User input device

• US 7,023,426 B1
• Filed: 09/16/2002
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Robinson, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad, Amr A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOOD JOHNSON, MOTILEWA
• Application Number:
  US10/245,462
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 345/169, 345/168, 345178-184, 345 1901- 1906
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• 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

Abstract

A user input device has a body portion extending from a first end to a second end and having a plurality of keys, for example keys that may be arranged and configured to be a keyboard, and an optical motion element. A wireless transmitter transmits data entered through the keys to a target component, for example a computer, a PDA, a digital watch, and the like. The user input device may include a hinged panel having some of the keys, and when the hinged panel is in an open configuration, the arrangement of the keys may be similar to an alphanumeric keyboard. The optical motion element may be an optical mouse for controlling a cursor on a display, when the hinged panel is open. When the hinged panel is closed the optical motion element may be configured to serve as a digital pen, for sensing natural writing, pen motions used to control a display, such as cursor location or to make selections on a menu, for example. The device may be sized so as to be easily portable, fit inside a pocket, and may be formed to have a shape similar to a writing instrument.

Claims

1. A user input device comprising:

a body portion extending from a first side portion to a second side portion, the body portion movable between a first position and a second position;

a plurality of keys representing a plurality of characters arranged on the body portion between the first and second side portions;

a motion tracking element on the body portion for moving a display image, the motion tracking element operable as a first mode of input when the body is in the first position and operable as a second mode of input when the body is in the second position, wherein the second mode of the motion tracking element comprises a digital pen; and

a transmitter on the body portion for electromagnetically transmitting data away from the body portion.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the body portion includes a length from the outside of the first side portion to an outside of the second side portion and a width and wherein the width is significantly less than a length.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the body portion is asymmetrical about a longitudinal plane.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the body portion includes a key for each letter of an alphabet.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the plurality of keys are arranged in four rows.

6. The device of claim 5 further including a panel linked to the body portion and movable relative to the body portion and wherein the panel includes two rows of keys.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the body portion includes two rows of keys and wherein the panel is movable to a position where the keys on the panel face the keys on the body portion.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the motion tracking element is positioned at a first end of the body portion.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the motion tracking element includes a sensor and a processor for identifying movement of the device relative to a surface.

10. The device of claim 9 further comprising a key panel movable between open position corresponding to the first position of the body portion and a closed position corresponding to the second position of the body portion and wherein the processor can identify movement according to the first and the second modes wherein the panel is open and wherein the panel disclosed.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein the motion tracking element is configured to detect movement of a human finger.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein motion tracking element is configured to detect movement of the device over a surface.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the motion tracking element is positioned at a first end of the body portion and wherein the first end of the body portion is tapered.

14. The device of claim 13 further comprising a mouse switch at the first end of the body portion.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the transmitter includes means for transmitting radio waves.

16. The devise of claim 1 wherein the first mode of the motion tracking element comprises an optical mouse.

17. The user input device of claim 1 wherein the first position comprises an open body position and the second position comprises a closed body position.

18. A user input device comprising a body portion movable between a first position and a second position having a first side portion and a second side portion, a plurality of keys on the body portion for entering information into the device, an optical motion element operable as a first mode of input when the body is in the first position and operable as a second mode of input when the body is in the second position, wherein the second mode of input of the optional motion element comprises a digital pen, the optical motion element being on the first side portion and configured to detect relative motion between the body portion and an adjacent surface, a processor for receiving signals from the plurality of keys and a data transmission element associated with the body portion for receiving data from the processor and transmitting signals representing the information entered into the device.

19. The user input device of claim 18 wherein the plurality of keys include alphanumeric characters visible and associated with the plurality of keys.

20. The user input device of claim 19 wherein the plurality of keys includes rows of keys arranged with the alphabet characters in the manner of a conventional keyboard.

21. The user input device of claim 18 wherein the optical motion element is an optical mouse.

22. The user input device of claim 21 when the processor and the optical mouse can be configured so that the user input device can operate as a mouse for moving an image on a display in the first mode and as a recorder for recording movement of the user input device relative to an adjacent surface in the second mode.

23. The user input device of claim 22 wherein the body portion is elongated and configured to be capable of being held in an average adult hand, wherein the first side portion of the body portion includes a converging tip and wherein the optical mouse is located in the converging tip of the body portion.

24. The user input device of claim 21 wherein some of the plurality of keys are positioned on a movable portion of the body, movable between a first key position and a second key position, and wherein the processor includes means for sensing when the movable body portion is in the first key position.

25. The user input device of claim 24 further including a sensor for providing a signal to the processor for indicating when the movable portion of the body is no longer in the first key position.

26. A process for controlling an image on a display, the process comprising the steps of:

placing a housing within reach of a hand for manipulation of at least one key on the housing, the housing being movable between an open position and a closed position;

moving a finger within the field of view of an optical motion element in the housing with the housing in the open position and detecting the magnitude and direction of movement of the finger relative to the optical motion element;

moving the housing along a surface with the housing in the closed position and detecting movement of the housing along the surface through the optical motion element; and

transmitting from the housing to a receiver electromagnetic signals representing the magnitude and direction of at least one of movement of the finger and movement of the housing.

27. The process of claim 26 further comprising the step of opening a keyboard in the housing containing the at least one key and manipulating the at least one key.

28. The process of claim 27 further comprising the step of sensing when the keyboard is open.

29. A system for controlling an image on a display, the system comprising:

a user input device having a body portion movable between a first position and a second position, manual input keys for receiving manual input from a user, a motion tracking element on the body portion operable as a first mode of input when the body is in the first position and operable as a second mode of input when the body is in the second position, wherein the second mode of the motion tracking element comprises a digital pen, and a transmitter coupled to the input keys and to the motion tracking element for transmitting signals; and

a display coupled to a receiver for receiving, signals from the transmitter.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the body portion includes a closable panel and the manual input keys are positioned on the closable panel.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the first mode of the motion tracking element comprises an optical mouse.

32. The system of claim 29 further including a switch on the body portion for manual activation for making a selection corresponding to an image displayed on the display.

33. The user input device of claim 29 wherein the first position comprises an open body position and the second position comprises a closed body position.