Computer keyboard with pointer control

• US 7,903,088 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2005
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert R. Kodama
• Original Assignee: Robert R. Kodama
• Inventors: Kodama, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US11/254,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20060082548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,965 Days
• Field of Search: 345/161, 345163-168, 345156-158, 341 21- 23
• US Class Current: 345/168
• 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 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

A computer pointer control device includes a support base and a keyboard. The device includes a structure configured to reduce friction between the support base and an underlying surface. A wrist support is positioned on the support base, configured to receive a user'"'"'s wrist thereon such that keys of the keyboard are under the fingers of the user'"'"'s hand, while the user is able to slide the device over the underlying surface by applying lateral pressure to the wrist support. A position tracking mechanism coupled to the device is configured to detect horizontal movement of the base over the underlying surface and transmit a signal to an associated computer to control an on-screen pointer. The device may be configured to receive both of a user'"'"'s wrists or may be one of a pair of similar pointer control devices configured to be independently controlled by the user.

Claims

1. A computer pointer control device, comprising:

a computer keyboard having a housing and a plurality of alphabetical keys;

a wrist support coupled to the housing and configured to receive a user'"'"'s wrists thereon in respective positions such that at least some of the plurality of the keys of the keyboard are under the fingers of each of the user'"'"'s hands;

a structure configured to reduce friction between a bottom surface of the housing and an underlying surface; and

a position tracking mechanism configured to track movement of the keyboard over the underlying surface.

2. The computer pointer control device of claim 1 wherein the position tracking mechanism is coupled to the housing.

3. The computer pointer control device of claim 1 wherein the position tracking mechanism comprises:

a roller-ball rotatably coupled to the housing;

means for detecting rotation of the roller-ball around two axes; and

means for transmitting a control signal to a computer to control movement of an onscreen pointer in response to detected changes of position of the keyboard relative to the underlying surface.

4. The computer pointer control device of claim 1 wherein the position tracking mechanism comprises:

an optical tracking mechanism coupled to the housing and configured to track a change of position of the keyboard relative to the underlying surface in two axes; and

means for transmitting a control signal to a computer to control movement of an onscreen pointer in response to detected changes of position of the keyboard relative to the underlying surface in the two axes.

5. The computer pointer control device of claim 1 further comprising a mouse-click button and scroll-wheel positioned adjacent to the wrist support such that, when the user'"'"'s hand is resting on the wrist support, the mouse-click button and scroll-wheel are within reach of the thumb of the user'"'"'s hand.

6. The computer pointer control device of claim 1 wherein the wrist support comprises first and second wrist supports, each configured to receive a respective one of the user'"'"'s wrists resting thereon in a position such that at least some of the plurality of the keys of the keyboard are under the fingers of each of the user'"'"'s hands.

7. The computer pointer control device of claim 1 wherein the position tracking mechanism comprises a mouse dock coupled to the housing and configured to removably receive a computer mouse such that movement of the device over the underlying surface is detected by the mouse.

8. The computer pointer control device of claim 1, further comprising a computer electronically coupled to the keyboard.

9. A pointer control device, comprising:

a support base configured to removably receive a computer keyboard thereon;

means for reducing friction between the support base and an underlying surface;

a wrist support coupled to the support base and configured to receive a user'"'"'s wrist thereon in a position such that, when a computer keyboard is properly positioned on the support base, at least some of the plurality of the keys of the keyboard are under the fingers of the user'"'"'s hand; and

tracking means for tracking movement of the support base relative to the underlying surface, and for transmitting information regarding such movement to an associated computer.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the tracking means comprises a mouse dock configured to receive a computer pointer control device for tracking a position of the support base relative to the underlying surface.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein the tracking means comprises a tracking mechanism coupled to a bottom surface of the support base and configured to track movement of the support base relative to the underlying surface.