Combination mouse, pen-input and pen-computer device

• US 7,733,326 B1
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Prakash Adiseshan
• Original Assignee: Prakash Adiseshan
• Inventors: Adiseshan, Prakash
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro; Leonid
• Application Number:
  US11/192,908
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-179
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus

Abstract

An apparatus that can be used as a mouse device and as a pen device. The apparatus has modular configuration. It has four types of units: a sensor unit, a processor unit, a mouse converter unit and a pen attachment unit. The sensor unit may use an optical arrangement for detecting relative motion. The sensor unit and processor unit are used in mouse and pen device configurations. Mouse converter unit is a mouse-shape enclosure useful mainly when apparatus is employed for mouse-input. Pen attachment unit is actively employed when the apparatus is used as a pen device, but it can be made compact to fit into mouse converter unit when the apparatus is used as a mouse device. The pen attachment unit connects the sensor unit with any pen-shaped object, selectively coupling the motion of the object with the sensor unit. When the apparatus is used as a pen-device, the processor unit can be conveniently worn on hand thereby making the device highly portable. As a pen device, the apparatus can be used in pen-input mode to provide real-time input to a host device. It can also be used as a pen computer whereby input is processed and stored offline for future synchronization with the host device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a) at least one sensor unit having a motion detection means to detect its relative motion with respect to a surface,

b) a processor unit including microcontroller, storage, power and communications elements,

c) a mouse converter unit with a housing in the shape of a computer mouse,

d) a pen attachment unit with a first attachable end and a second attachable end,

e) said processor unit electrically connected to each of said sensor units,

f) said mouse converter unit containing hollow space to receive one said sensor unit and said processor unit,

g) a first mounting means to attach said first attachable to one said sensor unit, and

h) a second mounting means to attach said second attachable end to a pen object,

whereby said apparatus can be configured to operate as a mouse device by using one said sensor unit, said processor unit and said mouse converter unit, and as a pen device by using one said sensor unit, said processor unit and said pen attachment unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, said first mounting means comprising:

a) a snap clip attached to said first attachable end,

b) a receptacle for said snap clip attached to said sensor unit, and

c) a hinge connecting said sensor unit and said first attachable end.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, said second mounting means comprising:

a) a clip with a cross section matched to fit the cross section of said pen shaped object, on a plane perpendicular to the length of the pen object.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, said motion detection means comprising motion sensing arrangement found in conventional mouse input devices.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, said motion detection means comprising motion sensing arrangement found in digital pen devices.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a. said mouse converter unit formed by joining a base portion and a top cover portion,

b. the bottom surface of said base portion having a hole,

c. said top cover portion including a first mouse button and a second mouse button placed so as to be operated by fingertips,

d. said base portion and the top cover of said mouse converter unit connected by the combination of a hinge and a snap clip so as to be able open and close said top cover portion,

e. said base portion on the inside of said mouse converter unit having a first set of supports and a second set of supports,

f. one said sensor unit firmly held by said first set of supports so as to enable said sensor unit to have access to said surface,

g. said processor unit firmly held in place by said second set of supports,

h. said mouse converter unit buttons electrically connected to said processor unit when said processor unit is placed within said mouse converter unit,

i. said first mounting means comprising a hinge connecting said sensor unit and said first attachable end, and

j. a compacting means to reduce the volume occupied by said pen attachment unit,

whereby said sensor unit, said processor unit and a folded form of said pen attachment unit can be fully contained within said mouse converter unit housing and said apparatus can be operated as a computer mouse device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, said compacting means comprising:

a. said pen attachment unit having a vertical element,

b. said pen attachment unit having a horizontal element, and

c. a hinge connecting said vertical element and said horizontal element,

whereby said vertical element and said horizontal element can be folded with respect to each other.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a. said pen attachment unit including a mechanical coupling means to selectively transfer motion between said second attachable end and said first attachable end,

b. said pen attachment unit including a navigation motion detection means to identify presence of relative movement, between said second attachable end and first attachable end, in the direction of normal to said surface,

c. said processor unit having plurality of stands attached to the bottom surface, and

d. an elastic strap inserted through slits in said stands,

whereby said apparatus can be operated as a pen device by (i) positioning the tip of said pen object on said surface, (ii) placing the bottom surface of said sensor unit on said surface, (iii) wearing the processor unit on the back of the palm of hand by inserting palm of hand into said elastic strap and (iv) moving said tip on or above said surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, said mechanical coupling means, navigation motion detection means, object fitting means and sensor fitting means together comprising:

a. a vertical element having;

i. a slider unit with a stationary component and a moveable component,

ii. the base portion, of said stationary part forming the second attachable end of the pen attachment unit,

iii. said base portion having an electricity conducting strip,

iv. a spherical joint with a protrusion,

v. a vertical arm attached to said protrusion,

vi. a first connector attached to the top portion of said vertical arm by a hinge, and

vii. said spherical joint fixed on the top surface of said moveable part of said slider unit,

b. a horizontal element having;

i. a link,

ii. a clip, and

iii. said link and said clip connected by a second connector,

c. said vertical element and said horizontal element linked by a first connector,

d. said base portion of said stationary part of said slider unit attached to said top surface of said sensor unit by a hinge, and

e. said base portion of said stationary part of said slider unit having a snap clip aligned with said snap clip receptacle on the top surface of said sensor unit,

whereby (i) the motion component of said object tip on said surface or on a parallel plane above said surface results in proportional movement of said sensor unit on said surface, and (ii) the motion component of said object tip along the normal axis of said surface is not transferred onto said sensor unit, and (iii) the length dimension of said pen object is allowed to be placed at any inclination with respect to said surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a. a push button to operate the device as a pen computer, and

b. a push button to initiate communication with said host device,

whereby said apparatus processes and stores user input with capability to synchronize with a host device on demand.

11. A method of operator interaction, using an apparatus, comprising the steps of

a. detecting relative motion with respect to a surface using a sensor arrangement found in mouse devices

b. determining mode of operation of said apparatus to be mouse mode when there is no external mechanical arrangement attached to said sensor arrangement

c. allowing attachment of a mechanical arrangement to said sensor arrangement and simultaneously allowing attachment of said mechanical arrangement to a pen object,

d. moving said sensor arrangement in response to movement of tip of said pen object on said surface or on a plane parallel to and above said surface,

e. determining mode of operation of said apparatus to be pen mode when said mechanical arrangement is attached to said sensor arrangement,

f. allowing inclination of said pen object with respect to said surface, by employing a spherical joint in said mechanical arrangement,

g. allowing said pen object to be lifted off said surface while keeping the relative motion detection arrangement proximal to said surface, using a slider arrangement in said mechanical arrangement,

h. detecting when said pen object is lifted off said surface by identifying movement of a sliding component within said slider arrangement,

i. calculating cumulative amount of relative motion,

j. classifying detected motion as navigational motion when said pen object is lifted off said surface, and

k. indicating to said host device by means of an additional signal the presence of said navigational motion.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising step of:

a. communicating periodically the calculated motion to a host device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of;

a. processing the calculated relative motion,

b. storing the processed motion, and

c. transferring stored motion to a host device when a button is pressed.