Input device including a wheel assembly for scrolling an image in multiple directions
First Claim
1. An input device for scrolling an image relative to an image display screen along perpendicular axes, said device comprising:
- a housing having at least one opening; and
a scroll wheel assembly provided within said housing, said scroll wheel assembly including a rotatable member that is positioned within said opening, said rotatable member being rotatable about an axis extending within said housing and being laterally movable within said opening relative to said housing, and a movement sensing system that determines when said rotatable member is moved laterally relative to the housing;
the movement sensing system configured to sense lateral pressure applied to the rotatable member so as to control a rate of scrolling of an image responsive to an amount of lateral pressure.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer input device having a housing and an engagable scroll wheel. The scroll wheel is rotatable about an axis to preferably cause vertical scrolling of an image on a display. The rotatable member is laterally movable relative to the housing. A sensor is preferably positioned within the housing for sensing lateral movement of the rotatable member. In response to sensed lateral movement of the rotatable member, the image is horizontally scrolled, preferably in the direction of the lateral movement. The scrolling speed can be affected relative to the amount of displacement of the rotatable member and/or the amount of time that the rotatable member is displaced a predetermined amount. The computer input device having the rotatable member may take the form of a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball device, or another type of computer input device.
106 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An input device for scrolling an image relative to an image display screen along perpendicular axes, said device comprising:
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a housing having at least one opening; and
a scroll wheel assembly provided within said housing, said scroll wheel assembly including a rotatable member that is positioned within said opening, said rotatable member being rotatable about an axis extending within said housing and being laterally movable within said opening relative to said housing, and a movement sensing system that determines when said rotatable member is moved laterally relative to the housing;
the movement sensing system configured to sense lateral pressure applied to the rotatable member so as to control a rate of scrolling of an image responsive to an amount of lateral pressure.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An input device for scrolling an image relative to an image display screen along perpendicular axes, said device comprising:
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a housing having at least one opening; and
a scroll wheel assembly provided within said housing, said scroll wheel assembly including a rotatable member that is positioned within said opening, said rotatable member being rotatable about an axis extending within said housing and being laterally movable within said opening relative to said housing, and a movement sensing system that determines when said rotatable member is moved laterally relative to the housing;
wherein said movement sensing system includes at least one sensor for determining the amount of time that the user applies pressure to said rotatable member in order to control the scrolling relative to the amount of time that the user applies pressure to the rotatable member.- View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. An input device for scrolling an image relative to an image display screen along perpendicular axes, said device comprising:
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a housing having at least one opening; and
a scroll wheel assembly provided within said housing, said scroll wheel assembly including a rotatable member that is positioned within said opening, said rotatable member being rotatable about an axis extending within said housing and being laterally movable within said opening relative to said housing, and a movement sensing system that determines when said rotatable member is moved laterally relative to the housing;
wherein said movement sensing system includes at least one sensor for determining the amount of time that the user applies pressure to said rotatable member in order to control the scrolling relative to the amount of time that the user applies pressure to the rotatable member.- View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A peripheral electronic input device for scrolling an image across a display screen in perpendicular directions, said device comprising:
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a housing;
a scroll wheel assembly, said scroll wheel assembly including a rotatable member that is laterally movable relative to said housing and a sensor positioned within said housing for sensing lateral movement of the rotatable member; and
a controller coupled to said sensor, said controller being configured to generate a signal to scroll the image across the display screen;
wherein said sensor is configured for determining the amount of time that the user applies pressure to said rotatable member in order to control the scrolling relative to the amount of time that the user applies pressure to the rotatable member.- View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of scrolling an image relative to a display screen using an input device having a housing and a member that is rotatable relative to the housing, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving input for laterally moving the rotatable member relative to a plane in which said member is rotatable;
sensing relative changes in lateral pressure applied to the member; and
controlling a rate of scrolling of an image on the display screen responsive the step of sensing. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An electronic input device providing scrolling capabilities of an image relative to a display screen in first and second perpendicular scrolling directions comprising:
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a housing;
a scroll wheel being rotatable relative to the housing about an axis to cause scrolling of the image in the first direction, and said scrolling wheel being displaceable relative to the housing to cause scrolling of the image in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction and to cause said scrolling at a varying rate in the second direction responsive to changes in pressure parallel to said axis. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification