Dual mode input device

• US 7,760,184 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Pihlaja, Pekka
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Okebato; Sahlu
• Application Number:
  US11/397,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20070229456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: 345157-160, 345/164, 345/167, 345/184
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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

When the user depresses a freely rotating input device, it engages a spring-cantering mechanism and enables the user to move the pointer quickly with a velocity control pointing method. The spring-centering provides the user haptic feedback of the pointer speed. When the pointer is near the target, the user can switch rapidly to the more accurate position control pointing method of the freely rotating mode by letting the input device back to the up-position.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a pointing device configured;

to control a pointer on a user interface linearly in accordance with an amount of movement of the pointing device when said pointing device is in a first position, and

when said pointing device is in a second position, to control the pointer so that the pointer is configured to move with a speed, which speed is relative to a movement, which movement the pointing device is deflected from a central position of the pointing device wherein a pair of centering springs are configured to create, in said second position, an opposing force to the movement the pointing device is deflected and tending to bring the pointing device back to the central position in order to provide tactile feedback to aid in user control of the speed of the pointer,

wherein whether the pointing device is in the first or second position is determined by whether the pointing device is in either a depressed position or a stand-by position.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pointing device comprises a rotating pointing device, wherein

said first position is configured to control the pointer linearly in accordance with an amount of rotation movement of the pointing device, and

said second position is configured to control the pointer so that the pointer is arranged to move with said speed, which speed is relative to said movement, which movement the rotating pointing device is deflected from said central position of the rotating pointing device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said second position is configured to control the pointer so that the pointer is configured to move with said speed, which speed is relative to an angular movement, in which angular movement the rotating pointing device is deflected from the central position of the rotating pointing device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first position comprises the stand-by position and said second position comprises the depressed position, wherein a force is applied to the pointing device so that the pointing device is depressed.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein in said first position the pointing device is configured to rotate freely and in said second position the pointing device is configured to rotate so that upon rotation an opposing force to the direction of the rotation is established pursuant to bringing the pointing device to the central position.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a spring configured to switch the pointing device between said first and second positions.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the spring is configured to output tactile feedback.

8. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a dome switch configured to detect if the pointing device has been depressed into said second position.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the dome switch is configured to provide user with tactile feedback.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a gear mounted onto the pointing device and configured to engage a rack so as to establish the pointing device in said second position.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a buckling mechanism configured to support the pointing device so that the buckling mechanism allows the pointing device to switch between the first and second positions.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second position comprises the stand-by position and said first position comprises the depressed position, wherein a force is applied to the pointing device so that the pointing device is depressed.

13. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first position is configured to allow the rotating pointing device rotate more than 360 degrees of rotation.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pointing device comprises a slider, a scroll wheel, a roller, a rotator, a rotating knob or a trackball.

15. A system comprising a user interface and the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pointing device is configured to control the system.

16. A method comprising:

controlling a pointer on a user interface linearly in accordance with an amount of movement of a pointing device in a first position,

switching the pointer device to a second position, and

controlling the pointer so that the pointer is configured to move with a speed, which speed is relative to a movement, which movement the pointing device is deflected from a central position of the pointing device wherein a pair of centering springs are configured to create, in said second position, an opposing force to the movement the pointing device is deflected and tending to bring the pointing device back to the central position in order to provide tactile feedback to aid in user control of the speed of the pointer,

wherein whether the pointing device is in the first or second position is determined by whether the pointing device is in either a depressed position or a stand-by position.