Input device for moving cursor and scrolling image on screen

• US 7,042,445 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2001
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hara, Osamu, Itoh, Akihisa, Ogino, Kouichi, Ooshita, Kazuhito
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kumar, Srilakshmi K.
• Application Number:
  US09/793,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20010017614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,898 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 341/20, 715/701, 715/702
• US Class Current: 345/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface

Abstract

In the case where the operator is moving the cursor on the computer screen through the use of a mouse, when the cursor display moves to a position which coincides with any of the menu display, a boundary position of the menu display or a position which coincides with the icon display, pressure sensing power generating means within the mouse is actuated to give a shock force or the like to the operator. This enables the operator to recognize the grasp in the operating state by not only visual judgment but also by hand.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a display;

a computer body in which software for displaying a screen on the display and software for scrolling the screen have been hosed; and

an operating wheel provided in an input means to scroll the screen to give an operation input signal for scrolling the screen to the computer body,

wherein there is provided load variable means for making a rotational load of the operating wheel variable, wherein in the computer body, there is housed a supervisory program for supervising a state of image data to be displayed on the display and wherein an operation command is given to the load variable means from the computer body in response to the state of the image data supervised through the use of the supervisory program to make the load on the operating wheel variable, wherein the load variable means comprises a variable means that receives the operation command to fluctuate a load of the operating wheel in a rotational click feel manner, and

the load variable means comprises a pressing pad which contacts an outer periphery of the operating wheel to give the operating wheel the rotational click feel.

2. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the supervisory program supervises the amount of image data to be displayed on the screen, and performs input for scrolling the screen through the use of the operating wheel, the supervisory program gives an operation command for changing a rotational load to the load variable means in response to a magnitude of the amount and type of the image data.

3. An input device according to claim 1, wherein when the supervisory program performs input for scrolling the screen through the use of the rotational input means, the supervisory program supervises whether or not the screen, which scrolls, reaches an end of the scroll, and when the end is reached, gives an operation command for increasing the load on the rotational input means to the load variable means, or gives an operation command for stopping the rotation of the rotational input means to brake means separately provided from the load variable means.

4. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the image data is being scrolled upward and the load exerted on the operating wheel is great, wherein the load is continuously or stepwise made smaller as the image data is scrolled upward.

5. An input device according to claim 4, wherein the image data is scrolled upward and the load is maximized by using the load variable means to prevent the operating wheel from rotating.