Scroll disc input apparatus for a data processing device

• US 20060202951A1
• Filed: 01/03/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Palmer, Joseph, Duarte, Matias G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,808,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• 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

An apparatus is described comprising: a data processing device having a memory for storing program code and data and a processor for processing the program code and data, and a display for displaying graphical images and text; a control disc rotatably and communicatively engaged with the data processing device, the control disc rotating on an axis which is substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by the display, the control disc communicatively engaged with the data processing device to cause a graphic element on the display to move in a first direction by a first predefined amount when rotated in a first direction and causing the graphic element to move in a second direction by the first predefined amount when rotated in a second direction.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a data processing device having a memory for storing program code and data and a processor for processing the program code and data, and a display for displaying graphical images and text; and

a scroll disc rotatably and communicatively engaged with the data processing device, the control disc rotating on an axis which is substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by the display, the control disc communicatively engaged with the data processing device to cause a graphic element on the display to move in a first direction by a first predefined amount when rotated in a first direction and causing the graphic element to move in a second direction by the first predefined amount when rotated in a second direction.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising:

a switch adjacent to the scroll disc within the data processing device, the switch being triggered responsive to a force applied substantially parallel to the scroll disc'"'"'s axis of rotation.

3. The apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising:

a first input button communicatively coupled to the data processing device and positioned adjacent to the scroll disc; and

a second input button communicatively coupled to the data processing device and positioned adjacent to the scroll disc, wherein the first input button causes the graphic element to move in the first direction by a second predefined amount when selected and wherein the second input button causes the graphic element to move in the second direction by a second predefined amount when selected.

4. The apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the predefined amount comprises a page of information.

5. The apparatus as in claim 2 further comprising:

a bracket coupled to an inner surface of the data processing device, wherein the scroll disc is rotatably coupled to the bracket.

6. The apparatus as in claim 5 wherein the bracket is pivotally coupled to the data processing device, the bracket pivoting around a pivot point and triggering the switch responsive to a force applied substantially parallel to the scroll disc'"'"'s axis of rotation.

7. The apparatus as in claim 5 further comprising:

a spring coupling the bracket to the inner surface of the data processing device, the spring generating a force on the scroll disc parallel to the scroll disc'"'"'s axis of rotation but in an opposite direction as the force applied to trigger the switch.

8. The apparatus as in claim 3 wherein a first portion of the scroll disc is housed within the data processing device and a second portion of the scroll disc is exposed.

9. The apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the first and second input buttons are configured on the data processing device directly above the first portion of the scroll disc.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a data processing device having a memory for storing program code and data and a processor for processing the program code and data, and a display for displaying graphical images and text;

a scroll disc rotatably and communicatively engaged with the data processing device, the control disc communicatively engaged with the data processing device to cause a graphic element on the display to move in a first direction by a first predefined amount when rotated in a first direction and causing the graphic element to move in a second direction by the first predefined amount when rotated in a second direction; and

a switch adjacent to the scroll disc within the data processing device, the switch being triggered responsive to a force applied substantially parallel to the scroll disc'"'"'s axis of rotation.

11. The apparatus as in claim 10 further comprising:

a first input button communicatively coupled to the data processing device and positioned adjacent to the scroll disc; and

a second input button communicatively coupled to the data processing device and positioned adjacent to the scroll disc,

wherein the first input button causes the graphic element to move in the first direction by a second predefined amount when selected and wherein the second input button causes the graphic element to move in the second direction by a second predefined amount when selected.

12. The apparatus as in claim 11 wherein the predefined amount comprises a page of information.

13. The apparatus as in claim 10 further comprising:

a bracket coupled to an inner surface of the data processing device, wherein the scroll disc is rotatably coupled to the bracket.

14. The apparatus as in claim 11 wherein the bracket is pivotally coupled to the data processing device, the bracket pivoting around a pivot point and triggering the switch responsive to a force applied substantially parallel to the scroll disc'"'"'s axis of rotation.

15. The apparatus as in claim 14 further comprising:

a spring coupling the bracket to the inner surface of the data processing device, the spring generating a force on the scroll disc parallel to the scroll disc'"'"'s axis of rotation but in an opposite direction as the force applied to trigger the switch.

16. An apparatus comprising:

data processing device means including a display for displaying graphical images and text; and

scroll disc means rotatably and communicatively engaged with the data processing device, the control disc rotating on an axis which is substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by the display, the control disc communicatively engaged with the data processing device to cause a graphic element on the display to move in a first direction by a first predefined amount when rotated in a first direction and causing the graphic element to move in a second direction by the first predefined amount when rotated in a second direction.

17. The apparatus as in claim 16 further comprising:

switch means adjacent to the scroll disc within the data processing device, the switch being triggered responsive to a force applied substantially parallel to the scroll disc'"'"'s axis of rotation.

18. The apparatus as in claim 16 further comprising:

first input button means communicatively coupled to the data processing device and positioned adjacent to the scroll disc; and

second input button means communicatively coupled to the data processing device and positioned adjacent to the scroll disc,

wherein the first input button means causes the graphic element to move in the first direction by a second predefined amount when selected and wherein the second input button means causes the graphic element to move in the second direction by a second predefined amount when selected.

19. The apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the predefined amount comprises a page of information.

20. The apparatus as in claim 17 further comprising:

bracket means coupled to an inner surface of the data processing device means, wherein the scroll disc means is rotatably coupled to the bracket means.

21. The apparatus as in claim 20 wherein the bracket means is pivotally coupled to the data processing device means, the bracket means pivoting around a pivot point and triggering the switch means responsive to a force applied substantially parallel to the scroll disc means'"'"' axis of rotation.

22. The apparatus as in claim 21 further comprising:

spring means coupling the bracket to the inner surface of the data processing device, the spring means generating a force on the scroll disc means parallel to the scroll disc means'"'"' axis of rotation but in an opposite direction as the force applied to trigger the switch.

23. The apparatus as in claim 18 wherein a first portion of the scroll disc means is housed within the data processing device means and a second portion of the scroll disc means is exposed.

24. The apparatus as in claim 23 wherein the first and second input button means are configured on the data processing device means directly above the first portion of the scroll disc means.