Pointing device by sensing geomagnetic field

• US 6,788,290 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2002
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Primax Electronics Limited
• Inventors: Huang, Shih-Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Nitin
• Application Number:
  US10/064,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20030048253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/163, 345/166, 710/1, 710/2
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

A pointing device of a computer includes a sensing module and a button. The sensing module has two magnetism detectors, each detector having a unique sensing axis. The magnetism detectors generate signals according to the relative changes of the sensing axes with respect to the geomagnetic field. The sensing signals and button signal are processed and transmitted to the computer for use in controlling the function of the computer.

Claims

1. A pointing device of a computer comprising:

a housing;

at least a button installed on the housing for generating a control signal when a user presses the button; and

a sensing module installed inside the housing comprising;

a first magnetism detector comprising a first sensing axis, the first magnetism detector generating a first sensing signal according to a relative change of the first sensing axis with respect to a geomagnetic field;

a second magnetism detector comprising a second sensing axis, the second magnetism detector generating a second sensing signal according to a relative change of the second sensing axis with respect to the geomagnetic field;

an amplifier connected to the first magnetism detector and the second magnetism detector for amplifying the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal; and

a decoder connected to the amplifier for generating a two-dimensional displacement signal according to the amplified first sensing signal and the amplified second sensing signal;

wherein the first sensing axis is not parallel with the second sensing axis and forms a predetermined angle with the second sensing axis, and the first magnetism detector and the second magnetism detector respectively sense changes of the first sensing axis and the second sensing axis with respect to the geomagnetic field when the user moves the pointing device such that the decoder generates the corresponding two-dimensional displacement signal according to the changes of the first sensing axis and the second sensing axis with respect to the geomagnetic field.

2. The pointing device of claim 1 further comprising a first wireless transmission module for transmitting the control signal and the two-dimensional displacement signal through radio communication.

3. The pointing device of claim 2 wherein the computer further comprises a second wireless transmission module for receiving the control signal and the two-dimensional displacement signal.

4. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein each of the first magnetism detector and the second magnetism detector comprises a magnetoresistor.