Numeric mouse one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device

• US 5,063,376 A
• Filed: 05/05/1989
• Issued: 11/05/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronald G. Chang
• Original Assignee: Ronald G. Chang
• Inventors: Chang, Ronald G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HJERPE, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US07/348,062
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 340/710, 340/706, 340/707, 340/709, 340/711, 340/712, 400/486, 400/489, 200/5 R, 364/709.01, 364/709.12, 364/709.13, 364/709.14, 364/709.15, 341/21, 341/22, 341/34, 178/18, 178/19, 178/20
• US Class Current: 345/163
• 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 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof

Abstract

A hand controlled peripheral pointing device having an optional analog switch to permit the user to dynamically and continuously change the value of an attribute, for example, the width of a line or color saturation value, when the device is moved. Activation of the analog button or key permits the user to change an attribute value of graphical data input as desired depending on the depth of depression of the key. In the preferred embodiment, the device is a mouse having a numeric keypad placed thereon. This numeric key pad allows the user to directly enter data without moving the hand back and forth between the mouse and a computer key board. The numeric mouse is able to operate in two modes, including a conventional point and click mode and an analog mode. An alternate embodiment comprises a light pen having a finger actuated analog button disposed adjacent the writing tip of the pen. One manner of switching between modes (analog to click and vice versa) is program driven, i.e. depending on what item the mouse or light pen is pointing to, the activation of the key varies an attribute value or functions in the conventional "click" or keystroke manner.

Claims

1. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device for selecting and controlling a portion of a computer screen display and for input to a mouse-based computer program comprising in operative combination:

(a) a housing, said housing being;

(i) sized to enclose means for on-screen pointing functioning of said pointing device; and

(ii) adapted to be held by one hand;

(b) said housing having at least one first surface;

(c) at least one finger-actuable button disposed on said first surface, each of said finger-actuable button being positioned on said pointing device for convenient and efficient actuation by one or more fingers of one of a user'"'"'s hands while said pointing device is being controlled by said hand; and

(d) an analog switch, disposed in association with at least a first one of said finger-actuable buttons, said analog switch and associated finger-actuable button having dual function mode capability including;

(i) a first function mode for use as a selection mechanism; and

(ii) a second function mode for inputting to a computer a signal corresponding to the depth that said button is directly actuated by fingers of said user'"'"'s one hand to dynamically control the value of an attribute of input data represented on a computer screen display.

2. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said pointing device is a relative positioning device including a plurality of buttons;

(b) said relative positioning device having at least two modes of operation including a first digital mode and a second analog mode wherein;

(i) each of said buttons has on/off, click states during operation in said digital mode, and

(ii) at least said first button is a dynamically controllable button associated with said analog switch during operation in said analog mode.

3. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 2 wherein said relative positioning device includes means for switching back and forth between said digital mode and said analog mode.

4. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 3 wherein:

(a) said plurality of buttons includes a numeric keypad array to permit input of numeric data.

5. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 4 wherein:

(a) said relative positioning device is a mouse; and

(b) a cable connected to said mouse, said cable transmitting signals to said computer in response to actuation of each of said buttons or relative movement of said pointing device.

6. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 3 wherein:

(a) said plurality of buttons includes a function-key keypad array to permit keying a command.

7. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 6 wherein:

(a) said relative positioning device is a mouse; and

(b) a cable connected to said mouse, said cable transmitting signals to said computer in response to actuation of each of said buttons or relative movement of said pointing device.

8. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said pointing device is a light pen;

(b) said housing comprises a hand graspable barrel having a first end defining a pen tip;

(c) said first button being disposed on said barrel in finger-use position.

9. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 8 which includes:

(a) a cable connected to said light pen, said cable transmitting signals to said computer in response to actuation of each of said buttons or relative movement of said pointing device.

10. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 8 wherein:

(a) said first button is disposed adjacent said pen tip for convenient actuation by a user'"'"'s finger while said light pen is held in a writing position.

11. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 4 wherein:

(a) said numeric keypad array is

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ 7 8 9 4 5 6 1 2 3 ;

and ______________________________________

(b) said plurality of buttons further includes a 0 key disposed below the 1,2,3 key row.

12. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 11 wherein:

(a) an enter key is provided substantially adjacent one of the upper numeric key rows of said numeric keypad array;

(b) a decimal point key is provided adjacent one of said upper numeric rows opposite to said enter key.

13. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 12 wherein:

(a) said first dynamically controllable button is the number 4 key.

14. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 13 wherein:

(a) said key array includes keys having left, center and right key functions.

15. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 14 wherein:

(a) said left function key is the number 4 key;

(b) said center function key is the number 5 key; and

(c) said right function key is the number 6 key.

16. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 15 wherein:

(a) said relative positioning device is a mouse; and

(b) a cable connected to said mouse, said cable transmitting signals to said computer in response to actuation of each of said buttons or relative movement of said pointing device.

17. Method of dynamically controlling an attribute of data input to a mouse-based computer program by actuation of a finger-actuable key on a peripheral pointing device, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an analog switch in association with said key;

(b) providing variable depth of actuation of said key by finger motion; and

(c) varying the output of said key in relation to the depth of finger actuation to control or select the attribute of data input in a computer;

(d) providing said key with dual function mode operational capability including a first, analog data attribute mode and a second digital click selection mode; and

(e) providing means for distinguishing between said modes of said peripheral pointing device key in accordance with software written in said mouse-based program.

18. Method of dynamically controlling an attribute of data input to a computer by actuation of a finger-actuable key as in claim 17 wherein:

(a) said key is provided in association with a relative positioning device; and

(b) said step of key actuation may include simultaneously moving said relative positioning device.

19. Method of dynamically controlling an attribute of data input to a computer by actuation of a finger-actuable key as in claim 17 wherein:

(a) said key is provided on a light pen; and

(b) said step of key actuation may include simultaneously moving said light pen.

20. A one hand controllable mouse-type computer peripheral pointing device for selecting and controlling a portion of a computer screen display and for input to mouse-based computer applications programs comprising in operative combination:

(a) a mouse having a housing sized and configured to be held and manipulated by one hand of a user;

(b) said mouse housing having a first upper surface, which surface has a first finger end and a second heel end;

(c) said mouse housing enclosing means for relative positioning on-screen pointing functions of said device;

(d) twelve dedicated keys disposed projecting from said mouse first upper surface;

(e) said twelve dedicated keys including ten numeric keys 0 through 9;

(i) keys 1 through 9 of said ten numeric keys are disposed in the following array;

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ 7 8 9 4 5 6 1 2 3 ;

______________________________________

(ii) said 7, 8, 9 key row being disposed adjacent said finger end of said first surface;

(iii) said 4, 5, 6 key row being disposed medial of said finger and said heel ends of said first surface;

(iv) said 1, 2, 3 key row being disposed medial of said 4, 5, 6 key row and said heel end of said first surface;

(v) said zero key is disposed medial of said 1, 2, 3 key row and said heel end of said first surface;

(f) an enter key disposed substantially adjacent one of said key rows;

(g) a decimal point key disposed adjacent one of said key rows;

(h) means for identifying said enter key and said decimal point keys with their respective function, and for identifying each of said ten numeric keys with a particular character of a ten character numeric character set, each character associated with its unique dedicated numeric function, said identifying means permitting single keystroke input of numeric data for numerical data input programs and single keystroke selection of alphanumeric data for data presented in a tabulated format on said computer screen display.

21. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 20 wherein:

(a) at least one of said plurality of keys is an analog key having means for inputting to said computer a signal corresponding to the depth that said key is depressed to dynamically control the value of an attribute of an input represented on said computer screen display.

22. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 21 wherein:

(a) said analog key is one of said dedicated numeric keys.

23. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 22 wherein:

(a) said analog key is the number 4 key.

24. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 20 wherein:

(a) said key array includes keys having left, center and right key functions.

25. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 24 wherein:

(a) said left function key is the number 4 key;

(b) said center function key is the number 5 key; and

(c) said right function key is the number 6 key.

26. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 25 wherein:

(a) at least one of said plurality of keys is an analog key having means for inputting to said computer a signal corresponding to the depth that said key is depressed to dynamically control the value of an attribute of an input represented on said computer screen display.

27. A one hand controllable computer peripheral pointing device as in claim 26 wherein:

(a) said analog key is one of said dedicated numeric keys.