Isometric pointing device with integrated click and method therefor
US6084572A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 9, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 4, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 9, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H2221/012
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A computer input device that has the click function incorporated into a pointing device, rather than as a separate switch. The pointing device implements the operations of pointing, clicking and dragging based solely upon an evaluation of the pressure applied thereto. An array of sensors is monitored. The cursor direction is determined by the difference or ratio of applied force between the arrayed sensors. Cursor velocity is determined by the magnitude of the applied force. When a click is desired, the pointing device is pressed downward. The transient nature of the top or its nearly vertical force nature causes the output of the pointing device to readly distinguish between pointing and clicking operations.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.