Two-axis cursor control apparatus
US6839051B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 29, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jan 4, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 5, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/03549
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A two-axis ball-based cursor control apparatus is provided, which includes a housing; a spherical ball contained partially within the housing; two rotors in contact with the spherical ball and two corresponding axles; two screw devices associated with each rotor-axle pair, each screw device having a continuous helical thread; a plurality of light sensors, each associated with a screw device; and a means for processing the signal from the light sensors. When the spherical ball is rotated by the user, its motion about each axis of rotation is translated to one of the screw devices by means of the corresponding rotor-axle pair. The rotation of the screw devices causes the helical thread on each to momentarily interrupt the light beam generated by each sensor at least once during each revolution of the screw device, thereby generating a signal which is translated into two-dimensional motion of a cursor on an electronic display screen.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.