Portable pointing device

• US 6,552,714 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lyle A. Vust
• Original Assignee: Lyle A. Vust
• Inventors: Vust, Lyle A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, LUNYI
• Application Number:
  US09/608,564
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156-169, 345/184, 345/856, 463/37, 463/38, 273/148.B, 341/20, 341/21
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0331 Finger worn pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks

Abstract

A finger mountable device for controlling a computer using a compact and highly portable control that does not need to be rested on a surface. The finger mountable device for controlling a computer includes a housing for mounting on a finger of a user. The housing has a front wall and a rear wall and a perimeter wall extending between the front and rear walls. The housing has a finger aperture for receiving a finger of a user'"'"'s hand. The finger aperture extends through the housing between the front and rear walls. A first control is mounted on the housing for controlling movement of a cursor on the computer. The first control may comprise a knob movable in a plurality of radial directions for effecting a movement of the cursor in a corresponding direction. Further, the knob may be movable inward toward the housing for causing transmission of a first signal to a computer. Optionally, a second control may be provided on the housing for causing transmission of a second signal to a computer.

Claims

1. A finger mountable device for controlling a computer, the device comprising:

a housing for mounting on a first finger of a user, the housing having a front wall and a rear wall and a perimeter wall extending between the front and rear walls, the housing having a finger aperture for receiving the first finger of a user'"'"'s hand, the finger aperture extending through the housing between the front and rear walls, the perimeter wall of the housing having a control face portion, the control face portion extending in a plane oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first finger when the housing is mounted on the first finger of the user for positioning the control face portion parallel to a second finger of the user situated adjacent to the first finger on the user'"'"'s hand; and

a first control mounted on the housing for controlling movement of a cursor on the computer, the first control being located on the control face portion of the perimeter wall, the first control extending outwardly from the control face portion along a control axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first finger when the housing is mounted on the first finger;

wherein the control face portion of the perimeter wall is substantially planar for positioning adjacent to a second finger of the user located on a first side of the first finger, and additionally comprising a pair of protrusions extending from the perimeter wall of the housing, each of the protrusions extending in a direction opposite of the control face portion of the perimeter wall and being spaced from each other to form a space for receiving a third finger of the user located on a second side of the first finger.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the first control is movable in a plurality of radial directions from the control axis for effecting a movement of the cursor in a corresponding direction.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the first control is movable inward along the control axis toward the housing for causing transmission of a first signal to a computer.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the finger aperture is defined by an interior wall extending about the finger aperture, and wherein the distance bentween the interior wall and the perimeter wall is substantially uniform along the perimeter wall.

5. The device of claim 1 additionally comprising a second control for causing transmission of a second signal to a computer, the second control being mounted on the control face portion of the housing and extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first finger when the housing is mounted on the first finger of the user.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the second control is spaced from the first control along an axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first finger when the housing is mounted on the first finger.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein the second control the control face portion along a second control axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first finger when the housing is mounted on the first finger.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the second control is movable inward along a second control axis toward the housing for causing the transmission of the second signal to a computer.

9. The device of claim 1 additionally comprising a lighted pointer mounted on the housing, the lighted pointer comprising a light emitter mounted in the housing for emitting light through an opening in the housing.

10. The device of claim 9 additionally comprising an actuating button mounted on the housing for selectively supplying power to the light emitter.

11. A finger mountable device for controlling a computer, the device comprising:

a housing for mounting on a first finger of a user, the housing having a front wall and a rear wall and a perimeter wall extending between the front and rear walls, the housing having a finger aperture for receiving the first finger of a user'"'"'s hand, the finger aperture extending through the housing between the front and rear walls; and

a first control mounted on the housing for controlling movement of a cursor on the computer;

wherein the housing has a substantially semicircular first housing portion and a substantially semicircular second housing portion, the first and second housing portions being pivotally connected together at first ends of the housing portions to form an annular housing for encircling the first finger when the housing is mounted on the first finger.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the first end and a second end of each of the first and second housing portions are located in a substantially common plane when the housing is in a closed condition.

13. The device of claim 11 additionally comprising a latch mechanism for selectively locking the first and second housing portions against pivoting with respect to each other in a closed condition.

14. A finger mountable device for controlling a computer, the device comprising:

a housing for mounting on a first finger of a user, the housing having a front wall and a rear wall and a perimeter wall extending between the front and rear walls, the housing having a finger aperture for receiving the first finger of a user'"'"'s hand, the finger aperture extending through the housing between the front and rear walls, the perimeter wall of the housing having a control face portion, the control face portion extending in a plane oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first finger when the housing is mounted on the first finger of the user for positioning the control face portion parallel to a second finger of the user situated adjacent to the first finger on the user'"'"'s hand; and

a first control mounted on the control face portion of the perimeter wall of the housing for controlling movement of a cursor on the computer;

wherein the housing has a first protrusion for resting against a third finger of the user to resist rotation of the housing on the first finger when the housing is mounted on the first finger of the user, the first protrusion extending from the perimeter wall in a direction generally opposite of the control face portion of the perimeter wall.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the first protrusion comprises a ridge extending radially outward from the perimeter wall and extending between the front and rear walls of the housing.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein the housing has a second protrusion for resting against the third finger of the user against to resist rotation of the housing on the first finger when the housing is mounted on the first finger of the user, the second protrusion being spaced from the first protrusion along the perimeter wall to produce a space for resting the third finger against the perimeter wall when the housing is mounted on the first finger.

17. A finger mountable device for controlling a computer such as the movements of a cursor on a display device of the computer, the device comprising:

a housing for mounting on a finger of a user, the housing having a front wall and a rear wall and a perimeter wall extending between the front and rear walls;

the housing having a finger aperture for receiving a finger of a user'"'"'s hand, the finger aperture extending through the housing between the front and rear walls, the finger aperture being defined by an interior wall extending about the finger aperture, wherein the distance between the interior wall and the perimeter wall is substantially uniform along the perimeter wall;

the perimeter wall of the housing having a control face portion for locating controls thereon, the control face portion of the perimeter wall having a substantially planar surface;

the perimeter wall of the housing having a base wall portion located adjacent to the control face portion of the perimeter wall, the base wall portion being oriented in a plane substantially perpendicular to the control face portion;

the perimeter wall of the housing having a top wall portion adjacent to the control face portion, the top wall portion having an arcuate configuration;

the perimeter wall of the housing having a back wall portion located opposite of the control face portion;

the housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the first and second housing portions being pivotally connected together at first ends of the housing portions, each of the first and second housing portions being generally arcuate for defining a finger aperture through the housing, a latch mechanism for selectively locking the first and second housing portions against pivoting with respect to each other, the latch mechanism being located at the second ends of the first and second housing portions of the housing, the latch mechanism comprising a protruding member located on one end of one of the housing portions and a recess located on one end of the other of the housing portions, the protruding member and the recess being selectively interlockable together;

the housing having a first protrusion for resting a finger of the user against to resist rotation of the housing when the housing is mounted on an adjacent finger, the first protrusion extending radially outward from the perimeter wall, the first protrusion extending in a direction substantially opposite from a direction in which the surface of the control face portion is oriented;

the housing having a second protrusion for resting a finger of the user against to resist rotation of the housing when the housing is mounted on an adjacent finger, the second protrusion extending radially outward from the perimeter wall, the second protrusion being spaced from the first protrusion, the second protrusion extending in a direction substantially opposite from a direction in which the surface of the control face portion is oriented;

a first control for controlling movement of a cursor on the computer, the first control being mounted on the housing, the first control being located on the control face portion of the perimeter wall of the housing, the first control comprising a knob extending from one of the walls of the housing, the knob being movable in a plurality of radial directions for effecting a movement of the cursor in a corresponding direction, the knob being movable inward toward the housing for causing transmission of a first signal to a computer;

a second control for causing transmission of a second signal to a computer, the second control being mounted on the housing, the second control being located on the control face portion of the perimeter wall of the housing, the second control being spaced from the first control, the second control being located relatively toward a top portion of the perimeter wall of the housing and the first control being located relatively toward a base portion of the perimeter wall of the housing, the second control comprising a second knob extending from one of the walls of the housing, the second knob being movable inward toward the housing for causing the transmission of the second signal to a computer;

a lighted pointer mounted on the housing, the lighted pointer comprising a light emitter mounted in the housing for emitting light through an opening in the housing, the light emitter being mounted in one of the housing portions of the housing, the light emitted being directed in a direction parallel to the control face portion of the perimeter wall, an actuating button mounted on the housing for selectively supplying power to the light emitter, the actuating button being mounted on the same housing portion as the light emitter; and

a connection cord for electrically linking the first and second controls to a computer, the connection cord having a connector interposed in the cord for permitting selective disconnection of segments of the cord, the connection cord having a first end extending out of the housing and a second end with a plug for plugging into a jack on a computer.