Multimodal pointer method

• US 7,006,074 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas Peter Chesters
• Original Assignee: Thomas Peter Chesters
• Inventors: Chesters, Thomas Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Application Number:
  US10/235,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20040046732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/161, 345/163, 345/164, 345/157, 345/160, 345/158, 341/20, 341/21, 741/74.XY
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

A multimodal pointer method, comprising an elongated, graspable, control shell (301) which has a rotatable, multi-axis control ball encoder (302) positioned so that it may be used in multiple modes, with a minimum of two function keys (307, 308) that can be used in all modes. The device may either be used at various orientations in-air, or be used in-air against a surface, or may be used downward on a side on a surface and used as a mouse, or be alternately used upward on a side as a trackball, and, in a preferred embodiment, may be used upright on its base (335), or on a cooperative static or dynamic, surface or suspension base stand (339, 338) which introduces other cooperative features. The method further comprehends the incorporation of a second, front or side-mounted pointer device, typically a single-axis wheel encoder (328) or a multi-axis auxiliary control ball encoder, and other programmable switches, and may be used either wired or wirelessly using incorporated or intermediately connective data transmission components.

Claims

1. A manually controlled multimodal pointer method for use with a computer means with a mouse control software means with connective circuitry means with a display screen means with a pointer icon and a cursor icon displaying means, comprising:

providing an elongated, graspable support shell housing means, and

providing a rotatable, multi-axis, control ball pointer controlling means with suitable sensor encoding means, with one side of said control ball pointer controlling means protrudingly exposed from within one side of said support shell housing means with said one side of said control ball pointer controlling means positioned to be operated by an index finger, and

providing a plurality of mouse function keying means configured so that a minimum of two mouse function keying means are manually accessible during all mode changes, and

providing a logic board processing means for said sensor encoding means and said mouse function keying means, and

providing a connective electrical transferring means between said sensor encoding means and said mouse function keying means, and said logic board processing means, and said mouse control software means within said computer means, and said display screen means with a pointer and a cursor icon displaying means, and

providing a circuit reverser switching means for said sensor encoding means, and

providing a circuit reverser switching means for said minimum of two said mouse function keying means, whereby said multimodal pointer method may be minimally utilized in an in-air mode, a mouse mode and a trackball mode to control said pointer and cursor icon displaying means.

2. The method of claim 1 further including an auxiliary single-axis pointer-controller encoder means.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said connective electrical means between said mouse function keying means, said sensor encoding means, said logic board processing means, and said mouse control software means within said computer means, further includes a wireless transmission means.

4. A manually controlled multimodal pointer method for use with a computer means with a mouse control software means with connective circuitry means with a display screen means with a pointer icon and a cursor icon displaying means, comprising:

providing an elongated, graspable support shell housing means, and

providing a rotatable, multi-axis, control ball pointer controlling means with suitable sensor encoding means, with two sides of said control ball pointer controlling means protrudingly exposed from within two sides of said support shell housing means with said two sides of said control ball pointer controlling means positioned to be operated by an index finger, and

providing a plurality of mouse function keying means configured so that a minimum of two mouse function keying means are manually accessible during all mode changes, and

providing a logic board processing means for said sensor encoding means and said mouse function keying means, and

providing a connective electrical transferring means between said sensor encoding means and said mouse function keying means, and said logic board processing means, and said mouse control software means within said computer means, and said display screen means with a pointer and a cursor icon displaying means, and

providing a circuit reverser switching means for said sensor encoding means, and

providing a circuit reverser switching means for said minimum of two said mouse function keying means, and

providing a slide means for sliding said elongated, graspable support shell housing means along a flat surface while in a mouse mode, and

providing a trackball support means for elevating one or more ends of said elongated, graspable support shell housing means upon a support surface while in a trackball mode, whereby said multimodal pointer method may be minimally utilized in an in-air mode, a mouse mode and a trackball mode to control said pointer and cursor icon displaying means.

5. The method of claim 4 further including an auxiliary single-axis pointer-controller encoder means.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said connective electrical means between said mouse function keying means, said sensor encoding means, said logic board processing means, and said mouse control software means within said computer means, further includes a wireless transmission means.

7. A manually controlled multimodal pointer device for use with a computer means with a mouse control software means with connective circuitry means with a display screen means with a pointer and a cursor icon display means, comprising:

an elongated, graspable support shell housing means, with a rotatable, multi-axis control ball pointer control means with suitable sensor encoding means, with front, left and right sides of said control ball pointer control means protrudingly exposed from within said elongated, graspable support shell housing means and positioned to be operated by an index finger, and

a plurality of mouse function keying means configured so that a minimum of two said mouse function keying means are manually accessible during all mode changes, and

a logic board processing means for said sensor encoding means and said mouse function keying means, and

a connective electrical means between said keying means, said sensor means, said logic board processing means, and said mouse control software means within said computer means, and said display screen means with a pointer and a cursor icon displaying means, whereby said manually controlled multimodal pointer device may be utilized to control said pointer and cursor icon display means.

8. The device of claim 7 further including a slide means for sliding said elongated, graspable support shell housing means along a flat surface while in a mouse mode.

9. The device of claim 7 further including a trackball support means for elevating one or more ends of said elongated, graspable support shell housing means upon a support surface while in a trackball mode.

10. The device of claim 7 further including a circuit reverser switching means for said sensor encoding means.

11. The device of claim 7 further including a circuit reverser switching means for said minimum of two said mouse function keying means.

12. The device of claim 7 further including an auxiliary single-axis pointer-controller encoder means.

13. The device of claim 7 wherein said connective electrical means between said mouse function keying means, said sensor encoding means, said logic board means, and said mouse control software means within said computer means, further includes a wireless transmission means.

14. The device of claim 7 further including a cooperative suspension stand means for independently supporting said elongated, graspable support shell housing means in an alternate operating mode.

15. The device of claim 7 further including a cooperative base stand means for independently supporting said elongated, graspable support shell housing means in an alternate operating mode.

16. The device of claim 7 wherein said connective electrical means between said mouse function keying means, said sensor encoding means, said logic board means, and said mouse control software means within said computer means, further includes a double-pin-plugged in-out cable means.

17. The device of claim 7 wherein said rotatable, multi-axis control ball pointer control means is supported by a set of ring collar means.