Pointing stick with top mounted z-axis sensor
US6239786A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 30, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 29, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 30, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/0338
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A pointing stick for controlling the positioning, movement and operation of a cursor on the display screen. Specifically, there is a pointing stick that both directs a cursor and acts as the activation button for selecting items on the display screen by tapping on the pointing stick instead of clicking on a mouse button. Uniquely, the device is made of a shaft (12) having a longitudinal length oriented along a first axis (39) and having a top surface that is perpendicular to the first axis, there is a vertical force sensor (59, or 71), mounted on the top surface of the shaft, for sensing a vertical oriented force applied to the shaft along the first axis. Cap (24), has a cavity (81) with a top surface (79) therein, where the top surface of the shaft is positioned within the cavity and spaced from and juxtaposed to the top surface of the cavity. In one embodiment the vertical sensor includes first and second electrically conductive pads that are electrically isolated from each other. The vertical sensor also has a flexible conductive layer positioned next to the top surface of the cavity of the cap. Additionally, the vertical sensor has an electrically insulative spacer (78) shaped …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.