Pointing device and information processing apparatus

• US 6,618,037 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsukamoto, Kazuyuki, Takeuchi, Shin, Sakamaki, Katsumi, Okamura, Koichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/843,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20010055001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 345/161, 345/163, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/173, 345/179, 345/207
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

A pointing device is provided, enabling to specify a position in a predetermined space easily. A ball is rotatably fitted in the bottom of a body of a pointing device, and the ball rolls when the body moves over a reference surface. A first displacement detecting unit detects displacement of the body relative to the reference surface by detecting the rolling of the ball. A fixed member is fixed to an upper part of the body by way of an elastically bendable supporting member. The moving member can displace relative to the fixed member, and this displacement is detected by a second displacement detecting unit. When the moving member is depressed, the fixed member presses a switch. The switch thus detects whether or not the moving member is being depressed.

Claims

1. A pointing device for specifying a position in a predetermined space, comprising:

first displacement detecting means for detecting a displacement of a body of the pointing device;

second displacement detecting means, which has a displacement detecting member, for detecting a displacement of this displacement detecting member;

position specifying means for displacing the origin of a local coordinates system in the predetermined space in correspondence with the displacement of the body detected by the first displacement detecting means and specifying a position displaced from the origin of the local coordinates system in correspondence with the displacement of the displacement detecting member detected by the second displacement detecting means; and

stimulus delivery means for delivering a stimulus corresponding to the position in the predetermined space specified by the position specifying means.

2. A pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the displacement of the specified position from the origin of the local coordinates system to the displacement of the displacement detecting member is smaller than the ratio of the displacement of the origin of the local coordinates system to the displacement of the body.

3. A pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the displacement detecting member is movable by a finger of an operator.

4. A pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the stimulus delivery means delivers the stimulus by way of the displacement detecting member.

5. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a pointing device according to claim 1, which specifies a position in a predetermined space and delivers a stimulus;

a display, which displays the predetermined space and also displays a position in the predetermined space specified by the pointing device; and

stimulus generating means for generating a stimulus signal corresponding to the position in the predetermined space specified by the pointing device and causing the pointing device to deliver a stimulus on the basis of this stimulus signal.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising display state changing means for changing the state of the display of the predetermined space on the display in correspondence with the position in the predetermined space specified by the pointing device.