Mouse-based user interface device providing multiple parameters and modalities
First Claim
1. A user interface for controlling an external device, comprising:
- a housing;
a first user interface sensor configured with said housing and generating a first plurality of signals responsive to movement of said housing relative to two orthogonal axes;
a second user interface sensor configured with said housing and generating a second plurality of signals responsive to user manipulation of said second user interface sensor;
an output providing an output signal responsive to signals generated by said first and second user interface sensors;
a visual display operatively coupled to said housing and adapted to display information associated with signals generated by at least one of said first and second user interface sensors,at least one preprocessor mapping said signal generated by said second user interface sensor to said output signal; and
wherein said visual display is further adapted to display information relating to said mapping.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The notion of a conventional mouse is extended to provide an extended number of simultaneously adjustable user interface parameters. In one family of realizations, one or more trackballs, touchpads, or other types of user interface sensors may be added to a traditional mouse to provide additional user interface parameters. These additional user interface sensors may be simultaneously adjusted along with any movement of the mouse. The overall physical configuration may provide mixed physical modalities for adjusting a common pair of user interface parameters to prevent or ease hand fatigue, or to provide alternate parameter adjustment offsets, warpings, or resolutions. The additional user interface sensors, particularly trackballs and touchpads, may also be specially configured to provide up to six or more simultaneously adjustable and widely-variable user interface parameters.
122 Citations
60 Claims
-
1. A user interface for controlling an external device, comprising:
-
a housing; a first user interface sensor configured with said housing and generating a first plurality of signals responsive to movement of said housing relative to two orthogonal axes; a second user interface sensor configured with said housing and generating a second plurality of signals responsive to user manipulation of said second user interface sensor; an output providing an output signal responsive to signals generated by said first and second user interface sensors; a visual display operatively coupled to said housing and adapted to display information associated with signals generated by at least one of said first and second user interface sensors, at least one preprocessor mapping said signal generated by said second user interface sensor to said output signal; and wherein said visual display is further adapted to display information relating to said mapping. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A user interface for controlling an external device, comprising:
-
a housing; a first user interface sensor configured with said housing and generating a first plurality of signals responsive to movement of said housing relative to two orthogonal axes; a second user interface sensor configured with said housing and generating a second plurality of signals responsive to user manipulation of said second user interface sensor; a sensor output providing an output signal responsive to signals generated by said first and second user interface sensors; and an audio transducer at least partially contained within said housing and generating audio responsive to signals generated by at least one of said first and second user interface sensors, wherein said external device comprises a computing device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A user interface for controlling an external device, comprising:
-
a housing; a first user interface sensor configured with said housing and generating a first plurality of signals responsive to movement of said housing relative to two orthogonal axes; a first pair of widely adjustable parameters, each generated responsive to at least one of said first plurality of signals generated by said first user interface sensor; a second user interface sensor configured with said housing and generating a second plurality of signals responsive to user manipulation of said second user interface sensor; a second pair of widely adjustable parameters, each generated responsive to at least one of said second plurality of signals generated by said second user interface sensor; and an output providing an output signal comprising said first pair and said second pair of widely adjustable parameters, wherein each parameter of said output signal separately controls a unique attribute of an application present on said external device. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
-
-
49. A user interface for controlling an external device, comprising:
-
a housing; a trackball configured with said housing and generating a first plurality of signals responsive to movement of said trackball within said housing; a touchpad configured with said with said housing and generating a second plurality of signals responsive to user manipulation of said touchpad; an output providing an output signal responsive to signals generated by said trackball and said touchpad a first pair of widely adjustable parameters, each generated responsive to at least one of said plurality of signals generated by said trackball; and a second pair of widely adjustable parameters, each generated responsive to at least one of said second plurality of signals generated by said touchpad. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
-
Specification