Multi-button mouse
First Claim
1. A unibody mouse having multiple button functionalities, wherein all of said multiple button functionalities are incorporated into a single movable housing component of the unibody mouse, each of the button functions being implemented by moving the single movable housing component to different positions relative to a base housing component that supports the mouse on a surface, the single movable housing component being carried by and movably coupled to the base housing component so as to provide clicking actions for each of said multiple button functionalities, the single movable housing component cooperating with the base housing component to form a housing of the mouse, the housing enclosing all the electrical components of the unibody mouse, said single movable housing component having at least two degrees of freedom relative to the base housing component, the multiple DOFs being used to implement the multiple clicking actions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mouse with multi button functionality is disclosed. The mouse includes a housing that surrounds the internal components of the mouse. The housing includes at least a first member and a second member, each of which forms a substantial portion of the housing. The first member moves relative to the second member so as to implement at least one of the multiple button functions of the mouse.
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Citations
43 Claims
- 1. A unibody mouse having multiple button functionalities, wherein all of said multiple button functionalities are incorporated into a single movable housing component of the unibody mouse, each of the button functions being implemented by moving the single movable housing component to different positions relative to a base housing component that supports the mouse on a surface, the single movable housing component being carried by and movably coupled to the base housing component so as to provide clicking actions for each of said multiple button functionalities, the single movable housing component cooperating with the base housing component to form a housing of the mouse, the housing enclosing all the electrical components of the unibody mouse, said single movable housing component having at least two degrees of freedom relative to the base housing component, the multiple DOFs being used to implement the multiple clicking actions.
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19. A mouse, comprising:
a housing for enclosing internal components of said mouse, said internal components including a plurality of switches, said housing comprising, a base for movably supporting said mouse on a surface; a button body coupled to said base via a pivot and flexure joint that allows said body to move to multiple positions relative to said base, wherein at least a first switch is activated when said body is moved to a first position, wherein at least a second switch is activated when said body is moved to a second position, and wherein at least a third switch is activated when said body is moved to a third position.
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20. A unibody mouse, comprising:
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a base that provides a platform for sliding the unibody mouse along a surface; a mouse body movably coupled to said base, said mouse body pivoting about a first axis positioned in the center of the mouse so that the mouse body pivots from side to side and a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and positioned towards the back of the mouse so that the mouse body pivots forward between the sides, said pivoting about the first and second axes allowing said mouse body to move to a front left tilt position, a front middle tilt position and a front right tilt position relative to said base; and a plurality of movement indicators housed within said mouse body and said base for sensing when said mouse body moves to the front left tilt position, front middle tilt position and front right tilt position relative to said base. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A unibody mouse, comprising:
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a base having a front and rear and including a pair of flexure supports at the rear of the base, the flexure supports being positioned in an opposed relationship on opposite sides of the base, each of the flexure supports including an opening; a mouse body movably attached to said base, the mouse body having a front and a rear that coincide with the front and the rear of the base and including pivot pins at the rear of the mouse body, the pivot pins being positioned in an opposed relationship on opposite sides of the mouse body, the pivot pins being inserted in the openings in the flexure supports thereby forming a pivot flexure joint, the pivot flexure joint facilitating pivoting movements of said mouse body relative to said base, said pivot pin allowing said mouse body to pivot about a first axis relative to said base, said flexures allowing said mouse body to pivot about a second axis relative to said base; and a plurality of movement indicators housed within said mouse body and said base for sensing movement of said mouse body with respect to said base. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. The unibody mouse as recited in 33 further comprising a spring mechanism for biasing the mouse body in the unclicked position in a direction away from the base.
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35. The unibody mouse as recited in 33 wherein the movement indicators are switches and wherein the switches are attached to a printed circuit board, and the printed circuit board is attached to the base.
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36. The unibody mouse as recited in 35 wherein the mouse body is configured to engage a front right switch when the mouse body is moved to the right clicked position, a front left switch when the mouse body is moved to the left clicked position, and a front middle switch when the mouse is moved to the front middle clicked position, a bottom portion of the mouse body pushing against an actuator of the switches in order to activate the switch.
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37. The unibody mouse as recited in 36 further comprising a spring mechanism for biasing the mouse body in the unclicked position in a direction away from the base.
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38. The unibody mouse as recited in 37 wherein the spring mechanism is part of the front middle switch, the spring mechanism causing the actuator to push against the bottom portion of the mouse body so as to bias the mouse body in the unclicked position.
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39. The unibody mouse as recited in 36 wherein the switches report three states including right click left click and middle click, and wherein the unibody mouse is configurable so as to provide one or more button functions based on these states.
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40. The unibody mouse as recited in 30 wherein the movement indicators are all mechanical switches.
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41. The unibody mouse as recited in 30 wherein the movement indicators are all optical switches.
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42. The unibody mouse as recited in 30 wherein the movement indicators are a combination of optical and mechanical switches.
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43. The unibody mouse as recited in 30 wherein the movement indicators include a switch configured to activate and deactivate when the mouse body is pivoted relative to the base, and a tilt sensor configured to measure the degree of tilt of the mouse body so as to determine when the mouse body is in a front right pivoted position, the front left pivoted position and the front middle pivoted position.
Specification