Fingerpoint mouse
First Claim
1. A fingerpoint mouse for use with a computer system having a graphical visual display with a graphics cursor, said mouse comprising:
- a housing;
an elastic membrane supported by said housing and having a movable recess constructed to receive a finger of a user, said recess having a surface which tilts in response to pressure applied by the finger;
sensing circuitry which senses the motion of said recess caused by movement of the finger and generates a signal indicative of said motion, said sensing circuitry comprising a source of light connected to said surface of said recess such that said source of light tilts with said surface in response to pressure applied by the finger, and a plurality of photosensitive cells positioned within said housing with said source of light suspended above said photosensitive cells, said photosensitive cells arranged so as to detect movement of said source of light; and
conversion circuitry which converts said signals indicative of the motion of said recess into signals suitable to effect motion of a graphics cursor on said visual display.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fingerpoint mouse includes an elastic finger pad having a recess formed therein. The recess is configured to receive a finger such as a user'"'"'s index finger. A photo-diode attaches to the underside of the recess and photo-voltaic sensing cells form an array opposite the photo-diode beneath the recess. The user applies pressure to the fingerpad and thereby causes the diode to point in a direction opposite the direction of the applied pressure. The diode transmits light which impinges on one or more of the photo-voltaic sensing cells. The photo-voltaic cells generate voltage signals indicative of the direction of the pressure applied by the user on the fingerpad. The voltage signals produced by the photo-voltaic cells are decoded and converted to conventional mouse data. The mouse data is used to position a cursor on a graphics screen so that the user controls the movement of the cursor by applying pressure on the fingerpad in the direction of the desired cursor motion.
270 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A fingerpoint mouse for use with a computer system having a graphical visual display with a graphics cursor, said mouse comprising:
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a housing; an elastic membrane supported by said housing and having a movable recess constructed to receive a finger of a user, said recess having a surface which tilts in response to pressure applied by the finger; sensing circuitry which senses the motion of said recess caused by movement of the finger and generates a signal indicative of said motion, said sensing circuitry comprising a source of light connected to said surface of said recess such that said source of light tilts with said surface in response to pressure applied by the finger, and a plurality of photosensitive cells positioned within said housing with said source of light suspended above said photosensitive cells, said photosensitive cells arranged so as to detect movement of said source of light; and conversion circuitry which converts said signals indicative of the motion of said recess into signals suitable to effect motion of a graphics cursor on said visual display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A pointing device for controlling the movement of a cursor on a display in response to operator input, comprising:
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a flexible target that receives a finger of the operator and a portion of which tilts in response to pressure applied by the finger; a source of light coupled to the flexible target so as to tilt with the movement of the target; and a plurality of light sensors positioned to selectively receive light from the source of light in response to movement of the source of light and to generate respective output signals, the light sensors positioned so that selected ones of the sensors receive light in response to movement of the target in selected directions. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A pointing device for controlling the movement of a cursor on a display in response to operator input, comprising:
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a flexible pad onto which pressure may be applied by a finger of the operator, at least a portion of said pad being deflectable in response to changes in pressure applied to said pad; a light source attached to the pad to move in response to movement of said portion; and at least four light sensors positioned below said flexible pad to receive light from said light source when said light source moves, said light sensors positioned so that at least one light sensor receives light from said light source in response to movement in any one of four orthogonal directions. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification