WO2004081705A2 - Pointing device for computers - Google Patents

Pointing device for computers Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2004081705A2
WO2004081705A2 PCT/NL2004/000185 NL2004000185W WO2004081705A2 WO 2004081705 A2 WO2004081705 A2 WO 2004081705A2 NL 2004000185 W NL2004000185 W NL 2004000185W WO 2004081705 A2 WO2004081705 A2 WO 2004081705A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
buttons
mouse
fingers
pointing device
computers
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/NL2004/000185
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2004081705A3 (en
Inventor
Erik De Rooy
Kees De Rooy
Original Assignee
Erik De Rooy
Kees De Rooy
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from NL1022915A external-priority patent/NL1022915C1/en
Application filed by Erik De Rooy, Kees De Rooy filed Critical Erik De Rooy
Publication of WO2004081705A2 publication Critical patent/WO2004081705A2/en
Publication of WO2004081705A3 publication Critical patent/WO2004081705A3/en

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
    • G06F3/041—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
    • G06F3/042—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means by opto-electronic means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
    • G06F3/0304—Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means
    • G06F3/0317—Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
    • G06F3/033—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor
    • G06F3/0354—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
    • G06F3/03543—Mice or pucks

Definitions

  • Pointing devices for computers are used to move the cursor on the computer screen to click or manipulate objects displayed on the screen.
  • Current pointing devices have disadvantages.
  • the computer mouse is the best known pointing device as described in DE-U 201 20 335. Moving the mouse over a flat surface moves the cursor correspondingly over the screen.
  • a modern mouse features an optical sensor to detect its movement relative to the supporting surface. The mouse is embraced by the hand and is moved by moving the hand. Left and right movements can be made from the wrist, up and down movement require the movement of the arm. Daily and intense operation of the mouse induce Repetitive Strain Injuries.
  • Another disadvantage of the mouse is that it is inconvenient to carry around with a notebook.
  • Object of the invention is to provide a pointing device with which the pointing operation and the operation of the buttons is done with the same fingers.
  • Object of the invention is to provide a pointing device for computers that is operated with finger movement only.
  • the same fingers that are used to move the cursor on the screen are also able to operate the mouse keys at the same time.
  • This can be done by making the mouse flat, for example the size of a small stack of Credit Cards (see fig 1, where item 1. is the mouse) with buttons incorporated in the upper surface of the mouse (see fig 1, where items 2. * are the buttons).
  • the mouse is moved by the fingers resting on the buttons. It is necessary that the friction between the fingers and the mouse is greater then the friction between the mouse and the surface it is resting on. This difference in friction can be obtained by making the underside of the mouse smooth or slippery or by mounting slippery supporting rests.
  • the upper surface of the mouse can be furnished with a grain or sandpaper like surface to increase the friction between the fingers and the mouse.
  • the size of the grain on the surface should not exceed the size of the finger tip, nor should there be a cavities to accommodate the finger.
  • the physical shape of finger tips can differ substantially as does the distance between the fingers themselves. Moving the fingers will also change their relative positions where cavities accommodating the fingers tips will only be annoying.
  • the force applied by the fingers necessary to move the mouse should not exceed the force applied by the fingers necessary to operate the buttons. This way the mouse can be moved without operating the buttons. On the other hand, the force necessary to operate the buttons should not be to great, this would compromise the movement of the mouse with the buttons pressed down. This way the mouse can also be moved with the buttons pressed down allowing for for instance drag and drop operations.
  • a mouse can be made by a flat object (see fig 2, where item 1. is the mouse), for example the size of a Credit Card, w+tb. incorporated buttons (see fig 2, where items 2. are the buttons), for example membrane buttons, moving over an upwards pointing optical sensor. Moving the flat object over the sensor moving the cursor over the screen correspondingly. The force applied by the fingers necessary to move the flat object should not exceed the force applied by the fingers necessary to operate the buttons. This way the flat object can be moved without operating the buttons. On the other hand, the force necessary to operate the buttons should not be to great, this would compromise the movement of the flat object with the buttons pressed down. This way the flat object can also be moved with the buttons pressed down allowing for for instance drag and drop operations.
  • buttons are not connected to the computer by wires.
  • the incorporated buttons open or close a tuned circuit.
  • an electronic circuit is mounted that can detect the status of the tuned circuits and transmits this to the computer as a mouse button operation.
  • the upwards pointing optical sensor is incorporated in a notebook, (see fig 3, where item 1 is the notebook and item 2 is the optical sensor)
  • the operation of the pointing devices as described in the invention is similar to the operation of a general computer mouse.
  • the pointing devices as described according to this invention can be made smaller and lighter then a conventional mouse reducing the disadvantages of the inertia of a conventional mouse.
  • a pointing device according to the second embodiment can easily be incorporated in a notebook, removing the need for the user of the notebook to carry a conventional mouse.

Abstract

Object of the invention is to provide a pointing device for computers that is operated with finger movement only. The same fingers that are used to move the cursor on the screen are also able to operate the mouse keys at the same time. This can be done by making the mouse flat (1) with buttons incorporated in the upper surface of the mouse. The mouse is moved by the fingers resting on the buttons. It is necessary that the friction between the fingers and the mouse is greater then the friction between the mouse and the surface it is resting on.

Description

Pointing device for computers
Pointing devices for computers are used to move the cursor on the computer screen to click or manipulate objects displayed on the screen. Current pointing devices have disadvantages. The computer mouse is the best known pointing device as described in DE-U 201 20 335. Moving the mouse over a flat surface moves the cursor correspondingly over the screen. A modern mouse features an optical sensor to detect its movement relative to the supporting surface. The mouse is embraced by the hand and is moved by moving the hand. Left and right movements can be made from the wrist, up and down movement require the movement of the arm. Daily and intense operation of the mouse induce Repetitive Strain Injuries. Another disadvantage of the mouse is that it is inconvenient to carry around with a notebook.
Notebook computers often have a touchpad incorporated. Pointing operations with a touchpad are possible with finger movement only and it doesn't require movement of the arm. However, the buttons are operated with the other hand, not resembling the intuitive operation of a normal computer mouse. Another disadvantage of a normal computer mouse is the inertia of its mass, compromising the precision of fast movements.
Object of the invention is to provide a pointing device with which the pointing operation and the operation of the buttons is done with the same fingers.
Object of the invention is to provide a pointing device for computers that is operated with finger movement only. The same fingers that are used to move the cursor on the screen are also able to operate the mouse keys at the same time. This can be done by making the mouse flat, for example the size of a small stack of Credit Cards (see fig 1, where item 1. is the mouse) with buttons incorporated in the upper surface of the mouse (see fig 1, where items 2. * are the buttons). The mouse is moved by the fingers resting on the buttons. It is necessary that the friction between the fingers and the mouse is greater then the friction between the mouse and the surface it is resting on. This difference in friction can be obtained by making the underside of the mouse smooth or slippery or by mounting slippery supporting rests. The upper surface of the mouse can be furnished with a grain or sandpaper like surface to increase the friction between the fingers and the mouse. The size of the grain on the surface should not exceed the size of the finger tip, nor should there be a cavities to accommodate the finger. The physical shape of finger tips can differ substantially as does the distance between the fingers themselves. Moving the fingers will also change their relative positions where cavities accommodating the fingers tips will only be annoying. The force applied by the fingers necessary to move the mouse should not exceed the force applied by the fingers necessary to operate the buttons. This way the mouse can be moved without operating the buttons. On the other hand, the force necessary to operate the buttons should not be to great, this would compromise the movement of the mouse with the buttons pressed down. This way the mouse can also be moved with the buttons pressed down allowing for for instance drag and drop operations.
In a second preferred embodiment a mouse can be made by a flat object (see fig 2, where item 1. is the mouse), for example the size of a Credit Card, w+tb. incorporated buttons (see fig 2, where items 2. are the buttons), for example membrane buttons, moving over an upwards pointing optical sensor. Moving the flat object over the sensor moving the cursor over the screen correspondingly. The force applied by the fingers necessary to move the flat object should not exceed the force applied by the fingers necessary to operate the buttons. This way the flat object can be moved without operating the buttons. On the other hand, the force necessary to operate the buttons should not be to great, this would compromise the movement of the flat object with the buttons pressed down. This way the flat object can also be moved with the buttons pressed down allowing for for instance drag and drop operations.
In a special embodiment of the second embodiment the buttons are not connected to the computer by wires. The incorporated buttons open or close a tuned circuit. Near the optical sensor an electronic circuit is mounted that can detect the status of the tuned circuits and transmits this to the computer as a mouse button operation.
In a third preferred embodiment the upwards pointing optical sensor is incorporated in a notebook, (see fig 3, where item 1 is the notebook and item 2 is the optical sensor)
The operation of the pointing devices as described in the invention is similar to the operation of a general computer mouse. The pointing devices as described according to this invention can be made smaller and lighter then a conventional mouse reducing the disadvantages of the inertia of a conventional mouse. A pointing device according to the second embodiment can easily be incorporated in a notebook, removing the need for the user of the notebook to carry a conventional mouse.

Claims

Claims:
1. Pointing device for computers comprising a predominantly flat upper surface with buttons incorporated in said surface, where the downward force required to operate the buttons is greater then the downward force required on the buttons to move the device with the finger tips resting on the buttons.
2. Method for moving the cursor over a computer screen using a pointing device as described in claim 1. where the pointing device is moved by letting the finger tips rest on the upper surface of the device and dragging the device along with the movement of the fingers by virtue of the lateral friction between the fingers and the device being greater then the lateral friction between the device and its supporting surface.
3. Pointing device for computers comprising an upwards pointing optical sensor able to detect the movement of a flat object over it and transmit that to the computer, and a flat object with buttons incorporated in the upper surface of said object, where the downward force required to operate the buttons is greater then the downward force required on the buttons to move the object over the optical sensor with the finger tips resting on the buttons.
4. Method for moving the cursor over a computer screen using a pointing device as described in claim 3. where the flat object is moved by letting the finger tips rest on the upper surface of the object and dragging said object along with the movement of the fingers by virtue of the lateral friction between the fingers and the object being greater then the lateral friction between said object and its supporting surface.
5. Pointing device as in claim 3, where the optical sensor is build into a notebook.
6. Pointing device as in claims 3 and 5 where the buttons incorporated in the flat object open or close a tuned circuit.
PCT/NL2004/000185 2003-03-13 2004-03-12 Pointing device for computers WO2004081705A2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL1022915 2003-03-13
NL1022915A NL1022915C1 (en) 2002-11-11 2003-03-13 Computer mouse with flat top side, has integral buttons in top side which are not activated when fingers are resting on them during mouse movement

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2004081705A2 true WO2004081705A2 (en) 2004-09-23
WO2004081705A3 WO2004081705A3 (en) 2005-04-07

Family

ID=32986048

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/NL2004/000185 WO2004081705A2 (en) 2003-03-13 2004-03-12 Pointing device for computers

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2004081705A2 (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2411452A (en) * 2004-08-06 2005-08-31 Simon Richard Daniel A collapsible wireless input device usable in both flat and expanded configurations and a storage docking tray
WO2005109323A1 (en) * 2004-05-05 2005-11-17 Sanchez Lopez Jesus Compact computer mouse
WO2009000319A1 (en) * 2007-06-22 2008-12-31 Schulz Hans M Manual input device

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5355148A (en) * 1993-01-14 1994-10-11 Ast Research, Inc. Fingerpoint mouse
US20020060666A1 (en) * 2000-10-10 2002-05-23 Close J. Garth Method and apparatus for computer mouse with guide fin and remote switching means
DE20120335U1 (en) * 2001-12-17 2002-05-29 Behavior Tech Computer Corp Optical positioning device
US20030011565A1 (en) * 1998-05-20 2003-01-16 Kwan-Ho Chan Finger controlled computer mouse

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5355148A (en) * 1993-01-14 1994-10-11 Ast Research, Inc. Fingerpoint mouse
US20030011565A1 (en) * 1998-05-20 2003-01-16 Kwan-Ho Chan Finger controlled computer mouse
US20020060666A1 (en) * 2000-10-10 2002-05-23 Close J. Garth Method and apparatus for computer mouse with guide fin and remote switching means
DE20120335U1 (en) * 2001-12-17 2002-05-29 Behavior Tech Computer Corp Optical positioning device

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2005109323A1 (en) * 2004-05-05 2005-11-17 Sanchez Lopez Jesus Compact computer mouse
GB2411452A (en) * 2004-08-06 2005-08-31 Simon Richard Daniel A collapsible wireless input device usable in both flat and expanded configurations and a storage docking tray
GB2411452B (en) * 2004-08-06 2006-03-22 Simon Richard Daniel Flat and collapsible mouse
WO2009000319A1 (en) * 2007-06-22 2008-12-31 Schulz Hans M Manual input device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
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