermined relation to a grid pattern established in relation to a sub-element of the ball'"'"'s spherical surface, said sub-element being defined as one of three radially symmetrical sub-elements obtained by dividing the ball'"'"'s spherical surface into octants and subdividing one of the octants, said grid pattern comprising first and second sets of intersecting grid lines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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- 9. A method of providing a ball for use in a computer input device with an optically trackable spherical surface, said method comprising printing on the ball'"'"'s spherical surface an ordered surface pattern area including a plurality of like ball pattern design elements arranged in predetermined relation to a grid pattern established in relation to a sub-element of the ball'"'"'s spherical surface, said sub-element being defined as one of three radially symmetrical sub-elements obtained by dividing the ball'"'"'s spherical surface into octants and subdividing one of the octants, said grid pattern comprising first and second sets of intersecting grid lines.
- 12. A ball for use in a computer input device, said ball having a spherical surface bearing an ordered surface pattern for permitting movement of the ball to be optically tracked, said ordered surface pattern comprising a plurality of like individual ball pattern design elements arranged in predetermined relation to a grid pattern established in relation to a sub-element of the ball'"'"'s spherical surface, said sub-element being defined as one of three radially symmetrical sub-elements obtained by dividing the ball'"'"'s spherical surface into octants and subdividing one of the octants, said grid pattern comprising first and second sets of intersecting grid lines.
Specification