Ambidextrous mouse

• US 7,808,479 B1
• Filed: 09/02/2003
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hotelling, Steve, Huppi, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz; Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Tammy
• Application Number:
  US10/654,108
• Time in Patent Office: 2,590 Days
• Field of Search: 345163- 7
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0332 Ergonomic shaped mouse adjustable to suit one of both hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03544 having dual sensing arrangement, e.g. two balls or two coils used to track rotation of the pointing device

Abstract

An ambidextrous mouse is disclosed. The ambidextrous mouse is configured for both left and right handed use. The mouse may include right handed buttons on the front side of the mouse and left handed buttons on the back side of the mouse. The user may change the handedness of the mouse by rotating the mouse about a vertical axis of the mouse such that the left hand can use the left hand buttons and the right hand can use the right hand buttons. The mouse may include a handedness selection system for configuring the mouse for right handed or left handed use even though the mouse has the capability for both right and left hands.

Claims

1. A user configurable mouse, comprising:

a unibody housing having a buttonless touch sensitive surface divided into an array of independent and spatially distinct sensing regions wherein at least some of the sensing regions are positioned substantially around most of the periphery of the unibody housing, each sensing region being configured to generate a signal when the sensing region detects that a portion of a user'"'"'s hand is touching the sensing region, the signal including information identifying the particular location of the sensing region and a time at which the sensing region detected the portion of the user'"'"'s hand on the sensing region,

wherein signals from at least two sensing regions of the array of sensing regions are combined to form a hand signal that defines a pixilated image of a contact patch produced by the portion of the hand in contact with the mouse at a time that the portion of the user'"'"'s hand touches the associated sensing regions regardless of where the portion of the user'"'"'s hand contacts the touch sensitive surface,

wherein a first hand signal corresponding to first positions of a user'"'"'s hand on the unibody housing at a first time is compared to a second hand signal corresponding to second positions of the user'"'"'s hand on the unibody mouse at a second time such that a comparison can be made between which portions of the touch sensitive surface are being touched at the first time and which portions of the touch sensitive surface are being touched at the second time, and whereby at least one button function is implemented based solely upon the comparison of the first hand signal and the second hand signal.

2. The mouse as recited in claim 1 wherein the hand signals further help determine the identity of the user, wherein determining the identity of the user comprises determining which user, of a plurality of users that have operated the mouse, is currently engaging the mouse.

3. The mouse as recited in claim 1 wherein the hand signals further help determine whether the user is holding the mouse with a left hand or a right hand, and wherein the operations of the mouse are configured for left handed use if the user is holding the mouse with the left hand or right handed use if the user is holding the mouse with the right hand.

4. The mouse as recited in claim 3 wherein the hand signals further help determine the identity of the user, wherein determining the identity of the user comprises determining which user, of a plurality of users that have operated the mouse, is currently engaging the mouse.

5. The mouse as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensing regions are configured to sense based on capacitance sensing.

6. The mouse as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensing regions are grouped into one or more buttons zones that represent dedicated regions of the touch sensitive surface that when selected implement a particular button function.

7. The mouse as recited in claim 6 wherein the configuration of the buttons zones is customizable by the user.

8. The mouse as recited in claim 7 wherein the functionality, number, position, and size of the buttons zones are customizable by the user.

9. The mouse as recited in claim 7 wherein an associated computer in communication with the mouse includes a displayable control panel for reviewing and customizing the button zones.

10. The mouse as recited in claim 1, wherein the signal generated by each sensing region further includes information associated with how much pressure the portion of the user'"'"'s hand in contact with the associated sensing region is exerting on the sensing region.

11. A user configurable mouse, comprising:

a unibody housing having a buttonless touch sensitive surface divided into an array of independent and spatially distinct sensing regions, each sensing region being configured to generate a signal when the sensing region detects that the sensing region is being touched by a portion of a user'"'"'s hand, the signal including information identifying the particular location of the sensing region and a time at which the sensing region was touched, wherein a button function is generated by using at least a first signal corresponding to a sensing region at a first location being touched at a first time and at least a second signal corresponding to at least a second sensing region at a second location being touched at a second time;

wherein signals from at least two sensing regions of the array of sensing regions are combined to form a hand signal that defines a pixilated image of a contact patch produced by the portion of the hand in contact with the mouse at a time that the portion of the user'"'"'s hand touches the associated sensing regions regardless of where the portion of the user'"'"'s hand contacts the touch sensitive surface.