Ergonomic slider-based selector

• US 8,970,496 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Razer (Asia-Pacific) Pte. Ltd. (Razer Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Razer (Asia-Pacific) Pte. Ltd. (Razer Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ng, Chern Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRAWLEY, KEITH L
• Application Number:
  US12/103,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20090259790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,513 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-159, 345161-167, 345/184, 361/679.1, 361/679.18, 463/37
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts

Abstract

A device connectable to a computer is disclosed. The device comprises a selector defining a pathway and a plurality of positions along the pathway, the selector having a terminal displaceable along the pathway and positionable at one of the plurality of positions, the pathway being substantially straight, each of the plurality of positions having a process associated therewith. The device further comprises a sensor being operable for generating instruction signals. More specifically, the instruction signals are communicable to the computing device for executing thereon the process associated with one of the plurality of positions along the pathway whereat the terminal is positioned.

Claims

1. A computer mouse device comprising:

a body;

a transducer for generating displacement signals from a movement of the computer mouse device and for communicating the displacement signals to a computing device;

a selector located along a side of the body for generating a first instruction signal and a second instruction signal;

the selector comprising;

a pathway defined along the side of the body, the pathway having a length, a plurality of positions defined along the length thereof, the pathway running along a longitudinal axis of the selector, each position of the plurality of positions associated with one process of a plurality of processes executable on the computing device;

a terminal displaceable along the length of the pathway and positionable between the plurality of positions, wherein the displacing of the terminal stays the terminal in place between each position of the plurality of positions along the length of the pathway; and

a first switch disposed on the terminal, wherein the first switch is actuatable to enable user-selection of a corresponding process of the plurality of processes for execution on the computing device;

wherein the displacing of the terminal to each position of the plurality of positions toggles to the corresponding process of each position and generates the first instruction signal; and

wherein the actuating of the first switch selects the corresponding process of the plurality of processes and generates the second instruction signal;

a sensor configured to generate a third instruction signal transmittable to the computer device; and

a controller configured for generating an operate signal upon detecting both the second instruction signal and the third instruction signal,

wherein the operate signal executes the corresponding process of the plurality of processes on the computing device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to communicate the displacement signals to the computing device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is positioned at a top surface of the terminal.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the sensor is one of a touch sensor and a second switch.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of positions comprises a rest position, and wherein the terminal is biased towards the rest position.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the transducer senses displacement through the use of at least one of optical, photoelectric and electromechanical means.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the transducer senses displacement of a sphere thereacross.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the selector is functionally operable to generate each of the first instruction signal and the second instruction signal using at least one of a potentiometer, capacitor, resistor and linear variable displacement transducer (LVDT).

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the second instruction signal generated by the selector is at least one of independently generated and independently transmitted from the third instruction signal generated by the sensor.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of processes relates to a plurality of weapons selectable for use in a game executed on the computing device, and wherein the displacement of the terminal to a particular position of the plurality of positions thereby enables user-selection of a corresponding weapon of the plurality of weapons for use in the game executed on the computing device.

11. A method for selecting processes executable on a computing device with a computer mouse device, the method comprising:

generating displacement signals from displacement of the computer mouse device detected by a transducer;

communicating the displacement signals to the computing;

providing a selector for generating a first instruction signal and a second instruction signal, the selector disposed along a side of the device, the selector comprising a pathway having a length and a plurality of positions along the length of the pathway, the pathway running along a longitudinal axis of the selector;

associating each position of the plurality of positions with one process of a plurality of processes executable on the computer device;

displacing a terminal along the pathway and positioning the terminal between the plurality of positions, wherein the displacing of the terminal stays the terminal in place between each position of the plurality of positions along the length of the pathway;

providing a first switch disposed on the terminal, wherein the first switch is actuatable to enable user-selection of a corresponding process of the plurality of processes for execution on the computing device;

displacing the terminal to each position of the plurality of positions;

toggling to the corresponding process of each position and generating the first instruction signal in response to the displacing of the terminal to each position;

actuating the first switch;

selecting the corresponding process of the plurality of processes and generating the second instruction signal in response to the actuating of the first switch;

providing a sensor configured for generating a third instruction signal transmittable to the computing device;

generating an operate signal upon detecting both the second instruction signal and the third instruction signal; and

executing the corresponding process of the plurality of processes on the computing device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor is positioned at a top surface of the terminal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor is one of a touch sensor and a second switch.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of positions comprises a rest position, the terminal being biased towards the rest position.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the transducer senses displacement of the computing device through the use of at least one of optical, photoelectric and electromechanical means.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the transducer senses displacement of a sphere thereacross.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the selector is functionally operable for generating each of the first instruction signal and the second instruction signal using at least one of a potentiometer, capacitor, resistor and linear variable displacement transducer (LVDT).

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the third instruction signal generated by the sensor is at least one of independently generated and independently transmitted to the computing device from the second instruction signal generated by the selector.

19. A system comprising:

a computing device; and

a computer mouse device comprising;

a body;

a transducer for generating displacement signals from a movement of the computer mouse device and for communicating the displacement signals to a computing device; and

a selector for generating a first instruction signal and a second instruction signal, the selector located along a side of the body;

the selector comprising;

a pathway defined along the side of the body, the pathway having a length, a plurality of positions defined along the length thereof, each position of the plurality of positions associated with one process of a plurality of processes executable on the computing device, the pathway further running along a longitudinal axis of the selector; and

a terminal displaceable along the length of the pathway and positionable between the plurality of positions wherein the displacing of the terminal stays the terminal in place between each position of the plurality of positions along the length of the pathway; and

a first switch disposed on the terminal wherein the first switch is actuatable to enable user-selection of a corresponding process of the plurality of processes for execution on the computing device;

wherein the displacing of the terminal to each position of the plurality of positions Toggles to the corresponding process of each position and generates the first instruction signal; and

wherein the actuating of the first switch selects the corresponding process of the plurality of processes and generates the second instruction signal;

a sensor configured to generate a third instruction signal transmittable to the computer device; and

a controller configured for generating an operate signal upon detecting both the second instruction signal and the third instruction signal;

wherein the operate signal executes the corresponding process of the plurality of processes on the computing device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to communicate the displacement signals to the computing device.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the sensor is positioned at a top surface of the terminal.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of positions comprises a rest position, and wherein the terminal is biased towards the rest position.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the transducer senses displacement through the use of at least one of optical, photoelectric and electromechanical means.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the transducer senses displacement of a sphere thereacross.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the selector is functionally operable to generate each of the first instruction signal and the second instruction signals using at least one of a potentiometer, capacitor, resistor and linear variable displacement transducer (LVDT).

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the sensor is one of a touch sensor and a second switch.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the second instruction signal generated by the selector are at least one of independently generated and independently transmitted from the third instruction signal generated by the sensor.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the sensor is formed on a second peripheral device.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the second peripheral device is any of a keyboard and a keypad.